Tom Young (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Archibald Young, known as "Tom", was a professional first-class
cricket
player who appeared for Somerset
in more than 300 matches. Though a regular cricketer for a dozen years, he was frequently in poor health because of damage to his lungs during the First World War and he died at the age of 45, less than three years after his most successful cricket season.
in Bath on 6 November 1890, and first appeared for Somerset in three matches in 1911, making little impact. He reappeared again in two matches in 1919, again to no great effect. In 1921, however, he was given 10 matches and made useful runs, including his first score of more than 50, an unbeaten 69 in the match against Essex
at Southend
, when he also took wickets that helped to win the game.
Initially, he played largely as a batsman, usually opening. In 1922, he made 881 runs, and in every other season he went on to more than 900 runs, passing the 1,000 runs for the season five times. His first century came in 1923 against a weak Glamorgan
side at Taunton, when he put on 251 for the second wicket with Jack MacBryan
, who made 148. A year later, he made 198 against Hampshire
at Bath, the major contribution in what was, at that stage, Somerset's highest-ever first-class total. The innings remained Young's highest score in first-class cricket. He was picked twice to represent the professionals in Gentlemen v Players
matches, once at Folkestone
and once at The Oval
.
and Jack White
. But in 1930 his bowling was finally discovered: he took 66 wickets in County Championship
matches alone at an average of 18 apiece, and 71 wickets in all. This was, wrote Wisden
, "a truly remarkable improvement upon what he had previously accomplished in that department of the game". Against Derbyshire
at Taunton in August 1930, he made scores of 63 and 70 as an opening batsman, and then took three for 47 and eight for 30 to finish with match figures of 11 for 77. After Young had taken five for 70 in the match against the Australian touring team, including the wickets of Donald Bradman
, Archie Jackson
, Stan McCabe
and Vic Richardson
, Bradman is reported to have remarked: "What a good off-spinner he is." Bradman and Jackson had both scored centuries before Young took their wickets, though.
Young was awarded a benefit match in the 1930 season, and picked the game against Sussex
at Bath: rain interfered badly with play on the Saturday, delayed the resumption on Monday until mid-afternoon, and then prevented any play at all on the Tuesday. The gate receipts were £62 and the match yielded him only £100 in total, but further collections across the summer boosted the benefit fund to £750.
Though by now over 40 years old, Young sustained both his batting and his bowling performance across 1931 and 1932, and in 1933 had his best all-round season, with 951 runs which included three centuries for the first time in any season and 90 wickets. He took 10 wickets in a match for the second time in his career in the game against Worcestershire
at Stourbridge
. Along with Arthur Wellard
, Wisden said, Young "formed the backbone of the team" in 1933.
for the 1935 season. The 1936 Wisden said that, "owing to illness", Young had not stood as an umpire in any first-class matches in 1935 and had withdrawn from the umpires list for 1936. In fact, Young died at his home in Bath on 2 April 1936 just before the cricket season started. He was 45.
is quoted as saying: "I admired him – he was good for us. Tom was very strict and didn't approve of us signing autographs outside the Oval. He didn't want us getting big ideas too quickly." All-rounder Bill Andrews
is reported as having asked Young why, after making 32 opening the innings against Larwood
and Voce
in a match against Nottinghamshire
, he had kept his pads on. Young allegedly replied: "Waste of time taking 'em off, son. We'll be soon bloody well in again."
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
player who appeared for Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
in more than 300 matches. Though a regular cricketer for a dozen years, he was frequently in poor health because of damage to his lungs during the First World War and he died at the age of 45, less than three years after his most successful cricket season.
Early cricket career
Young, a right-handed batsman often used as an opener and a right-arm slow spin bowler, was born at BathwickBathwick
Bathwick is an electoral ward in the City of Bath, England, on the opposite bank of the River Avon to the historic city centre.Bathwick was part of the hundred of Bath Forum....
in Bath on 6 November 1890, and first appeared for Somerset in three matches in 1911, making little impact. He reappeared again in two matches in 1919, again to no great effect. In 1921, however, he was given 10 matches and made useful runs, including his first score of more than 50, an unbeaten 69 in the match against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
at Southend
Southchurch Park
Southchurch Park is a cricket ground in Southend, Essex, England. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1906, when Essex played their inaugural first-class match there, beating Leicestershire by five wickets...
, when he also took wickets that helped to win the game.
County regular
From 1922 to 1933, Young was a regular member of the Somerset side. He was, says a history of Somerset cricket, "a laconic and frail man", yet despite the damage done to his lungs in France during the First World War he missed very few games over the 12 seasons.Initially, he played largely as a batsman, usually opening. In 1922, he made 881 runs, and in every other season he went on to more than 900 runs, passing the 1,000 runs for the season five times. His first century came in 1923 against a weak Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
side at Taunton, when he put on 251 for the second wicket with Jack MacBryan
Jack MacBryan
John "Jack" Crawford William MacBryan was an English cricketer who played for Cambridge University and Somerset and made one almost imperceptible appearance in a Test match for England...
