July 3, 1920 – When Percy Herbert couldn't see his first-class career

England witnessed many purposeful first-class matches outside of County Championship until the halfway through the 20th century. One such match was hosted by the Kennington Oval between Gentlemen of the South and Players of the South. The game was played for the benefit of a pavilion attendant at The Oval, J.J Reid. The match began on July 3rd and would continue on 5th and 6th following a rest day.

Players of the South, the star-studded side won the toss and elected to bat first. The Gentlemen of South wasn’t that strong especially with the ball and hence paid the price by conceding a huge total. Sir Jack Hobbs opened the batting and smashed 115 in only 90 minutes. Hobbs shared a partnership of 185 for the first wicket alongside Jack Russell who made 71 before both were dismissed at the same score.

Jack Hearne and Pasty Hendren scored 62 and 68 respectively by adding 138 runs for the 3rd wicket. The run-fest on the opening day continued as Andy Sandham scored 89 and put on a 99-run stand with Andy Ducat (48) for the 5th wicket. Later, Alan Peach scored an unbeaten fifty as Players of the South were placed at 551/9 by end of first day’s play where 117.3 overs bowled. Percy Fender was the pick of the bowlers as he took three wickets in the 26 overs he bowled while conceding 114 runs.

Uncle gets a call-up from the nephew!

While the Players of the South were feasting on runs, the Gentlemen of the South were apparently playing with ten players and substitutes who were filling up for the 11th player. Finding shortage for a player, Percy Fender summoned his uncle Percy Herbert to join by the start of 2nd day’s play (July 5th) as they can’t bat through with only ten men. Herbert, who was going to turn 42 later in August 1920, finally got a chance to appear in a first-class match due to his nephew’s insistence.

Percy Herbert was 14 years elder to Percy Fender who was the son of Herbert’s sister. Herbert was a decent club cricketer but was well away from making his first-class debut. He didn’t take the sport seriously after the break caused by World War I as he did before the war. In fact, the year 1920 was marked the resumption of County Championship after a gap of five seasons (1915-1919).

Couldn’t see his own career!

Percy Herbert was apparently part of a club game in Lewes (Sussex) at the Dripping Pan on the first day of his first-class career. He travelled from Sussex to London to join the Gentleman of the South at The Oval. But Herbert was left in tatters as the remaining two days of play was washed away by the rain. Uncle Percy never got to play again in a first-class fixture but nephew Percy went on to become a notable Test cricketer for England.

Thus, Percy Herbert didn’t get a chance to witness his first-class career as he was nowhere near the venue during the first day’s play. Thomas John Hearne’s FC career was also a similar one to that of Herbert. Thomas Hearne got to make his FC debut for Middlesex in 1908 against a visiting team from the USA. Hearne did reach the venue on the evening of first day’s play but he could only witness the last few overs of Middlesex chase that too from the Lord’s balcony as the game was finished in one day.