Edward English

Edward Apsey English (1 January 1864 – 5 September 1966) was an English first-class cricketer.

English was born at Dorking in January 1864. He first came to cricketing prominence when he represented the young players of Surrey as a 19 year old.[1] It wouldn't be until 1898, at the age of 34, that English would make his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Lancashire at Old Trafford in the County Championship.[2] His first season saw him score what would be his highest first-class score, 98 against Surrey on a difficult wicket at The Oval; his 98 formed part of a 164 runs partnership for the fifth wicket with Arthur Webb.[3] English was notably dismissed off the last ball of the ball of the match by Tom Richardson while attempting to reach his century.[4] He played first-class cricket for Hampshire until 1901, making a total of 18 appearances as an amateur.[2] He scored 565 runs in total, at an average of 18.83.[5]

He remained an active sportsman long after his first-class cricket career had finished, with him playing golf until 91; at the age of 82 he hit a hole-in-one at Alton Golf Club. He was resident at Alton, where he was a member of the Conservative Club and at the age of 93 he reached the final of the club's snooker competition. English was by profession a registrar at Alton for 36 years.[3] He later retired to Higher Ball Farm near Tiverton in Devon, where he celebrated his 102nd birthday in January 1966.[1] English died there in September 1966. At the time of his death he was the oldest surviving county cricketer and the oldest first-class cricketer in the world.[3] He is one of four Hampshire players known to have lived to the age of 100, the others being George Deane, Neil McCorkell and John Manners.[6]