, who made 148. A year later, he made 198 against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
at Bath, the major contribution in what was, at that stage, Somerset's highest-ever first-class total. The innings remained Young's highest score in first-class cricket. He was picked twice to represent the professionals in Gentlemen v Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
matches, once at Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
and once at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
.
All-rounder
Up to 1930, Young was regarded as primarily a batsman who bowled a bit. This was, says Somerset's cricket history, "an astonishing oversight" by successive captains, John DaniellJohn Daniell (cricketer)
John Daniell, was an international rugby union player for England and a first-class cricketer for Somerset and Cambridge University Cricket Club....
and Jack White
Jack White (cricketer)
John Cornish White, known as "Farmer" or "Jack", was an English cricketer who played for Somerset and England. White was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1929...
. But in 1930 his bowling was finally discovered: he took 66 wickets in County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
matches alone at an average of 18 apiece, and 71 wickets in all. This was, wrote Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
, "a truly remarkable improvement upon what he had previously accomplished in that department of the game". Against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
at Taunton in August 1930, he made scores of 63 and 70 as an opening batsman, and then took three for 47 and eight for 30 to finish with match figures of 11 for 77. After Young had taken five for 70 in the match against the Australian touring team, including the wickets of Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
, Archie Jackson
Archie Jackson
Archibald "Archie" Jackson , occasionally known as Archibald Alexander Jackson, was an Australian cricketer who played eight Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1929 and 1931. A teenage prodigy, he played first grade cricket at only 15 years of age and was selected for New South Wales at 17...
, Stan McCabe
Stan McCabe
Stanley Joseph McCabe was an Australian cricketer who played 39 Test matches for Australia from 1930 to 1938. A short, stocky right-hander,...
and Vic Richardson
Vic Richardson
Victor York Richardson OBE was a leading Australian sportsman of the 1920s and 1930s, captaining the Australian cricket team and the South Australian Australian rules football team, representing Australia in baseball and South Australia in golf, winning the South Australian state tennis title and...
, Bradman is reported to have remarked: "What a good off-spinner he is." Bradman and Jackson had both scored centuries before Young took their wickets, though.
Young was awarded a benefit match in the 1930 season, and picked the game against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
at Bath: rain interfered badly with play on the Saturday, delayed the resumption on Monday until mid-afternoon, and then prevented any play at all on the Tuesday. The gate receipts were £62 and the match yielded him only £100 in total, but further collections across the summer boosted the benefit fund to £750.
Though by now over 40 years old, Young sustained both his batting and his bowling performance across 1931 and 1932, and in 1933 had his best all-round season, with 951 runs which included three centuries for the first time in any season and 90 wickets. He took 10 wickets in a match for the second time in his career in the game against Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
at Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
. Along with Arthur Wellard
Arthur Wellard
Arthur William Wellard was a cricketer who played for Somerset and England. A late starter in county cricket, having been told by his native county, Kent, that he would be better off taking up a career as a policeman, Wellard played on into his late 40s...
, Wisden said, Young "formed the backbone of the team" in 1933.
End of career and death
But that was that. The 1935 Wisden reported on Young's absence as a factor in a weaker Somerset team in the 1934 season, and noted that he had been added to the list of first-class umpiresUmpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
for the 1935 season. The 1936 Wisden said that, "owing to illness", Young had not stood as an umpire in any first-class matches in 1935 and had withdrawn from the umpires list for 1936. In fact, Young died at his home in Bath on 2 April 1936 just before the cricket season started. He was 45.
Character
Illness is cited in Somerset's history as a potential reason why Young was seen as a "moody and intimidating" cricketer by his fellow players. Younger left-arm spinner Horace HazellHorace Hazell
Horace Leslie Hazell was a cricketer who played for Somerset County Cricket Club in English first-class cricket....
is quoted as saying: "I admired him – he was good for us. Tom was very strict and didn't approve of us signing autographs outside the Oval. He didn't want us getting big ideas too quickly." All-rounder Bill Andrews
Bill Andrews (cricketer)
Bill Andrews was an English cricketer who played for Somerset. He was a right-arm fast-medium pace bowler and useful middle-order right-handed batsman...
is reported as having asked Young why, after making 32 opening the innings against Larwood
Harold Larwood
Harold Larwood was an English cricket player, an extremely accurate fast bowler best known for his key role as the implementer of fast leg theory in the infamous "bodyline" Ashes Test series of 1932–33....
and Voce
Bill Voce
Bill Voce was an English cricketer. He played for the Nottinghamshire and England, and was an instrumental part of England's infamous Bodyline tour of Australia in 1932–1933.-Life and career:...
in a match against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
, he had kept his pads on. Young allegedly replied: "Waste of time taking 'em off, son. We'll be soon bloody well in again."