by The Professor » Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:29 am
On this day in 1925 Percy Chapman dominates as a ringer in a Brewery team.
Professional Percy Chapman formed a team of Brewery workers and turned out for them occasionally. On this day they faced off against the Elham Division of the police.
The police batted first and were making steady progress until Chapman, a batsman by trade, came on and bowled some filth which saw off the coppers. He ended with 4 wickets and the police were on 151.
The Brewery team found themselves in trouble when their first three batsmen were out for a duck. This trouble did not stop as batsmen five, six, seven and eight were also out for nought. The difference was batsman number four, Percy Chapman. He scored 183. The first batsmen to join him in any run scoring was the second to last man in who got two. The last man got 4. In their total of 201, Chapman scored 91% of the runs.
Chapman would go on to greater things by captaining England to Ashes victory.
"It has been said of the unseen army of the dead, on their everlasting march, that when they are passing a rural cricket ground the Englishman falls out of the ranks for a moment to look over the gate and smile."