Edmund Willes Cricketer
Edmund Henry Lacon Willes (7 July 1832 – 9 September 1896) was an English cricketer. Willes was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm roundarm fast. Willes was educated at Winchester College where he represented the college cricket team. Later Willes was educated at Oxford University. Willes made his first-class debut for Hampshire (pre county club) against an All-England Eleven in 1850. In 1851 Willes made his debut for Oxford University against the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1851. In the same season Willes made his debut for the Gentlemen of Kent against the Gentlemen of England. In 1852 Willes made his debut for Kent against England. The following season Willes played his second and final first-class match for Kent in a repeat fixture against England. In the 1854 season Willes played his final first-class match for Oxford University against the Marylebone Cricket Club. Since his debut for the University in 1851, Willes represented the University in ten first-class matches where he scored 184 runs at a batting average of 15.33, with a high score of 44. With the ball Willes took 18 wickets for the University at an amazing bowling average of 3.50, with his best figures being four wickets in an innings. In 1855 Willes played for a combined Surrey and Kent side against England and during the same season played his final Gentlemen match when the Gentlemen of Kent and Surrey played the Gentlemen of England. Willes next first-class match would come ten years later in the 1865 season when Willes made his debut for Hampshire County Cricket Club against Middlesex. Willes played two more first-class matches, this time for the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1866 against Hampshire and in 1867 against Oxford University at Lord's. In Willes overall first-class career he scored 416 runs at a batting average of 13.86, with a single half century which yielded Willes highest first-class score of 69 which came for the Gentlemen of Kent in against the Gentlemen of England in 1851. With the ball Willes took 20 wickets at a bowling average of 7.33. Willes died at Monk Sherborne, Dorset on September 9, 1896.