Walter Lancashire (28 October 1903 — 7 June 1981) was an English amateur first-class cricketer of the 1930s and a schoolteacher.

Walter Lancashire
Personal information
Full name
Walter Lancashire
Born(1903-10-28)28 October 1903
Hemsworth, Yorkshire, England
Died7 June 1981(1981-06-07) (aged 77)
Dorchester, Dorset, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1935–1937Hampshire
1946–1950Dorset
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 18
Runs scored 471
Batting average 16.82
100s/50s –/2
Top score 66
Balls bowled 531
Wickets 7
Bowling average 51.00
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling 2/49
Catches/stumpings 7/–
Source: Cricinfo, 14 January 2010

Lancashire was born in October 1903 at Hemsworth, Yorkshire. He was educated at Rotherham Grammar School, before matriculating to Sheffield University, where he captained the cricket and football teams.[1] After graduating from Sheffield, he became a schoolmaster, and was initially a sports and maths master in Southampton at Taunton's School.[2] He played football for Southampton F.C., having been signed in 1927. A centre-back, he played only for the reserves.[3] In Southampton, he also played club cricket for Deanery Cricket Club.[4] Following success at club level, he began playing as an amateur for Hampshire's club and ground team.[5]

Lancashire eventually made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Somerset in the 1935 County Championship at Taunton,[1][6] debuting alongside Arthur Holt.[7] He made six appearances in 1935, before making a further eight in the 1936 County Championship. He played for Hampshire until the 1937 County Championship, in which he made four appearances.[6] In eighteen first-class matches for Hampshire, he scored 471 runs at an average of 16.82; he made two half centuries, with a highest score of 66.[8] With the ball, he took 7 wickets with his medium pace bowling, with best figures of 2 for 49.[9]

During the Second World War, he was evacuated along with the pupils of Taunton's School to Bournemouth.[10][11] He would return to Southampton during the war to play club cricket for Deanery.[11] Following the war, he took up a teaching post at The Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester.[12] Lancashire began playing minor counties cricket for Dorset in 1946,[13] with him being elected Dorset captain in 1947.[14] He remained captain until his final season in 1950,[15] having represented Dorset in 45 Minor Counties Championship matches.[13] In Dorset, he played his club cricket for Dorchester.[15] Lancashire died in Dorchester on 7 June 1981.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Taunton's master to play". Hampshire Advertiser. Southampton. 8 June 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "Saints". Hampshire Advertiser. Southampton. 15 October 1927. p. 4. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Reserves on top". Hampshire Advertiser. Southampton. 5 November 1927. p. 7. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Another Saint shines". Hampshire Advertiser. Southampton. 24 May 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Half boundaries". Hampshire Advertiser. Southampton. 28 June 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ a b "First-Class Matches played by Walter Lancashire". Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  7. ^ "New men in the county side". Hampshire Advertiser. Southampton. 15 June 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Walter Lancashire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  9. ^ "First-Class Bowling For Each Team by Walter Lancashire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  10. ^ "School's out for the war". Daily Echo. Southampton. 12 May 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Ready to meet demand". Hampshire Advertiser. Southampton. 17 August 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "The Hardyeans' Club" (PDF). Dorchester: The Hardyeans' Club. 2013. p. 2. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Walter Lancashire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Dorset county cricket". Western Gazette. Yeovil. 16 May 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ a b "Happy team wanted". Western Gazette. Yeovil. 5 May 1950. p. 8. Retrieved 20 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Wisden – Obituaries in 1982". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
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