On the 12 June, 1861, the Nottinghamshire and England cricketer, William ‘Dick’ Attewell, was born in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire.
Renowned for his bowling accuracy and economy, Attewell is said to have been responsible for the development of the ‘off theory’. i.e. Bowling wide of the off stump to a packed off-side field, frustrating batsmen on the rapidly improving pitches of the 1890s.
Attewell first played for Nottinghamshire in 1881, as a result of a strike by a number of the club’s senior players. But did not become established until 1884, when he took 100 wickets for less than 13 runs each. From then on, Attewell was always in the front rank of English bowlers, and became the undisputed leader of the Notts. attack.
Attewell made his Test debut for England against Australia at The Oval in 1884, and his final appearance at The Oval against the ‘Aussies’ in 1892. The great strength of English bowling at the time meant he was not considered for a Test match again.
He played 10 Test matches in all, scoring 150 runs, his highest score being 43 not out. In Sydney Australia, in 1892, he earned the distinction of being the first person in Test history to be dismissed for a ‘King pair’. i.e. When a batsman is dismissed with the first ball faced in both innings without scoring. He bowled 2,850 balls in Test cricket and took 28 wickets, his best performance being 4 for 42. I.
In his first-class career Attewell made 429 appearances, scoring 8,083 runs, his best tally being 102. His only century for Notts. came against Kent in 1897. Attewell bowled 108,264 balls and collected 1,951 wickets at an average of 15.3. He took 10 wickets in a match on 27 occasions, his best figures being 9 for 23.
Attewell retired at the end of 1899, and became a first-class umpire, continuing to stand on a regular basis until 1909. ‘Dick’ Attewell died in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, the day before his 66th birthday, in June, 1927.
12 June, 2019