Born On This Day: 26th November

Charles Knott, was born in Southampton in 1914, John Arlott once described Charlie Knott as the finest amateur bowler in the county’s history and suggested (1957) “he was on his day as deadly an off-spinner as you might find”. but he was more than that, for in addition to nearly 650 wickets for the county, he played a crucial role in developing the Hampshire sides that won a number of trophies in the 1970s and 1980s.

He was not a typical amateur, since most came through the public schools and universities, while he was the son of a successful Southampton businessman and remained involved in the family’s business interests in Southampton and Poole. In his early twenties, Knott played club cricket in Southampton’s parks, where he bowled medium pace and was sufficiently successful to win selection for Hampshire at Canterbury towards the end of the 1938 season.

He stayed in the side at Worcester, but after two matches had taken just one wicket for 191 runs. Then he cut his pace, began spinning the ball, and in his third game took 5-51 against Gloucestershire. After the war, he was a leading bowler for Hampshire from 1946-1953 and in that first post-war season took 121 wickets. He played in the Test Trial but while he was measured for a touring blazer a few years later, greater honours never came.

He passed 100 wickets in 1948 and 1949, and as vice-captain he led the side on a number of occasions in 1950 when Eagar was injured. He took a hat-trick for the Gentlemen v Players in 1950 and in 1953, he recorded his best figures of 8-36 v Notts at Bournemouth but business pressures forced him to retire after a few appearances in the following season. His career ended with 647 wickets for the county at 23.53, and five or more wickets in an innings on 44 occasions.

By the late-1950s, he was captaining the 2nd XI occasionally and he joined the Committee, taking the Chair of the Cricket Committee. Through the 1970s and 1980s he played a central role in building the sides that won a second Championship, three Sunday Leagues and finally reached a Lord’s Final. In addition, his links with West Indian cricket brought some fine overseas players to Hampshire.

He ‘retired’ in his seventies, but continued to support the club as a Life Vice-President and member of the (then) Museum Sub Committee, although as a life-long Southampton man, he was never quite reconciled to the county leaving his beloved Northlands Road. He died in Southampton in 2003.

Also today: Reg Dare (1849-1854), Christopher Heseltine (1895-1904), Rev Charles Ridding (1861-1865)