William Walker (Scottish cricketer)

William Norman Walker MC DL JP (23 January 1894 — 14 September 1960) was a Scottish first-class cricketer and cricket administrator, and an officer in the British Army.

Walker was born at Greenock in January 1894 and was educated at The Glasgow Academy.[1] He served in the British Army during the First World War, being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery in August 1914,[2] with promotion to lieutenant following in August 1915.[3] He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in endeavouring to extinguish blazing ammunition which had been set alight by heavy howitzer shelling.[4] Walker was made second in command of a battalion in March 1918, at which point he was made an acting captain;[5] he relinquished his acting rank in August 1918 and ceased to be employed in the army in May 1919.[6][7] He remained commissioned until September 1922, when he resigned his commission and was granted the rank of captain.[8]

A club cricketer for Greenock, he made his debut in first-class cricket for Scotland against Ireland at Glasgow in 1922. He played first-class cricket for Scotland until 1925, making six appearances.[9] Playing as an all-rounder in the Scottish side, Walker scored 200 runs in his six matches at an average of 18.18; he made one half century score of 58.[10] With his right-arm medium pace bowling, he took 18 wickets at a bowling average of 27.88, with best figures of 4 for 55.[11]

Walker returned to military service in the Second World War with the Territorial Army.[12] He was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Renfrewshire in July 1945.[13] Walker was appointed honorary colonel of the 328 Medium Regiment (Highland) in July 1947,[14] before relinquishing his commission in December of the same year.[15] Walker served as the president of the Scottish Cricket Union the following year.[16] He relinquished his appointment as honorary colonel in July 1950.[17] A justice of the peace for Renfrewshire,[17] Walker died at Renfrew in September 1960. His brother, John, was also a first-class cricketer. Walker was a direct descendant of Johnnie Walker, the founder of the Scotch whiskey brand of the same name.