A profile of Christopher Heseltine by Dave Liverman

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Player:

C Heseltine

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Christopher Heseltine had a difficult start to his cricket career- he failed to make the XI at Eton, and was unable to obtain a cricket blue at Cambridge (although he did play for the University at football). He started playing county cricket for Hampshire, at that time not first-class, and really only made a mark in his late twenties. For a few years, however, he was known as a genuinely fast bowler, capable of troubling the best. A tall man, he used a high action, but was unable to sustain his pace for extended spells. His best year was 1897, when he took 41 wickets at an average of 17. He toured India, the West Indies and South Africa with teams led by Lord Hawke, and during the 1896/97 winter played two Tests against South Africa. He made a duck in his first Test innings, but took 5/38 when South Africa followed on. He was less successful in his second Test, not taking a wicket, although making 18. He had a military career, and thus played only intermittently for Hampshire in a career spread over 24 years. He served with distinction in the First World War, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and was later awarded the MBE. He was later President of Hampshire, and served on the MCC committee.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Dave Liverman)