1906

1906 season

County Championship – 5th (W 9, L 4, D 7)

Captain – A O Jones

With the authorities discouraging the over-preparation of wickets and the weather being kind, more matches came to a definite conclusion than for some years. Although Notts never looked likely to take the Championship in 1906, they were in the top six throughout the summer and with ten wins ended the year in fifth place. Owing to a row with Kent over an incident during the 1905 match at Gravesend, Notts declined to play that county in 1906, which was most unfortunate since Kent ended the year as champions.

Notts’ opening game was at Lord’s where the MCC were defeated by 44 runs. The championship campaign commenced at Trent Bridge with a two-day victory over Leicestershire by nine wickets, Tom Wass with match figures of 11-164. A rain affected draw versus Gloucestershire at Bristol followed. Wass then had a great match at Aigburth, where he bowled unchanged through both innings having figures 8-25 and 8-44; Lancashire were all out for 58 and 102, but Notts could muster only 48 and 52 and lost by 60 runs.

Moving into June, an innings of 113 from George Gunn and match figures of 11-90 for Wass were instrumental in aiding Notts to defeat Northants by an innings and 229 runs at Northampton. Surrey opener Tom Hayward carried his bat for 144 in the Whitsuntide game at Trent Bridge and followed it up with 100 as Surrey won by five wickets, skipper Arthur Jones scoring 105 for the losers. Notts remained at Trent Bridge and drew with Essex, but then beat Middlesex at Lord’s by 52 runs. Notts and Northants drew their game at Trent Bridge and once again Leicester were beaten in two days. The highlight of the ten-wicket victory at Aylestone Road was match figures of 11-119 for John Gunn, Albert Iremonger, the brother of James, made his debut in this fixture, scoring 33. He was Notts County’s goalkeeper from 1905 to 1927 and but for being a trifle eccentric, would have played for England. As a cricketer he was a hard-hitting batsman and fair medium pace bowler; he made a further five appearances in 1906. John Gunn scored 80 and took nine wickets (including 8-93 in the first innings) as Notts drew with Yorkshire at Trent Bridge and he kept his good form by taking 11-143 at Derby in a two-day 10 wicket win for Notts.

At the start of July, Notts and Lancashire fought out a high scoring draw at Trent Bridge. Notts then had the satisfaction of beating Yorkshire, who came second, for the first time in ten years in a low scoring game at Dewsbury. This was due to some brilliant batting by Arthur Jones, who made 88 when the next highest innings in the entire match was only 42. Notts followed this encouraging victory with a win over Derbyshire by five wickets and a 151 run triumph over Gloucester (James Iremonger 200 not out and John Gunn 12-153), both at Trent Bridge. The month closed with Notts following on against Sussex at Trent Bridge, but Notts achieved a honourable draw as James Iremonger scored 171 in the second innings.

August commenced with draws at the Oval and against the West Indian tourists at Trent Bridge. After having a 64-run first innings deficit, Notts needed to 284 in the fourth innings to beat Middlesex at Trent Bridge. They got home as James Iremonger hit an undefeated 100 and Jones scored 71. Notts finished the season with two defeats, Sussex winning by eight wickets at Hove and Essex winning by 71 runs at Leyton.

All three of Notts main bowlers were on form throughout the year and in all First-Class matches, each took 100 wickets. In the Championship, the leading wicket-taker was John Gunn with 105 wickets @20.65, Albert Hallam took 91 wickets @17.58 and, despite missing four matches in mid-season through injury, Wass took 90 wickets @17.93. The fielding was described as brilliant and Oates, who dismissed ten men in the match against Middlesex at Trent Bridge, was regarded as one of the best wicket-keepers in England.

Notts were unlucky to lose the services of George Gunn, with lung trouble, for the last five games, two of which were lost due to poor batting. On the whole however the batting was in fine fettle. Jones (1,483 runs @43.61), more consistent than before, James Iremonger (1,650 runs @53.22) and John Gunn (1,154 runs @37.22) were ably assisted by the young, up and coming, George Gunn (725 runs @31.52), Joe Hardstaff senior (839 runs @25.42) and Wilf Payton (610 runs @23.46).

Two brothers, who appeared briefly in the County side during 1906, were Nigel and Tom Turner, whose father had a Wagon Works business at Langley Mill. Both were in the Eleven at Repton and Tom, who was only 17, still had another year at Repton. Both were stylish batsmen and the latter played now and then for Notts until 1927. Nigel was better known as a soccer player with Corinthian Casuals and later won an amateur England cap. Two other professionals began their first-class career in 1906, all-rounder Ted Alletson of Welbeck (two championship games) and Charles James who had joined the Notts staff in 1904 and who appeared in three championship contests.

May 2020