Cricinfo Home |
|
|    Audio   |   Video   |   
Search
  Squad
Chris Cairns (c)
Hylton Ackerman
Nathan Astle
Darren Bicknell
Steve Elworthy
Sean Ervine
Richard Montgomerie
Rob Nicol
Paul Nixon (wk)
Min Patel
John Stephenson

Dick Barlow

England

Player profile

Full name Richard Gorton Barlow
Born May 28, 1851, Barrow Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire
Died July 31, 1919, Stanley Park, Blackpool, Lancashire (aged 68 years 64 days)
Major teams England, Lancashire
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Left-arm medium
Other Umpire

Batting and fielding averages
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 6s Ct St
Tests 17 30 4 591 62 22.73 0 2 0 14 0
First-class 351 608 64 11217 117 20.61 4 39 268 0

Bowling averages
Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10
Tests 17 26 2456 767 34 7/40 8/63 22.55 1.87 72.2 0 3 0
First-class 351 43468 13799 950 9/39 14.52 1.90 45.7 66 14

Career statistics
Test debut Australia v England at Melbourne, Dec 31, 1881 - Jan 4, 1882 scorecard
Last Test Australia v England at Sydney, Feb 25-Mar 1, 1887 scorecard
Test statistics
First-class span 1871 - 1891

Umpiring statistics
Only Test England v Australia at Nottingham, Jun 1-3, 1899 scorecard
Test matches 1
Test statistics

 Profile

Dick Barlow was a dour and resolute opening batsman who was the first to really use forward play defensively, and was so passionate about the game that he continued playing club cricket well into his sixties as well as being a capable umpire who stood in one Test in 1899. Hard to dismiss, Barlow is remembered for his association with fellow Lancashire opener Albert Hornby, who was his antithesis with the bat, and they were immortalised in one of the game's most famous poems by Francis Thompson:

"As the run-stealers flicker to and fro,
To and fro,
O my Hornby and my Barlow long ago"

He also developed into a very good slow-medium left-armer with immaculate length, clever variation, and a good eye for batsmen's weaknesses. He took a wicket with his first ball in first-class cricket and took four first-class hat-tricks. He carried his bat 11 times, including a two-hour innings of 5 not out (made out of 69) against Nottinghamshire in 1882.

Barlow toured Australia three times, playing in every match on each occasion, and he also played against Australia seven times at home. Although his highest Test score was only 62, Barlow played several valuable defensive innings in difficult circumstances. As a bowler he was more successful; his 7 for 44 at Manchester in 1886 was a match-winning performance. Playing for North of England against the Australian tourists in 1884 he took 10 wickets in the match, and then made a superb hundred (one of only four first-class centuries in his career) against Spofforth at his best. For the Players in the same year he captured a remarkable hat-trick of Gentlemen - WG, Shuter and Read falling to successive deliveries.

Close to the end of his life Barlow was quoted in the Manchester Guardian as saying: "I don't think any cricketer has enjoyed his cricketing career better than I have done, and if I had my time to come over again I should certainly be what I have been all my life - a professional cricketer."

Away from cricket, he kept goal to county level at football and was also a top sprinter.
Cricinfo staff

 Latest Articles

 Latest Photos

Search for a profile from the extensive database of over 50000 players:

 
Print this page Feedback
Cricinfo Products
Fantasy cricket - India v Aus & Bangladesh v NZ
Check the standings
Scores, text comms & news on your phone
Cricinfo Mobile
Play Slogout - our cricket action simulation game
Two formats to choose from
Add a Cricinfo Widget to your website now
Portable apps for your site
 
Sponsored Links
India v Australia shopping at Cricshop
Kit, DVD, books & more
Bet now on the India v Australia Test series
Fixed odds at bet365
Follow the new 2008/09 Premier League season
On ESPNsoccernet
The best online rugby coverage - Scrum.com
Site just re-launched
 
 
Top 5 player searches
Most read stories