34 Facts About Stephen Newton

Stephen Cox Newton was an English cricketer who represented, and captained, Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

Stephen Newton made his debut in first-class cricket for Cambridge University, where he was awarded his Blue.

Stephen Newton then spent nine seasons playing for Somerset, and captained the side for the last five of those seasons.

Stephen Newton returned to play for Somerset in 1887 and 1890 when they had lost their first-class status.

Stephen Newton worked as headmaster of Loudon House School in London for some years from 1888, and died following an operation in 1916 in Ipswich.

Stephen Cox Newton was born on 21 April 1853 in Nailsea, Somerset to Robert Newton and Elizabeth Catherine Cox.

Stephen Newton attended Victoria College, Jersey, where he played in the school cricket team for seven summers, from 1866 to 1872, and topped the batting averages in five of those years.

Stephen Newton captained the side during his last three years at the school.

On completion of his time at Victoria College, Newton continued his education at Cambridge University, attending Corpus Christi College.

Stephen Newton played in the Freshman's match in 1873, in which made scores of two and twelve and took two wickets.

Accordingly, Stephen Newton was not selected for the University team until final year at Cambridge.

Stephen Newton played five first-class matches for the university, all in 1876.

Stephen Newton was awarded his cricketing Blue, scoring seven runs at number ten during a nine wicket Cambridge victory over Oxford University.

Stephen Newton took on the captaincy of the club in 1880, a season in which he passed 30 runs in five of the recorded seven innings in which he played.

Stephen Newton was the county's top run-scorer in 1877, accumulating 285 runs at an average of 25.90, and he was one of their principle bowlers, collecting 21 wickets during the season.

Stephen Newton remained near the top of the batting charts for the club the following year, scoring the second-most runs behind Edward Sainsbury, 146 at an average of 18.25.

Stephen Newton was used less as a bowler than in the previous year, taking just six wickets.

Stephen Newton trailed only Sainsbury amongst batsmen in 1880, scoring 278 runs at an average of 30.88.

Stephen Newton was appointed as the club captain for 1881, though he was not able to play as frequently for the club, and finished the season with 93 runs from five innings at an average of 18.3.

Stephen Newton was the club captain for the first three of these seasons, becoming the county's first official captain.

Stephen Newton then made 80 in the side's next match, a victory over Hampshire.

Stephen Newton fared less well in the remainder of the 1882 season, failing to reach a half-century in any of his other three matches.

Stephen Newton suffered a slow start to his 1883 campaign, failing to pass 10 runs in his first five innings.

Stephen Newton's improvements improved in his next three matches, highlighted by a half-century against Gloucestershire, scored during a 135 run partnership with Edward Sainsbury.

Stephen Newton utilised himself as a bowler only after using every other member of the side, with the exception of wicket-keeper Francis Terry.

Stephen Newton added two further scores above 30 against Kent, scoring 46 and 31, Stephen Newton played three less innings than in the previous season, but surpassed his total runs from that season, and improved his average to 24.22.

Stephen Newton appeared for the club five times during 1885.

Stephen Newton appeared three times for Middlesex during 1885, for whom he qualified under the residential criterion.

Stephen Newton averaged 5.33 for the county with the bat, and did not appear again after 1885.

Stephen Newton appeared once for the MCC in first-class cricket in each of the 1887,1888,1889 and 1890 seasons, after which he did not play first-class cricket again.

Stephen Newton returned to play three further matches for Somerset in 1887 and 1890, when they did not hold first-class status.

Stephen Newton opened the innings for the county twice in 1887, passing 20 on three out of four occasions.

CricketArchive records one further appearance for Stephen Newton, playing in Felixstowe for the MCC against Suffolk in 1905, aged 52.

Stephen Newton died on 16 August 1916 in a nursing home in Ipswich, Suffolk after an operation.