Henry Persse facts for kids

Henry Wilfred Persse (born September 19, 1885 – died June 28, 1918) was an English cricketer and a brave soldier. He played a type of professional cricket called first-class cricket. Henry was a right-handed batsman and a fast bowler.

Henry Persse: A Cricket Star

Henry Persse started his first-class cricket career in 1905. He played for Hampshire County Cricket Club. His first big game was against Surrey.

Playing for Hampshire

Henry played 51 first-class matches for Hampshire. This was between 1905 and 1909. His last game for Hampshire was in 1909. It was against Kent.

Batting and Bowling Skills

Henry was good at both batting and bowling. He scored 889 runs in his career. His average score was 11.69 runs per game. He made three half-centuries, which means he scored 50 or more runs three times. His highest score in a game was 71 runs. This happened against Derbyshire in 1907.

As a bowler, Henry took 127 wickets. A wicket is when a bowler gets a batsman out. His bowling average was 30.02. He had three "five-wicket hauls." This means he took five or more wickets in a single game three times. His best bowling figures were 6 wickets for 64 runs. This was against Leicestershire in 1907.

Best Season in Cricket

The year 1907 was Henry's best for bowling. He took 60 wickets that season. His average was 23.20 runs per wicket. He also had two five-wicket hauls that year. Henry stopped playing cricket because he was traveling abroad.

A Soldier in World War I

After his cricket career, Henry Persse became a soldier. He served in the First World War. He joined the Royal Fusiliers. He rose to the rank of Major.

Military Cross for Bravery

During the war, Henry was awarded the Military Cross. This is a special award for bravery. He later received a "bar" for his Military Cross. This means he showed bravery more than once.

His Sacrifice

Henry was wounded twice during the war. Sadly, he died from his wounds. This happened near St Omer, France. He passed away on June 28, 1918.