Ledger Hill

Arthur James Ledger Hill (26 July 1871 – 6 September 1950) was an English cricketer. He scored the first-ever first-class century in India.

Ledger Hill
Personal information
Full name
Arthur James Ledger Hill
Born(1871-07-26)26 July 1871
Bassett, Hampshire, England
Died6 September 1950(1950-09-06) (aged 79)
Romsey, Hampshire, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm underarm-fast
RelationsAnthony Hill (son)
Richard Page (nephew)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 98)13 February 1896 v South Africa
Last Test21 March 1896 v South Africa
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
18901893Cambridge University
18901911/12Marylebone Cricket Club
18951921Hampshire
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 3 221
Runs scored 251 10,353
Batting average 62.75 27.98
100s/50s 1/1 19/44
Top score 124 199
Balls bowled 40 16,918
Wickets 4 305
Bowling average 2.00 27.99
5 wickets in innings 0 4
10 wickets in match 0 1
Best bowling 4/8 7/36
Catches/stumpings 1/– 143/–
Source: Cricinfo, 6 November 2022

Early life and cricket career

The son of James Ledger Hill, he was born in July 1871 at Bassett, Hampshire. He was educated at Marlborough College, playing cricket, rugby, and racquets for the college.[1] From there, he matriculated to Jesus College, Cambridge.[2] While studying at Cambridge, Hill made his debut in first-class cricket for Cambridge University against C. I. Thornton's XI at Fenner's in 1890. He was a regular feature in the Cambridge eleven until 1893, making 34 appearances for Cambridge and gaining a blue in each of those seasons for his participation in The University Match against Oxford at Lord's.[3][2] For Cambridge, he scored 975 runs an average of 17.90, with a highest score of 75, one of four half centuries he made for Cambridge.[4] With his eight-arm underarm-fast bowling, he took 66 wickets at a bowling average of 23.78, with best figures of 4 for 23.[5]

During Hill's studies at Cambridge, he also made a number of first-class appearances for other teams. He made his first appearance for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players fixture of 1891 at Hastings, and later toured British India and Ceylon with Lord Hawke's XI, making four first-class appearances on the tour.[3] Hill made history on this tour, scoring the maiden first-class century in Indian domestic cricket when he made 132 against All-India at Allahabad; he had been dropped on zero at the beginning of his innings.[6][7] Hill had a successful first-class part of the tour with the bat, scoring 212 runs.[8] With the ball, he took 16 wickets, including his maiden five wicket haul.[9]

Hampshire and Test cricket

Hill, in the year he played Test cricket

Hill first played for Hampshire in 1890, when they were a second-class county. Having regained their first-class status in 1894, he made his debut for Hampshire in first-class cricket against Somerset in the 1895 County Championship.[3]

Later career and war service

Hill succeeded former Hampshire captain Charles Robson as captain of the Trojans Rugby Club in 1910.[10]

Hill was once again selected to tour with Lord Hawke's XI, this time on their tour of South Africa in 1895–96. For matches against South Africa, the team was designated as England. Hill played in all three matches against South Africa, which were later retrospectively granted Test status.[11]

He served in the First World War as a volunteer with the Hampshire Volunteer Regiment (Territorial Force), being commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in September 1916,[12] with him being appointed a temporary lieutenant in December 1917.[13]

His son, Anthony, and nephew, Richard Page, were also first-class cricketers.

References

  1. Marlborough College Register from 1843 to 1904 (5 ed.). H. Hart. 1905. p. 401.
  2. Venn, John (1944). Alumni Cantabrigienses. Vol. 3. Cambridge University Press. p. 368.
  3. "First-Class Matches played by Ledger Hill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  4. "First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Ledger Hill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  5. "First-Class Bowling For Each Team by Ledger Hill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  6. "India v Lord Hawke's XI, Lord Hawke's XI in Ceylon and India 1892/93". CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  7. Mukherjee, Abhishek (30 May 2016). "Early cricket hundreds on Indian soil, 1859 to 1902". www.cricketcountry.com. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  8. "First-Class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Ledger Hill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  9. "First-Class Bowling in Each Season by Ledger Hill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  10. "Engagements". Cricket. London. 21 April 1910. p. 9. Retrieved 17 April 2023 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Test Matches played by Ledger Hill". CricketArchive. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  12. "No. 29784". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 October 1916. p. 9930.
  13. "No. 30468". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 January 1918. p. 697.


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