Richard Brooks
Cranleigh's finest cricketer?

Richard Brooks was in the Cranleigh XI for several seasons, establishing a reputation as one of the school’s best cricketers in its early years. In an era of amateurs and professionals, his career as a solicitor took up much of his time but he was still in demand for some top games. In 1889 he made his one county appearance for Surrey against Gloucestershire, and he appeared intermittently for their 2nd XI in the 1890s. In 1900 he played twice alongside WG Grace for London County, at the time a first-class team, and in 1901 represented The Rest against Yorkshire, the champion county, in the traditional season-end fixture. His finest moment came in 1902 when picked for Gentlemen against Players, one of the summer’s highest-profile matches. Being unable to spare time to appear in many three-day matches, he was obliged to content himself with taking part chiefly in good-class club games. For the Wanderers he was very successful, once obtaining as many as nine wickets in a match and several times six in succession. In one season he did not allow a single extra in nine consecutive innings. He was, too, well above the average as a batsman. It may be added that, although he was generally known as R. B. Brooks, he had only one Christian name.
Personal Details

Full name Richard Brooks
Born Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire, July 29, 1863
Died Kensington, London, April 9, 1927
Height 5ft 7ins
Nickname RB Brooks
Batting right-hand tail-ender
Other wicketkeeper
Clubs Surrey, London County, Wanderers
OC Career 1888 to 1889
School 1st XI 1886 to 1887

Career Statistics

Batting
M I No HS Runs Av 50 100 C St
2 4 1 23 35* 11.67 0 0 2 0

Bowling
O M R W Av BB 5WI SR ER

Batting - First Class
M I No HS Runs Av 50 100 C St
7 8 1 18 56 8.00 0 0 8 12

© Old Cranleighan Cricket Club 2002