William Yalden
Encyclopedia
William "The Yold" Yalden (1740, Chertsey
– January 1824, Chertsey) was a noted English cricket
er. He was a very good batsman but was primarily known as a wicket-keeper
.
Yalden and Tom Sueter
of Hampshire were the two foremost 18th century keepers. Yalden played mainly for Chertsey
and Surrey though he was also an All-England
regular, particularly in matches against Hampshire. His career began in the 1760s and he played until 1785 .
Yalden made 44 known appearances in first-class cricket
from 1772 to 1783. This is the total found in Scores & Biographies and is also the total that can be counted in CricketArchive's list of his matches; but, on his profile page, CricketArchive says he made 45 appearances which is incorrect.
Fielding records are incomplete during his career but there is no doubt he took his fair share of catches. Stumpings are more difficult to find because they were often recorded as run outs, though there is one scorecard in which dismissals are recorded as "put out behind The Yold": i.e., st Yalden!
Yalden’s best performance with the bat was probably in September 1773 when he played for Surrey v Hampshire at Broadhalfpenny Down
. He scored 88 out of 225 and enabled Surrey to win the game by an innings and 60 runs . This innings was the "world record" for the highest individual score in first-class matches since the statistical record began in 1772. The previous highest was 78 by John Small in the first match of the 1772 season. Yalden’s score was beaten by Joseph Miller, who made 95 at Sevenoaks Vine
in August 1774 .
Yalden is mentioned somewhat unfavourably by John Nyren
. Nyren makes certain uncomplimentary remarks about Yalden which may have some substance but, on the other hand, it is difficult to believe that the Hambledon
players were all as perfect as Nyren would have us believe! They were a very competitive team and so, evidently, were their opponents, among whom Yalden was a prominent member. Nyren describes Yalden as he "who would resort to trick" (!) and the inference is that the Hambledon players would never dream of doing such a thing.....
According to Arthur Haygarth
, Yalden gave up cricket for one season because he thought his eyesight was failing, but the Earl of Tankerville
said to him: "Try again, Yalden". So he resumed his career with continued success. The story may be apocryphal as Yalden certainly played continuously from 1772, though the incident could have occurred before then. Haygarth also reports that once, when fielding, Yalden had to jump over a fence and ended up on his back, but still caught the ball!
Yalden was a licensed victualler in Chertsey and, like Lumpy, was a long-time member of the local club. Indeed, he managed the club's famous Laleham Burway
ground situated close to the town, supplying refreshments during the great matches .
William Yalden is one player whose reputation has suffered because of the bad press he received from Nyren. But closer examination of the factual records reveal that he was a considerable player, not least his efforts for Hampshire when he played for them in the 1772 season. Yalden and Tom Sueter were both great wicket-keepers and both should be recognised as such .
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
– January 1824, Chertsey) was a noted English 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. He was a very good batsman but was primarily known as a wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
.
Yalden and Tom Sueter
Tom Sueter
Thomas Sueter was a famous English cricketer who played for the Hambledon Club....
of Hampshire were the two foremost 18th century keepers. Yalden played mainly for Chertsey
Chertsey Cricket Club
Chertsey Cricket Club in Surrey is one of the oldest in England. Its own website dates its founding as 1737 but in fact matches involving a Chertsey team date from 1736....
and Surrey though he was also an All-England
All-England Eleven
In cricket, the term All-England has been used for various non-international teams that have been formed for short-term purposes since the 1739 English cricket season and it indicates that the "Rest of England" is playing against, say, MCC or an individual county team...
regular, particularly in matches against Hampshire. His career began in the 1760s and he played until 1785 .
Yalden made 44 known appearances in first-class cricket
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...
from 1772 to 1783. This is the total found in Scores & Biographies and is also the total that can be counted in CricketArchive's list of his matches; but, on his profile page, CricketArchive says he made 45 appearances which is incorrect.
Fielding records are incomplete during his career but there is no doubt he took his fair share of catches. Stumpings are more difficult to find because they were often recorded as run outs, though there is one scorecard in which dismissals are recorded as "put out behind The Yold": i.e., st Yalden!
Yalden’s best performance with the bat was probably in September 1773 when he played for Surrey v Hampshire at Broadhalfpenny Down
Broadhalfpenny Down
Broadhalfpenny Down, situated on a hilltop about a mile from the rural village of Hambledon in Hampshire, was the home venue for first-class cricket matches of the Hambledon Club from 1753 to 1781...
. He scored 88 out of 225 and enabled Surrey to win the game by an innings and 60 runs . This innings was the "world record" for the highest individual score in first-class matches since the statistical record began in 1772. The previous highest was 78 by John Small in the first match of the 1772 season. Yalden’s score was beaten by Joseph Miller, who made 95 at Sevenoaks Vine
Vine Cricket Ground
The Vine Cricket Ground is one of the oldest cricket venues in England. It was given to the town of Sevenoaks in 1773 by John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset and owner of Knole House, where the ground is sited...
in August 1774 .
Yalden is mentioned somewhat unfavourably by John Nyren
John Nyren
John Nyren was an English cricketer and author. Nyren made 16 known appearances in first-class cricket from 1787 to 1817...
. Nyren makes certain uncomplimentary remarks about Yalden which may have some substance but, on the other hand, it is difficult to believe that the Hambledon
Hambledon Club
The Hambledon Club was a social club that is famous for its organisation of 18th century cricket matches. By the late 1770s it was the foremost cricket club in England.-Foundation:...
players were all as perfect as Nyren would have us believe! They were a very competitive team and so, evidently, were their opponents, among whom Yalden was a prominent member. Nyren describes Yalden as he "who would resort to trick" (!) and the inference is that the Hambledon players would never dream of doing such a thing.....
According to Arthur Haygarth
Arthur Haygarth
Arthur Haygarth was a noted amateur cricketer who became one of cricket's most significant historians....
, Yalden gave up cricket for one season because he thought his eyesight was failing, but the Earl of Tankerville
Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville
Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville , styled Lord Ossulston from 1753 to 1767, was a British nobleman, a collector of shells and a famous patron of Surrey cricket in the 1770s. He agreed a set of cricket rules that included the first mention of the Leg before wicket rule. His wife, Emma, was...
said to him: "Try again, Yalden". So he resumed his career with continued success. The story may be apocryphal as Yalden certainly played continuously from 1772, though the incident could have occurred before then. Haygarth also reports that once, when fielding, Yalden had to jump over a fence and ended up on his back, but still caught the ball!
Yalden was a licensed victualler in Chertsey and, like Lumpy, was a long-time member of the local club. Indeed, he managed the club's famous Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway is a tract of meadow land on the River Thames near Chertsey in Surrey. Part of it was a famous major cricket venue in the 18th century and the home of Chertsey Cricket Club.-Earliest known matches:...
ground situated close to the town, supplying refreshments during the great matches .
William Yalden is one player whose reputation has suffered because of the bad press he received from Nyren. But closer examination of the factual records reveal that he was a considerable player, not least his efforts for Hampshire when he played for them in the 1772 season. Yalden and Tom Sueter were both great wicket-keepers and both should be recognised as such .