Thomas Wilson (Middlesex cricketer)

Thomas Wilson (fl. 1880s) was an English cricketer who played for Middlesex in a single match in the 1880 cricket season.[1][2] His birth and death details are not known.

Wilson was described in a contemporary reference as "a fast right-handed bowler with a low delivery".[3] He played for the Middlesex "Colts" team in May and June 1880 and in a trial match on a June Saturday against the Orleans Club he took nine wickets, including those of influential amateurs C. I. Thornton and A. J. Webbe.[4] That led to his instant selection for the full Middlesex side for a county match against Gloucestershire that started the following Monday, alongside Thornton and Webbe and facing the three Grace brothers.[5]

In what proved to be his sole first-class appearance for the Middlesex side, Wilson's bowling was attacked by E. M. Grace in particular: The Field reported that "amongst his [Grace's] items made off Wilson were two drives, a cut and a leg-hit, for each of which four runs were obtained".[3] Wilson failed to take a wicket in 20 four-ball overs, at a cost of 31 runs. Batting at No 11, he scored 5 runs in the only innings in which he batted, the runs coming from a single stroke off E. M. Grace, before he was caught at slip off Billy Midwinter, who took seven Middlesex wickets.[3]

Wilson became the cricket professional and coach at Hitchin Cricket Club in Hertfordshire and between 1883 and 1889, he made eight appearances in non-first-class matches for Hertfordshire County Cricket Club against other county sides.[6][1] In 1885, the annual match between Hertfordshire and the Marylebone Cricket Club was played at Hitchin for the benefit of Wilson, who was then described as "one of the county professional bowlers".[7]