Butt Harry Image 3 Sussex 1903

Description

Sands End, Fulham, London born Harry Butt was a wicket-keeper who played first-class cricket for Sussex County Cricket Club and the Marylebone Cricket Club between 1890 and 1912. A short man, he was Sussex’s wicket-keeper for twenty years and batted right handed, scoring 7,391 runs in 550 first class matches at an average of 12.83. He scored 18 half centuries with a highest score of 96 against Worcestershire at Hove in 1901. Another notable batting performance was when he carried out his bat for 74 against Cambridge University, at Cambridge in 1908, he and George Cox added 156 for the last wicket. While playing for Sussex, Butt was responsible for the dismissal of 1,202 batsmen, catching 927 behind the wicket, stumping 274.

In his first season for Sussex, when playing against Cambridge University at Brighton, he allowed only one bye while the University managed a total of 703-9. In four consecutive games, all at Hove in 1895, he allowed only six byes whilst 1,938 runs were scored. In 1894 he represented the Players against the Gentlemen at Hastings, and in 1895-96 he toured South Africa as a member of Lord Hawke’s team. Butt also played three Test matches for England on the tour, making his Test match debut at Port Elizabeth in February 1896.

He later went on to become an umpire from 1913, and stood in that role in six Test matches between 1921 and 1926. His popularity was such that when he retired as an umpire due to ill health, the County captains wrote to the Secretary of the Marylebone Cricket Club asking him to write to Butt to express their regret at the cause of his retirement.

He was awarded two benefits: the matches between Sussex and Yorkshire at Hove in 1900, and between Sussex and Middlesex at Lord’s in 1928.