Samuel Richardson (24 May 1844 – 18 January 1938) was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1871 and 1878 and captained the side from 1871 to 1875. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871 when he was captain and wicket-keeper. He fled the country after financial irregularities were found in connection with his administration of Derbyshire Cricket Club and Derby County.
Richardson was born in Derby and became a gentleman's outfitter in the town. He was a proficient cricketer in the 1860s, playing for South Derbyshire Cricket Club, and was one of those present at the initial meeting that led to the founding of Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1870.[1] Richardson was elected as the first captain of Derbyshire and was wicket-keeper in their first match as a first-class side against Lancashire County Cricket Club in the 1871 season. This match, which the team won by an innings margin, held for 87 years the record for the lowest total ever scored against a Derbyshire county team. Derbyshire lost the return match. In the 1872 season Derbyshire lost both matches against Lancashire, and achieved the same result in the 1873 season. In the 1874 season Kent joined Lancashire in playing Derbyshire and three wins and a draw made Derbyshire a contender for Champion County. Richardson only played two of the four matches. In the 1875 season, his last as captain Alfort Smith joined the club as a regular wicket-keeper. Richardson played four matches during the 1876 season, but did not play in 1877. He made his final appearance for Derbyshire in the 1878 season when he played one match against Kent.
Richardson was a right-handed batsman and played 14 first-class matches and scored 202 runs. His average was 8.8 and his highest score 25. He was an occasional wicket-keeper and stumped once. As a bowler he took one wicket for 43 runs in 56 balls.[2]
Financial irregularities and exileedit
In 1880 Richardson became an administrator of the club, and in 1884 the remit was extended to the associated Derby County Football Club. By 1890 the cricket club was found to be in deep financial crisis. Fred Spofforth played a key part in identifying the fraud that had been committed. The cricket club's losses amounted to £1000 and the football club was also raided. Richardson admitted his guilt and fled the country in disgrace. He was later living in Madrid, under the name "John Roberts" and supposedly as Court Tailor to King Alfonso XII, the king who put the "Real" in "Real Madrid". During the Spanish Civil War he fell upon straitened circumstances and died at the age of 93 in Madrid.[3] He was the longest-living member of the first representative Derbyshire cricket team.
Referencesedit
^Ric Session The Players: A Social History of the Professional Cricketer Sports & Recreation 1988
samuel, richardson, cricketer, samuel, richardson, 1844, january, 1938, english, cricketer, played, derbyshire, between, 1871, 1878, captained, side, from, 1871, 1875, member, team, that, played, derbyshire, first, match, 1871, when, captain, wicket, keeper, f. Samuel Richardson 24 May 1844 18 January 1938 was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1871 and 1878 and captained the side from 1871 to 1875 He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire s first match in May 1871 when he was captain and wicket keeper He fled the country after financial irregularities were found in connection with his administration of Derbyshire Cricket Club and Derby County Sam RichardsonPersonal informationFull nameSamuel RichardsonBorn 1844 05 24 24 May 1844Derby EnglandDied18 January 1938 1938 01 18 aged 93 Madrid SpainBattingRight handedDomestic team informationYearsTeam1871 1878DerbyshireFC debut26 May 1871 Derbyshire v LancashireLast FC17 June 1878 Derbyshire v KentCareer statisticsCompetition First classMatches 15Runs scored 202Batting average 7 48100s 50s 0Top score 25Balls bowled 56Wickets 1Bowling average 43 005 wickets in innings 010 wickets in match 0Best bowling 1 43Catches stumpings 8 1Source CricketArchive 30 January 2010Early life and playing career editRichardson was born in Derby and became a gentleman s outfitter in the town He was a proficient cricketer in the 1860s playing for South Derbyshire Cricket Club and was one of those present at the initial meeting that led to the founding of Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1870 1 Richardson was elected as the first captain of Derbyshire and was wicket keeper in their first match as a first class side against Lancashire County Cricket Club in the 1871 season This match which the team won by an innings margin held for 87 years the record for the lowest total ever scored against a Derbyshire county team Derbyshire lost the return match In the 1872 season Derbyshire lost both matches against Lancashire and achieved the same result in the 1873 season In the 1874 season Kent joined Lancashire in playing Derbyshire and three wins and a draw made Derbyshire a contender for Champion County Richardson only played two of the four matches In the 1875 season his last as captain Alfort Smith joined the club as a regular wicket keeper Richardson played four matches during the 1876 season but did not play in 1877 He made his final appearance for Derbyshire in the 1878 season when he played one match against Kent Richardson was a right handed batsman and played 14 first class matches and scored 202 runs His average was 8 8 and his highest score 25 He was an occasional wicket keeper and stumped once As a bowler he took one wicket for 43 runs in 56 balls 2 Financial irregularities and exile editIn 1880 Richardson became an administrator of the club and in 1884 the remit was extended to the associated Derby County Football Club By 1890 the cricket club was found to be in deep financial crisis Fred Spofforth played a key part in identifying the fraud that had been committed The cricket club s losses amounted to 1000 and the football club was also raided Richardson admitted his guilt and fled the country in disgrace He was later living in Madrid under the name John Roberts and supposedly as Court Tailor to King Alfonso XII the king who put the Real in Real Madrid During the Spanish Civil War he fell upon straitened circumstances and died at the age of 93 in Madrid 3 He was the longest living member of the first representative Derbyshire cricket team References edit Ric Session The Players A Social History of the Professional Cricketer Sports amp Recreation 1988 Samuel Richardson at Cricket Archive Bygone Derbyshire Sam Richardson Derbyshire Cricket s Man of Mystery Archived from the original on 15 November 2017 Retrieved 9 October 2010 Sporting positionsPreceded by Derbyshire cricket captains1871 1875 Succeeded byRobert Smith Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samuel Richardson cricketer amp oldid 1190592885, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
