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

49 Appropriately, in the School’s quatercentenary year, his hope was fulfilled, and the School had a better season than ever before, with one single exception – the great season of 1891. The record reads played 18, won 12, lost four, drawn two. In his interim report in the Chronicle for July 1952 the captain, FB Revill, stated that the batting was good, and capable of scoring at two runs per minute if necessary, but that the side was short of bowlers (J Hutchings having left), though the fielding was good and chances had been taken. The bowlers were Wheatley, bowling faster now and very dangerous, Benson, who had developed from a leg-spinner into a medium-pace seamer, and Revill, whose off-breaks had a renaissance in his last season. Not really a bad bowling side! JL Wilkins could not bowl because of a knee injury, and Barraclough was seldom needed due to the presence in the side of Wheatley and Benson. AC Smith came from the under-15 side to keep wicket, and very soon adopted the practice of standing up to the stumps for Wheatley, thus obtaining some superb stumpings. Surprising to relate in view of later events, Smith batted at number 11. The batting consisted of Revill, who in his last season set up a new record aggregate of 664 runs (to be broken three years later by his number 11 batsman), BC Homer, who made 425 runs, Wheatley, who opened the batting and got 304 runs, plus three quick scorers in Benson, Wilkins and GP Simpson, and two steady players in ELB Saxon and PHR Mercer. It is worth undertaking a detailed review of the season (though, in a departure from the previous norm, the Chronicle only includes summary scores for most of the matches). The season did not begin well, with a loss against Old Edwardians CC, the School being all out for 52. However, there was a narrow victory over the Common Room: KES were dismissed for 93, mainly due to a remarkable spell of bowling by AJ Trott, who took 4 for 28, but in spite of an innings of 32 by JB Guy the Common Room fell eight runs short; Revill rediscovered his bowling and took five wickets for 22. Next, Repton Second XI were beaten by eight wickets. Against Wyggeston, KES recorded its third victory in as many matches. KES scored 160 runs in two hours before lunch (Revill 73, Homer 33), and then, after Benson had scored 50 in 41 minutes, and Simpson 38 not out, Revill declared at 232 for eight. Benson made the initial incision into the Wyggeston innings, and off-spinners Revill and RH Bayley finished the job – all out 65. Two drawn matches followed. Warwickshire Club and Ground declared at 166 for four, and the School made 91 for three in the time available. Denstone made 228 (Wheatley 5-24), KES replying with 136 for six. KES then won eight consecutive matches. Warwick were beaten by two wickets, Wheatley taking 6 for 54 and Revill scoring 60. Revill (68) again led the way in a 31-run victory against Nottingham High School. Trent were beaten by nine wickets (Wheatley 5 for 30) and Ratcliffe by eight wickets (Benson 6 for 28). The Bromsgrove match of this year became legend. At one point the KES score was 8 for 2, with both Wheatley and Mercer back in the pavilion – both lbw to their umpire, or so the story goes. Revill (147) and Homer (110 not out) then took the score to 274 for three before Revill declared. Their partnership of 266 was the highest ever for the School, a record not broken until 55 years later. In the Bromsgrove innings, Wheatley broke through early on, Revill disposed of the middle batting, and Benson, who finished with 4 for 12, mopped up the tail. The last two batsmen were ‘run out 0’. Bromsgrove were dismissed for 96 and