Tom Wade (cricketer)

Thomas Henry Wade (24 November 1910 – 25 July 1987) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Essex from 1929 to 1950, mainly as a wicket-keeper.[1][2]

Tom Wade

Personal information
Full name	Thomas Henry Wade
Born	(1910-11-24)24 November 1910 Maldon, Essex, England
Died	25 July 1987(1987-07-25) (aged 76) Colchester, Essex, England
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off-spin
Role	Wicketkeeper
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1929 to 1950	Essex
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 321 Runs scored 5024 Batting average 14.73 100s/50s 0/15 Top score 96 Balls bowled 2669 Wickets 48 Bowling average 29.54 5 wickets in innings 1 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 5/64 Catches/stumpings 414/177
Source: Cricinfo, 23 December 2021

Tom Wade was born in Essex and began playing for the county cricket team in 1929 as an off-spin bowler and lower-order batsman.[3] He took 33 wickets in his first season, including his best figures of 5 for 64 in the second innings in a close victory over Somerset.[3][4] He had fewer opportunities in the next few seasons, although he made his highest score of 96 against Oxford University in 1932.[5]

He took up wicket-keeping, and soon achieved such a high standard that in 1934 he displaced Roy Sheffield as the Essex wicket-keeper.[3] In late 1936 he was on a private visit to Australia when he was asked to keep wicket for the English touring team, which had lost its two wicket-keepers to illness and injury. He played in three matches in October and November until Les Ames returned to fitness.[3]

Wade kept playing for Essex until fibrositis compelled him to retire in 1950. He was a popular player, and his benefit yielded nearly £4000, a record for Essex at the time.[3]