25 Facts About Arnold Fothergill

Arnold James Fothergill was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club and the MCC in a career which spanned from 1870 until 1892.

Arnold Fothergill joined Somerset as one of their first professionals in 1880, but was forced to miss most of 1881 while he qualified for the county.

Arnold Fothergill joined the ground staff at Lord's Cricket Ground in 1882, and played for the MCC until 1892, appearing at Lord's for representative sides.

Arnold James Fothergill was born on 26 August 1854 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.

Arnold Fothergill began his cricket career with Northumberland Cricket Club, a private club which was a precursor to the county team.

Arnold Fothergill appeared as a professional for the side from 1870 until 1879, during which time he was employed by Benwell High Cross Cricket Club in 1870 and 1871, and Manchester Cricket Club in 1879, before moving to Somerset in 1880.

In 1881, Arnold Fothergill was included in the Somerset team to face Kent in Bath.

Arnold Fothergill did appear once for the county, against the MCC, taking four wickets in the first innings, and scoring 47 runs as an opening batsman.

In 1882, Arnold Fothergill joined the ground staff at Lord's Cricket Ground, and made his first-class debut for the MCC against Derbyshire in May Bowling unchanged in the first innings, he claimed five wickets for 31 runs, and then scored the highest score of his first-class career, 74 runs, in a large victory for his side.

Somerset were heavily beaten in the match, during which Arnold Fothergill took three wickets and scored three runs.

Arnold Fothergill was Somerset's leading wicket-taker during the season, taking twice as many wickets as the next most effective bowler, Charles Winter.

The South, for whom Arnold Fothergill was the only player to score double figures in each innings, lost the match.

Arnold Fothergill played one further match towards the end of the 1883 season, against that year's "Champion County", Nottinghamshire.

The MCC won the game by 121 runs; in the first innings, Arnold Fothergill was not required to bowl as Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 23, with six players scoring ducks, and he took five for 30 in the second innings.

Arnold Fothergill was once more Somerset's leading wicket-taker during 1883, taking 27 of his 37 first-class wickets for the county that year.

Arnold Fothergill took four for 87 in the match, which was his final first-class appearance for the county.

Arnold Fothergill was again selected to play for the South against the North, but bowled just three overs in the match, without taking a wicket.

Arnold Fothergill performed well in matches against Wiltshire and Leicestershire, taking eleven wickets in each match, including seven for 62 in the second innings against Leicestershire, but neither match had first-class status.

Bastard, Ted Tyler and Sammy Woods in the late 1880s, and Arnold Fothergill was rarely needed to bowl many overs.

The majority of the wickets during the tour were taken by Lancashire's spinner, Johnny Briggs, who took almost 300, but Arnold Fothergill was heavily used as a bowler, and claimed 119 wickets at an average of 6.89.

Arnold Fothergill only took one wicket in the innings, and was noted more for his batting later in the day.

Batting at number eleven, Arnold Fothergill scored 32 runs, second only to opening batsman Bobby Abel.

In South Africa's second innings, Arnold Fothergill was used as first-change bowler, and took four wickets for 19, his best figures in the two Test matches.

Arnold Fothergill claimed the first South African wicket, Albert Rose-Innes at the end of the first day, but only claimed two more in the match, as Briggs took fifteen wickets on the second day to help England to an innings and 202-run victory.

Arnold Fothergill made his final appearance for Somerset in 1889, against Staffordshire; he took 157 wickets for the county in total, of which 57 came in first-class matches.