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Walter Powys
Walter Norman Powys (28 July 1849 — 7 January 1892) was an English first-class cricketer. He played mostly for Cambridge University Cricket Club in first-class cricket and was most renowned for his exploits on his first-class debut, when he took 13 wickets, which included innings figures of 9 for 42. These remain as of 2023 the fifth-best innings bowling figures on debut in first-class cricket. First-class cricket and lifePowys was the son of The Honourable and Reverend Atherton Legh Powys and Charlotte Elizabeth Norman, he was born in July 1849 at Titchmarsh, Northamptonshire.[2] After being privately educated,[3] he matriculated to Pembroke College, Cambridge in 1870; his academic studies were characterised by interruptions, with him being readmitted to the university in 1874 and 1877, finally graduating in 1879.[2] Powys was a member of the Cambridge University Cricket Club and made his debut in first-class cricket for the club against the Marylebone Cricket Club at Fenner's in 1871. He played first-class cricket for Cambridge until 1874, making eighteen appearances.[4] These included three appearances in The University Matches of 1871, 1872 and 1874, taking 24 wickets in these matches with his left-arm roundarm fast bowling.[3] In his eighteen appearances for Cambridge, he took a total of 78 wickets at an average of 11.42; he took a five wicket haul on five occasions and twice took ten wickets in a match.[5] His best innings figures of 9 for 42 came on debut against the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1871; these figures rank as the fifth-best innings bowling figures on debut in first-class cricket.[6] He was described by the magazine Cricket as a bowler who bowled at terrific pace.[3] He was the honorary secretary of Cambridge University Cricket Club in 1873, a season in which he did not feature for Cambridge due to commitments in the United States.[1] Powys also played first-class cricket for a number of other teams, including the Gentlemen of the North in 1871, for the Gentlemen in the 1872 Gentlemen v Players fixture, for the MCC on three occasions from 1877 to 1879 (and for their gentlemen's team in 1872), and for the Orleans Club against the touring Australians in 1878.[4] He also played first-class matches for Hampshire, having qualified to play for the county through residency (his father was a Reverend in Southsea, Hampshire).[3][7] However, he only made two appearances for Hampshire, against Derbyshire at Southampton in 1877 and Kent at Tunbridge Wells in 1878.[4] His overall tally of first-class wickets was 98 at an average of 14.44, with six five wicket hauls and three ten wicket hauls in a match.[5] Wisden described him as "one of the best amateur fast bowlers in England".[8] Whilst at Cambridge, Powys studied law and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1878, however he was not called to the bar. He instead went into business in Nottingham.[2] Owing to ill-health, Powys spent sometime in the United States on medical advice, but returned invalided. He died at Nottingham on 7 January 1892,[8] leaving behind a widow, Ada, whom he had married in March 1880.[2] His brother's, Arthur and Richard, also played first-class cricket, as did his uncle, Arthur Crichton. References
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