By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (April 10^th 2025)

Famed Victims

Bernard Bosanquet is a bit of cricketing enigma. He only played seven Test Matches, but made an impact on the sport with both bat and ball, albeit largely in county cricket. He is acknowledged to be the first person to take a first-class wicket with a deliberately bowled googly in 1900 – a ball delivered with the action of a leg-break, but turns in the opposite direction to a leg-break.

He only took one wicket in that match against Leicestershire – a wicket that appeared to have had a great deal of luck to it – but it opened the door to googlies. Bosanquet continued to develop the delivery and others eventually saw its potential too. In that match Bosanquet excelled, but with the bat rather than ball. He scored a century in each innings, 136 in the first innings and 139 in the second.

Bosanquet was not an all-time great cricketer, but he revolutionised the sport. He was not on a par with Sussex and England’s innovative batsman, the Indian Prince Sir Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II[1], after whom India’s top competition, the Ranji Trophy, is named. However, the second match between Middlesex and Sussex in the 1904 season, which was played in August at Sussex’s New County Ground, Hove would be a match that Sussex would want to forget quickly, but Bosanquet would not. In fact, Bosanquet was phenomenal with the ball. He took seven wickets in each innings – 7 for 45 in the first innings and 7 for 145 in the second – giving him match figures of 14 for 190, and he almost scored a half century too.

Sussex lost by nine wickets. Middlesex made 323 all out in their first innings. Richard More top-scored with 69. James Douglas also made a half century, 58, to be exact. Bosanquet was dismissed for 47 by George Cox Snr.

Sussex was dismissed for a meagre 95 in their first innings. Bosanquet took 7 including claiming the prized wicket of the great KS Ranjitsinhji for just a single. Sussex followed on, making a far more respectable 266 all out in their second innings. Bosanquet also claimed seven wickets in the second innings, but this time he dismissed the great CB Fry for 45, Ernest Killick for 76 and George Leach for 46. The only high scorer that Bosanquet did not get out in the second innings was Ranjitsinhji, who was leg before wicket (lbw) to More for 52.

Another Phenomenal Performance

It made little difference. Middlesex made the 39 required to win for the loss of Sir Pelham (Plum) Warner for a duck. Bosanquet was the star of the show. He claimed the wicket of Ranjitsinhji in the first innings and in the second he took Ranji’s good friend and opening batsman Charles Burgess Fry.[2] They were among England’s top cricketers of the era.

A year later Bosanquet delivered another fine all-round performance when the teams met at Lord’s. Edwin Field top-scored with 107 not out in Middlesex’s first innings of 369 all out. Bosanquet was dismissed for 103 by Kenneth Goldie, who took 5 for 80 in that match.

Sussex, without Fry and Ranjitsinhji made 259 all out. Bosanquet took 3 for 75, including the top two scorers for Sussex, Herbert Chaplin for 42 and Charles Smith for 41. Leading by 110 Middlesex batted again. They made 316 for 3 declared. Warner made 86. George Beldam was dismissed for 94 by Cox. Bosanquet was unbeaten on 100 – his second century of the match.

Sussex required 427 for an unlikely win. They folded to 102 all out in just 27 overs and two balls to lose by a huge 324 runs. Bosanquet took 8 for 52 and his opening bowling partner John Hunt took the remaining wickets. Bosanquet’s match figures were 103 and 100 not out combined with 11 for 127 – quite an all-round performance.

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[1] For further information on the great KS Ranjitsinhji, see the forthcoming article Great Friends and Victims of Bosanquet.

[2] For further information on CB Fry see forthcoming article Great Friends and Victims of Bosanquet.