Young Harding “Sailor” Image 1 Essex 1906

Description

Leyton, Essex born left-arm medium pace bowler Harding “Sailor” Young was also a capable lower order batsman such that sometimes he is mentioned as an all-rounder. He achieved prominence in minor cricket while serving in the Royal Navy and the excellence of his bowling in the nets at Leyton attracted the attention of Mr. C.E. Green, who bought Young out of the Service to play for Essex. From this originated the nickname “Sailor” by which he was known in the cricket world.

Having made his debut for Essex in 1898, easily Young’s best season was that of 1899 when, besides making 607 runs, he took 139 wickets at a cost of 21 runs each, bowling from a good height with what was described as a deceptive curl. That summer, W. G. Grace’s last in Test cricket, Young played in two matches for England against Australia, making his debut in a draw at Headingley at the end of June recording 4-30 in the Australian first innings, bowling Victor Trumper and claiming Clem Hill’s wicket, taking match figures of 6-102, then playing at Old Trafford in a drawn match the next month, where he again bowled Trumper along with captain Joe Darling and took 4-79 in their first innings, also making a very useful 43 in England’s first innings. He headed the Test bowling averages with 12 wickets for 21.83 runs apiece.

In addition, he bore an outstanding part in the defeat of the Australians by 126 runs by Essex at Leyton. In the first innings he took 4-42 and in the second 7-32, being largely responsible for the dismissal of the touring team for 81. This was one of only three reverses suffered by Darling’s side during the tour. Of Sailor’s feat at Leyton, Wisden recorded: “He was practically unplayable, pitching outside the off-stump and turning in six or eight inches with his arm.”

He twice represented The Players against The Gentlemen, first at The Oval in 1899 where, in scoring 81, his highest career innings, he helped Tom Hayward to add 135 for the last wicket and took 7-141, and then at Scarborough in 1900. He recorded a match analysis of 15-154 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1899, with a career best 8-54 in the second innings, and on three other occasions dismissed ten or more men in a match.

During the later stages of his career, he performed his only hat-trick, against Leicestershire at Leyton in 1907, his full analysis being 4-6. He also toured The West Indies with the M.C.C. team of 1910-11. For a long time on the ground staff at Lord’s, he often turned out for M.C.C., playing his last first class match in 1912, and later he served as a first class umpire from 1921 to 1931.

In 171 first class matches he scored 2,303 runs with an average of 11.99 and four half centuries. With his bowling he took 514 wickets at 23.37 apiece, recording ten wickets or more in a match on 4 occasions with 27 five wicket hauls, also taking 80 catches in first class play.

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