William Hickton (cricketer, born 1842)
Encyclopedia
William Hickton was an English
cricket
er who played for Lancashire
between 1867 and 1871 and for Derbyshire
between 1871 and 1878. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Hickton was born in Hardstoft
, Derbyshire
. He first played for the Salford-based Broughton club in 1867 and began his first-class career for Lancashire in the same year. In a match against MCC at Lords, which was so badly interrupted by the weather, that mops and pails were used clear water off the pitch, Hickton took 5 for 69 and 6 for 22. He continued to play in County matches between Lancashire and the small number of registered county sides at the time. In his time as a bowler at Lancashire, he took 144 wickets for 2022 runs, and in 1870 he achieved a clean sweep of 10-46 in a match against Hampshire.
In 1871 Hickton decided to move to Derbyshire and join the newly established Derbyshire County Cricket Club
in their opening season
in a bowling line-up that included Dove Gregory
and John Platts
. Hickton's first match for Derbyshire, the first County Match played by the team, was against his old team Lancashire. Hickton made a good account of himself, taking four wickets in the first innings of the match. Hickton played in both matches against Lancashire in the 1872 season
, whereas a good score in his one match against lancashire in the 1873 season
put him top of the batting averages. In the 1874 season
he played only two matches but took 17 wickets with 6-15 against Kent and 6-63 against Lancashire. In the 1875 season
, he played six of the seven matches and took 32 wickets with 5-38 against United North of England. In the 1876 season
he played four of seven matches but took eleven wickets of his twenty-two wickets in one match against Kent with 5-52 and 6-41. He played in all matches with the team in the 1877 season
, when he took 40 wickets with 5-37 against Lancashire, 6-47 gainst Kent and 5-44 against Hampshire. As with earlier seasons, Hickton was kept of the top bowler spot by William Mycroft
. Hickton managed just eleven wickets in eleven matches in the 1878 season
and retired from first-class cricket. He continued his association with Broughton until 1897. Hickton's benefit match took place on July 20, 1883, between Lancashire and eighteen of the Broughton Club.
Hickton was a right-arm round-arm fast bowler and took 284 first-class wickets at an average of 14.15 and a best performance of 10-46. He was a lower-order right-handed batsman and played 103 innings in 60 matches with a top score of 63 and an average of 12.25. He was also a deft slip fielder.
Hickton died at Lower Broughton at the age of 58. Wisden described him as "a good batsman and a fast round-armed bowler, being altogether a cricketer above the average, and fielding generally at slip." A reporter was once noted to have said of Hickton, "There were few better fast bowlers than Hickton, and he always looked a very proud man when he could get through the defence of the Champion and then walk off the field in a stately fashion for a drink."
Hickton's son, also named William Hickton, played first-class cricket for Worcestershire
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
er who played for Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
between 1867 and 1871 and for 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...
between 1871 and 1878. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Hickton was born in Hardstoft
Hardstoft
Hardstoft is a hamlet in Derbyshire, England. It is located four miles east of Clay Cross, on the B6039 road.The Mexican Eagle company found small quantities of oil near Hardstoft in 1919 under encouragement from the British government....
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He first played for the Salford-based Broughton club in 1867 and began his first-class career for Lancashire in the same year. In a match against MCC at Lords, which was so badly interrupted by the weather, that mops and pails were used clear water off the pitch, Hickton took 5 for 69 and 6 for 22. He continued to play in County matches between Lancashire and the small number of registered county sides at the time. In his time as a bowler at Lancashire, he took 144 wickets for 2022 runs, and in 1870 he achieved a clean sweep of 10-46 in a match against Hampshire.
In 1871 Hickton decided to move to Derbyshire and join the newly established Derbyshire County Cricket Club
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...
in their opening season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1871
Derbyshire county cricket opening season was in 1871 when Derbyshire County Cricket Club first competed in the county competition, having been founded the previous November.-Foundation:...
in a bowling line-up that included Dove Gregory
Dove Gregory
Dove Gregory was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire in 1871 and 1872. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871 and his early death in 1873 robbed the side of an outstanding bowler.Dove was born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire...
and John Platts
John Platts
John Thomas Brown Dumelow Platts was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1871 and 1884. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871....
. Hickton's first match for Derbyshire, the first County Match played by the team, was against his old team Lancashire. Hickton made a good account of himself, taking four wickets in the first innings of the match. Hickton played in both matches against Lancashire in the 1872 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1872
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1872 was the second cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. They had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire and lost both.-1872 season:...
, whereas a good score in his one match against lancashire in the 1873 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1873
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1873 was the third cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. Officials and supporters were disappointed that they had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire, but they managed to arrange an extra match...
put him top of the batting averages. In the 1874 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1874
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1874 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire earned the title of Champion County in their fourth year playing as a club. Kent joined Lancashire to make the second County side to play first class matches against Derbyshire in 1874...
he played only two matches but took 17 wickets with 6-15 against Kent and 6-63 against Lancashire. In the 1875 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1875
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1875 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their fifth season. Nottinghamshire had played informal matches aggainst Derbyshire in previous seasons, and joined Lancashire and Kent to make a third County side playing first class matches...
, he played six of the seven matches and took 32 wickets with 5-38 against United North of England. In the 1876 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1876
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1876 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their sixth season.Hampshire replaced Nottinghamshire as the third county to play Derbyshire, together with Lancashire and Kent. Derbyshire also played their first match against an MCC side, which...
he played four of seven matches but took eleven wickets of his twenty-two wickets in one match against Kent with 5-52 and 6-41. He played in all matches with the team in the 1877 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1877
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1877 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their seventh season.Yorkshire joined Hampshire, Lancashire and Kent as the fourth county to play Derbyshire. John Platts became the first cricketer to score a century for Derbyshire.-1877...
, when he took 40 wickets with 5-37 against Lancashire, 6-47 gainst Kent and 5-44 against Hampshire. As with earlier seasons, Hickton was kept of the top bowler spot by William Mycroft
William Mycroft
William Mycroft was an English cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire and MCC between 1873 and 1886. He was a left-arm fast bowler with a great deal of spin and a dangerous yorker that was often believed to be unfair - which may explain why he was not considered for the earliest...
. Hickton managed just eleven wickets in eleven matches in the 1878 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1878
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1878 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their eighth season.Nottinghamshire played Derbyshire again after a two year break, joining Yorkshire Hampshire, Lancashire and Kent as the fifth county to play Derbyshire-1878 season:In 1878,...
and retired from first-class cricket. He continued his association with Broughton until 1897. Hickton's benefit match took place on July 20, 1883, between Lancashire and eighteen of the Broughton Club.
Hickton was a right-arm round-arm fast bowler and took 284 first-class wickets at an average of 14.15 and a best performance of 10-46. He was a lower-order right-handed batsman and played 103 innings in 60 matches with a top score of 63 and an average of 12.25. He was also a deft slip fielder.
Hickton died at Lower Broughton at the age of 58. Wisden described him as "a good batsman and a fast round-armed bowler, being altogether a cricketer above the average, and fielding generally at slip." A reporter was once noted to have said of Hickton, "There were few better fast bowlers than Hickton, and he always looked a very proud man when he could get through the defence of the Champion and then walk off the field in a stately fashion for a drink."
Hickton's son, also named William Hickton, played first-class cricket for 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...
.