A History of Cricket at King Edward's School, BIrmingham

27 Chapter Six THE DECADE OF WORLD WAR I 1910-1920 The decade of World War I saw cricket sink to a very low position. Batting declined badly and standards were very much lower. But 1910 had its moments, and JFA Ball (the captain) and HL Higgins scored quite heavily, supported by EB Alabaster and G Curle, although they all had more innings than was usual in other seasons: the total number of games played is unknown. Ball broke Manton’s record aggregate for a season by scoring 463 runs at an average of 28.93. However, the bowling was weak: HH Haddelsey at medium pace bowled many overs and tried hard, but only took 24 wickets, and the other bowlers fared less well. Nobody took more than three wickets in an innings. The season opened badly when the School were all out for 33 against Jesus College, Oxford, all out for 37 against The Oratory, and all out for 57 against Barnt Green CC in the first three matches. However, HL Higgins scored 70 not out, out of a total of 155 for 4, against King’s School Worcester (in those days referred to as Worcester Cathedral School), and Ball scored 73 out of a total of 242 for six declared against Denstone. Another score of over 200 was made against Joseph Manton’s XI at Eastern Road. Since the full results were not included in the Chronicle, little is known about the majority of the matches played. Full results are also lacking for the seasons 1911 and 1912, when HL Higgins was captain. However, it is apparent that standards were declining. Seven matches are known to have been played in 1911, two of which were won. Ball was still at School, but had resigned the captaincy; his total of only 227 runs showed a falling-off from his great season the previous year. Higgins made 327 runs at an average of 40.87, and FJ Hemming, the wicket- keeper, also made a few runs, but otherwise there was little support. EL Hill bowled well to take 29 wickets, backed up by Ball with 21. Hill took 7 for 44 against King’s School Worcester and then Higgins scored 79 not out. In 1912, not only are the full results not given, but also there are no proper averages: only the average is given, and not the number of runs or wickets. The batting was sustained by Higgins, with support from G Curle, who had a better season than in 1911, and BCC Tipper. (G Curle played four matches for Warwickshire in 1913.) Curle made 77 and 111 in consecutive innings. He was joined in the side by V Curle. JE Catherall, an effective seam bowler, arrived to help EL Hill with the taking of wickets. G Curle, at medium pace, was the only other bowler used regularly. HL Higgins scored 1,056 recorded runs for KES, plus an unknown number in 1912. It is worth inserting a word or two about his future career. From 1920 to 1925 he was a regular player for Worcestershire as an amateur. He made four first-class hundreds, and twice scored a thousand runs in a season. In all, he made 3,437 runs at an average of 20.45, and his highest score was 137 not out. He appeared for the Gentlemen against the Players