County Championship 4th (W13, D7, L9)
Captain Arthur Carr
What might have been the highlight of the season - Trent Bridge hosting the first Ashes Test of the summer with Arthur Carr as England captain, the first Nottinghamshire cricketer to captain his country at his home ground - was, sadly, almost a total washout with rain preventing any significant play.
Apart from Carr’s Captaincy in the first four Test Matches, extreme satisfaction was felt locally in the selection of Harold Larwood to play at Lords and the Oval. He more than justified his choice and with Hobbs, Sutcliffe and Rhodes, had a leading share in England’s victory. It must be allowed, however, that Carr’s and Larwood’s absence from so many County Matches had its effect on the Notts team throughout the Season.
Notts. finished fourth in the Championship to Lancashire, Yorkshire and Kent, a respectable outome that might have been even better but for nine drawn matches. The side also suffered a heavy defeat in the county game against the tourists, with Arthur Mailey taking 15-193 in the match, figures that remain unsurpassed by any overseas bowler at Trent Bridge.
The outstanding batsman of the year was Payton who finished tenth in the English averages with 47.79 runs per innings, including six centuries. Whysall with six centuries – two in the match with Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge – also had a fine season and made the highest score of his career, 209 v. Essex at Leyton. Both these players missed several matches through accident or illness. George Gunn in spite of an injury to his hand – a finger being fractured in the Lancashire match – had a very good season, his 191 v Surrey, at Whitsun, being one of the best innings of the season at Trent Bridge. Walker showed continuous improvement and scored three centuries. Arthur Carr scored two centuries and Bill Flint one. The first five of these players scored over 1,000 runs.
Three of the bowlers took over 100 wickets, Staples for the first time in his career, a similar feat being accomplished by Larwood, who has more than fulfilled expectation, and finished eighth in the English bowling averages. Richmond, with 149 wickets, was the most effective bowler throughout the season.
The fielding was not so good as usual, but an exception must be made in the case of Sam Staples whose catching in the slips and at short leg deserves special comment.
In the Minor Counties Competition Notts Seconds played eight matches and won one. The bowling of Bill Voce, a young left-hander from Annesley Woodhouse, was the outstanding performer.
A then Record Membership - 4,962 - was largely due to the appeal of the Ashes Test, in preparation for which improvements were made to Ground. This included two new Stands, an expenditure which was necessary to equip the ground properly for Test Match cricket. A new Entrance near the Trent Bridge Hotel (as it was called then) added to the modernisation of the ground.
In a portent of what was to be needed in 2024/5, the Committee Report said that "In the large room of the Members’ Pavilion, the cleaning and rearrangement of the Prints, Portraits and other pictures have been carried out. This work was kindly supervised by Dr H J Spenser, the cost being met by A. W. Shelton."
The Committee also recorded, with sorrow, the death, which took place with 'startling suddenness' during the season, of Mr. W. Eben Hardy, a Member of the Committee, and President of the Club in 1924, a keen sportsman and a generous supporter of the game.
One of the great all-rounders of Nottinghamshire Cricket – Wilfred Flowers – passed away shortly after the end of the season. From 1877 to 1896 he was one of the best known men in English Cricket and was the first professional to take over 100 wickets and score 1,000 runs in one season and actually obtained a century in his last County match.
September 2024
Scorecards and stats can be seen here