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Lancashire player number 25 - Ricketts, James
by Don Ambrose


Player:J Ricketts

Lancashire 1867-77
Born 9.2.1842 Manchester.
Died 5.6.1894 Altrincham, Cheshire.

5ft.8 inches tall and weighing 10 - 11 stone, he was right-hand opening batsman and a right-hand slow round-arm bowler. He fielded at short leg. He was an ironmonger, firstly at 4 Great Bridgwater Street, Manchester, and from about 1875, at 6 Alexandra Road, Moss Side.

Jim Ricketts played for the Manchester Clifford Club, on the ground adjoining the Manchester Club, at Old Trafford and in 1865 was top of their averages. In September 1866 he played for the Gentlemen of Lancashire against the Gentlemen of Yorkshire at York, opening the innings with A.N.Hornby, scoring 16 and 19 and making a stumping. He joined the Lancashire team for the first time at The Oval to play Surrey on 30th May to 1st June 1867. Lancashire batted first and he opened the innings with "Corny" Coward. At the close of play he was still there with 153 runs to his credit and the following morning carried out his bat for 195 not out out of a total of 429. Surrey scored 340 and 200 for seven wickets so the match was drawn, but Jim Reynolds was on the field for every ball of the match and must have felt tired if elated particularly as he received the £8 proceeds of a collection.

He was not to know it at the time but this was the peak of his career. Shortly afterwards he was cabled by the Kendal Club to reinforce their 22 in a match against the All England Eleven on 10th and 11th June. He was out second ball for 1 in the first innings and first ball for 0 in the second. Cricket is like that!

He did make several valuable scores for Lancashire in the years to follow and had the reputation of an opening bat who could occupy the crease for a long time and take the edge off the bowling. His top score thereafter was 54 against Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford in 1868 and the arrival of R.A.Barlow in 1871 was the end of his regular appearances.

He had been tried in representative matches during 1867-69 but never lived up to his perceived potential. His appearances were also limited by his business commitments and he reverted to club cricket with the Manchester Press Club.

At the time of the 1881 Census he was living at Marsden Road, Lockwood, Yorkshire, aged 40, a commission agent and iron worker, with his wife Elizabeth, aged 35 born in Yorkshire, three sons and three daughters.

He later moved to Sale, Cheshire, quite near Manchester, and there occasionally stood as umpire for the Sale Cricket Club.


(Article: Copyright © 2004 Don Ambrose)

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