Arthur Haygarth

Arthur Haygarth (4 August 1825 in Hastings, Sussex – 1 May 1903 in Pimlico, London) was a noted amateur cricketer who became one of cricket's most significant historians.

He was educated at Harrow, which had established a rich tradition as a proving ground for cricketers. He later played for Sussex, his home county and also made appearances for MCC and Middlesex.

Haygarth was a right-handed batsman who made 136 appearances in first-class cricket spanning the 1844 and 1861 seasons. He scored 3042 runs in 247 innings with a highest score of 97, one of seven half-centuries that he achieved. He made 65 catches as a fielder. He was an occasional bowler, roundarm and apparently right-arm medium pace. He took only 19 wickets in total but did have a best analysis of 6-37 with 10 wickets in the match.

Haygarth achieved lasting fame after he retired from playing as a cricket writer, historian and biographer. He is renowned as the compiler of "Frederick Lillywhite's Cricket Scores and Biographies", published in 15 volumes between 1862 and 1879. Volume 1 covering the 1744 to 1826 seasons is by far the most significant as it is the main source of reference data for late 18th century cricket.

External sources

* [http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155763.html Wisden – obituary]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/4/4187/4187.html CricketArchive – summary of playing career]

Bibliography

* Arthur Haygarth, "Scores & Biographies, Volumes 1-15", Lillywhite, 1862-79