William Ward (cricketer)

William Ward (born 24 July 1787 at Islington, London; died 30 June 1849 at Westminster was a noted English cricketer. He was a prominent right-handed batsman and an occasional slow lob bowler.

Ward's first-class career began in the 1810 English cricket season but it was interrupted by the Napoleonic War until 1816. Ward played until 1845.

His score of 278 for the MCC v Norfolk at Lord's in 1820 was the highest individual innings in first-class cricket until W. G. Grace scored first-class cricket's first triple-century in August 1876, more than 27 years after Ward's death. The ball used is thought to be the oldest in existence and is kept in the MCC Museum.cite book |last= Inglis |first= Simon |authorlink= Simon Inglis |title=A Load of Old Balls |series= Played in Britain |publisher=English Heritage |year=2005 |isbn=0-9547445-27 |pages=pp. 26]

In 1825 Thomas Lord was negotiating the sale of his cricket ground as a building estate when Ward stepped in and saved Lord's for cricket. The price was £5000. He was celebrated in the following anonymous poem.

:And of all who frequent the ground named after Lord,:On the list first and foremost should stand Mr Ward.:No man will deny, I am sure, when I say:That he's without rival first bat of the day,:And although he has grown a little too stout,:Even Matthews is bothered at bowling him out.:He's our life blood and soul in this noblest of games,:And yet on our praises he's many more claims;:No pride, although rich, condescending and free,:And a well informed man and a city M.P.

Ward was also MP for the City of London between 1826 and 1831, and a director of the Bank of England.

External links

* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/33/33626/33626.html CricketArchive]

References

* "Scores & Biographies, Volume 1" by Arthur Haygarth (SBnnn)