Born On This Day: 30th November

HS (Harry) Altham, was born in Surrey in 1888. He was a right-handed batsman who had a fine early career at Repton and Oxford University. He played a few games for his native county before serving in the First World War (DSO & MC) after which he came to teach at Winchester College, playing as an amateur for Hampshire from 1919-1923. Off the field his contribution to English cricket was considerable, as a cricket historian and author, as President of Hampshire and MCC (where he was also Treasurer), as a Test Selector and as a leading figure in the development of cricket coaching for young people. He died in 1965.

John Arnold from Oxford was born in 1907. He was an opening batsman who had a long and distinguished career with Hampshire from 1929-1950 when ill health forced his retirement. Only four men have scored more than his 21,596 runs for Hampshire, with 36 centuries – and that despite missing six seasons to war in his thirties. He was also a double international playing one match each at cricket and football for England. From 1961-1972 he was a first-class umpire. He died in 1984.

Bob Herman was born in Southampton in 1946. He was the son of Hampshire stalwart ‘Lofty’, and father and son were both opening bowlers, although Bob’s career began with Middlesex before ‘coming home’ in 1972 and in the following year he and Tom Mottram formed the opening partnership that played a major part in winning Hampshire’s second Championship title. He took 270 first-class wickets at just over 25 runs each and 137 limited-overs wickets at less than four runs per over; he played in the side that won the Sunday League in 1975.

Philip Hughes was born in Australia in 1988. He was a batsman who played in 26 Tests and 25 ODIs for his country and in 2010 he played in three first-class matches and two limited-overs games for Hampshire. In 2014 he died in hospital a few days after being struck on the head while batting, by a short-pitched ball.