Henry Royston facts for kids

Henry Royston (born August 12, 1819 – died September 30, 1873) was an English first-class cricketer. He was known for being a skilled all-round player. This means he was good at both batting and bowling. Later in his career, he also became a cricket umpire.

Henry Royston: A Cricket Pioneer

Henry Royston was born in August 1819 in Harrow on the Hill, England. He became a professional cricketer, meaning he played cricket for a living. He was known as an "all-rounder" because he was strong at both batting and bowling.

Starting His Cricket Journey

Royston began his long connection with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1843. The MCC is a very famous cricket club based at Lord's in London. Lord's is often called the "Home of Cricket."

His first big match, known as a first-class game, was for the MCC. He played against Hampshire at Lord's.

Playing for Different Teams

During the 1840s, Henry Royston played for many different club teams. Most of his first-class matches were for the MCC. However, he also played a couple of times for an England XI team in 1845 and 1847.

In 1850, he started playing for Middlesex. His first match for them was against Surrey. He also played for other special teams. These included the Players in the famous Gentlemen v Players match. He also played for the South in the North v South game. Sometimes, he even played for a United All-England Eleven team.

Royston's Cricket Skills

Henry Royston played most of his first-class matches for the MCC. He played 51 games for them between 1843 and 1861. In these matches, he scored 974 runs. His highest score in a single game was 60 runs. His batting average was 12.02 runs per innings.

Standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, he bowled with his right arm. He used a style called roundarm slow. For the MCC, he took 91 wickets. His bowling average was 11.28 runs per wicket. His best bowling figures in a single innings were 8 wickets for only 44 runs. He managed to take five wickets in an innings five times. He also took ten wickets in a match once in his career.

Royston was a very popular player. He often made guest appearances for teams put together by important cricket figures. These included people like Sir Frederick Hervey-Bathurst and Robert Grimston.

Beyond Playing: Umpire and Confectioner

Besides being a player, Henry Royston was also a well-known umpire. He stood in 133 first-class matches between 1846 and 1872. This means he made the decisions during these games.

Outside of cricket, Royston worked as a confectioner. This means he made and sold sweets and pastries. He passed away in St John's Wood, London, in September 1873.