Samuel Dakin was born in Sileby, Leicestershire, and resided in Derby but was still chosen to play for Nottinghamshire v Kent at Canterbury in 1845 – the reporter noted that ‘for some reason Kent did not object to Dakin’s inclusion in the Notts side’ – despite his lack of qualifications.
Dakin did just about enough in that Kent game – 6 in each innings, two catches and one wicket – to be picked for the Notts side in the same season when Kent came to Trent Bridge, but then did not appear in the final eleven.
By that time, he had already played in ten games against the MCC, for the West, for Midlands Counties and, mainly, for the North. He had also played in one or two County v Town games at Trent Bridge.
Dakin had played in the last recorded game of the old Leicester Club, against Nottingham on The Forest in 1829, scoring 1 and 20no and taking seven wickets.
He was engaged as a professional by South Derbyshire CC, by Kingscote CC, Gloucestershire, and by MCC at Lord’s. He coached part-time at Chaddesden House School and at Cambridge University, having moved to Cambridge about 1850.
His First-Class record was 45 matches for 834 runs with a top score of 64, made for the MCC v Surrey, at 11.91. He was considered a lively hitter and a useful wicket keeper and could bowl round-arm medium pace, apparently to good effect. He took 35 First-Class wickets at the extraordinary average of 1.12 and a best return of 4-3 for the West v MCC.
Dakin played in some of the more eccentric matches of that era – representing the Under 30s v Over 30s and the Married v Singles. Later as an umpire, he was on the list from 1865 to his death, he stood in a fixture, Etceteras v Perambulators at Trinity College, Cambridge. Dakin officiated in more than 60 matches, including twice standing in the Gentlemen v Players match at Lord’s.
Samuel Dakin was born on 12 April 1808 in Sileby and died on 27 December 1876 in his adopted city of Cambridge.
July 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 62