By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (April 15^th 2025)

A Stellar Career

Charles (CB) Fry played cricket for Surrey in 1891 but not at top level. He played for Oxford University from 1892-95 inclusive before Sussex recruited him. He played for them from 1896-1908 and ended his career at Hampshire (1909-1920) although there was no cricket played between 1914-19 due to the First World War – there were more important priorities than sport in after the war ended.

He represented his country in Test Matches, captaining England in six of his 26 Test Matches in the triangular series between England (hosts) and Australia and South Africa in 1912. He never lost as captain. He was a gifted all-rounder, but his captaincy left a little to be desired. Four of the six matches were won easily – the other two were drawn. Australia won two Tests against South Africa, drawing the other and England won the series easily.

His highest score in Test Matches was 144 against Australia in the fifth Test Match at the Oval in 1905 out of a first innings total of 430 all out. Australia’s opening batsman Reggie Duff bettered Fry’s score by two runs out of a total of 363 all out – the match was drawn.

Tests

He played 26 Test Matches for England with an average of 32.18 – his first-class average was over 50. He played for England between 1896-1912, but scored just two centuries in Test cricket. 144 against Australia in 1905 was his highest score in Test Matches – an innings that included 23 boundaries.  against Ireland in 1901 at football. He was an accomplished all-rounder at cricket. Fry set a record of six consecutive first-class centuries in 1901 – a record Sir Donald Bradman subsequently equalled. Fry finished his cricketing career in 1921 with Hampshire – cricket was suspended between 1914-19 due to World War I.

Fry also carved a career in writing, teaching, editing and publishing outside of sport. He died in 1956. Fry and Ranjitsinhji were friends to such an extent that when Ranji was appointed a representative to League of Nations in the 1920s, Fry accompanied him as an assistant.

Fry missed out on a hundred hundreds by just 6 centuries. He was one of Britain’s greatest sporting icons.

Cricketing Rivalry with Bosanquet

The man who developed the googly, Bernard Bosanquet, turned the tide against Sussex greats Charles (CB) Fry and Prince Kumar Shri (KS) Ranjitsinhji in 1904 with a remarkable performance, taking 7 wickets in each innings, but 1905 had a surprise in store as the first encounter between Middlesex and Sussex took place at Lord’s in May – neither Fry nor Ranjitsinhji played.

Bosanquet hit a century, 103 and Edwin Field hit an unbeaten 107 in Middlesex’s first innings total of 369 all out. Sussex responded with 259 all out. Bosanquet hit 100 not out in Middlesex’s second innings of 316 for 3 declared. Sussex capitulated in their second innings, 102 all out – Joe Vine top-scored with just 31. Middlesex won by a whopping 324 runs.

Sussex clearly missed the batting prowess of Fry and Ranjitsinhji in that match. However, Sussex, absent Fry and Ranjitsinhji, won the return match in August by 6 wickets.

Bosanquet took 3 for 92 in Sussex’s first innings and top-scored with 78 out of 175 all out in the second innings, but Sussex knocked off 130 runs from 48 overs and 1 ball in their second innings.

Bosanquet did not play in the first match between Middlesex and Sussex which took place in May 1906. However, Fry returned, top-scoring with 67 in the first innings – Ranjitsinhji did not play. A poor second innings of 120 all out meant Middlesex only needed 111 to win, which they achieved for the loss of 6 wickets.

None of the three played in the return match in June 1906, which Sussex won by an innings and 101 runs despite only scoring 286 all out. However, the victory owed more to the bowling of John (JEB) Dwyer than any batting in the match. He took 7 for 56 from 21 overs and 3 balls in the first innings and 9 for 44 from 23 overs and 3 balls in the second innings, giving him match figures of 16 for 100 from 44 overs and 6 balls – this match was six balls per over, so he bowled 45 overs in the match.

In May 1907 Middlesex beat Sussex rapidly by 209 runs in a relatively low scoring match. Bosanquet did not play and nor did Fry or Ranjitsinhji. Middlesex won the return match at Lord’s by 11 runs – of the three only Fry played, but he only made 11 runs in the two innings combined.

The Prince’s Finale

Bosanquet did not play against Sussex at Lord’s in June 1908 and nor did Fry, but Ranjitsinhji, now referred to as the Maharajah of Nawanagar, made an unbeaten 153 in the first innings out of 410 all out and 78 out of 233 for 5 in the second innings. Middlesex responded with 387 all out. The match was drawn. None of the three played in the return match in August 1908.

Bosanquet’s best performance was in 1905 at Lord’s against Sussex. He scored a century in each innings, 103 in the first innings and 100 not out in the second innings. He took 3 for 75 in Sussex’s first innings and 8 for 53 in the second innings. That made him the first cricketer to score a century in each innings and have an aggregate of 10 or more wickets in the match – 11 in this case.

In his last full season, Ranjitsinhji made 37 and 44 respectively in a dismal defeat to Middlesex by an innings and 48 runs at Lord’s in May 1912. He played his last Match against Middlesex in August 1912. While Bosanquet did not play, two all-time greats made early appearances, Elias Henry ‘Patsy’ Hendren from Middlesex and Percy (PGH) Fender for Sussex, although he excelled later for Surrey.

Hendren scored 83 in Middlesex’s first innings and Fender just 2 for Sussex. Fender had made his début in 1910 but it was a decade later for Surrey that he made his mark, hitting a century in just 35 minutes, 113 not out against Northamptonshire – it hasn’t been bettered in a century.

Meanwhile, Ranjtsinhji made 33. He returned to play again in 1920, but he was no longer the great innovative batsman of years ago. He played just three matches and with one eye – the result of a hunting accident.