Ben and Duncan the latest of Notts father and son appearances
When Ben Martindale stepped onto the field to face Gloucester in a Royal London Cup match at Bristol on 10 August 2022, he emulated his father Duncan, whose first team debut was in July 1985. They became the fifteenth father-and-son to play competitive first team cricket for Notts, a long history going right back to William Clarke, the ‘father’ of Trent Bridge.
William Clarke played with his son Alfred on a number of occasions - including Alfred’s First-Class debut v Surrey in 1851 (both out 0 b Day) and William’s final First-Class appearance, Notts v England at Trent Bridge in 1855. They also played for William’s All England Eleven (AEE) in several matches in the middle of the 19thC.
William also played alongside his stepson John Chapman, who took over both the Trent Bridge Inn and management of the cricket club when William went to London to form his AEE.
Curiously, they were on opposing sides on John’s First-Class debut (Gentlemen of Notts v Players of Notts) in 1842 and again in 1845 – William a Player, John a Gent.
In 1844, they played on the same side (Players) in the equivalent fixture; this was George Parr’s debut (he scored 29, highest in the match, batting at 9). Father and stepson played together v Sussex in 1843 – William Clarke’s benefit game – against Kent in 1845, and for North v MCC in 1845.
They had earlier (1840) appeared for Notts v Captain Hogge’s XI. Hogge had claimed that better players in the county had been overlooked in the selection of the Nottinghamshire team for county matches and so this match was arranged. The Captain’s point was not borne out – his team lost heavily.
For Notts Amateurs v Leicester in 1845, they batted together though the scorecard does not reveal the worth of their stand. John played against his step-brother Alfred Clarke when Chapman represented Gainsborough XXII v All England XI in 1860 and 1861.
Richard Daft, the first Notts player to gain the reputation as the premier batsman of his day, had two sons that also played for the County. Richard Parr Daft made just one First-Class appearance, against Surrey in 1836 when his younger brother, Harry Butler Parr, was in the same side. The brothers opened together for Notts v Notts Colts in 1887. Their careers differed greatly – HB Daft went on to play 200 First-Class games whilst RP had that single game for Notts and played three times for Berkshire in the Minor Counties Championship of 1896.
All three – father and both sons – played for Richard Daft’s XI v Leicester Club & Ground in 1893 and again v Oakham School in 1896. In the latter game, Richard snr had stands with each of his sons.
No father and son pair for Notts (or any other county) can match the feat of the great George Gunn and George Vernon Gunn. Against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1931, they each made a century - the only record of father and son scoring a hundred in same game.
They batted together for part of Notts first innings; George Vernon’s 100no was his first century, George snr made 183.
Father and son Gunn played together many times including George’s last First-Class game (v India 1932) and George jnr’s debut v West Indies in 1928.
Although no other examples were found of Dads and Lads in the same game, the list of Nottinghamshire family ties is long and strong. Probably the most notable being Chris and Stuart Broad, two record-breaking match winners for Nottinghamshire and England.
Other pairings (not all of whom played first XI cricket) are: Billy and James Barnes; John and Michael Hall; Joe Hardstaff snr and jnr; John and John Henry Hogg; William Coape Oates and William Henry Oates; Wilf and Granville Payton; Walter and Walter jnr and Alfred Price; William Shrewsbury (Arthur’s brother) and Arthur jnr; John Hilton and John jnr; William and John Selby; and Sam and John Sharpe, in addition to Duncan and Ben.
Family ties continue to be strong at Trent Bridge and we’d be delighted to hear of any other family connections that we’ve missed – particularly in women’s cricket: heritage@nottsccc.co.uk
October 2022