Chatterton William Image 2 Derbyshire 1895

Description

Thornsett, New Mills, Derbyshire born William Chatterton started playing cricket for Derbyshire in 1882 and was the captain of Derbyshire from 1887 to 1889. The club was demoted from first class status before the 1888 season. In 1891-92 Chatterton toured South Africa under W.W. Read and played against South Africa at Cape Town in March 1892. Although it was a winter in which two England sides toured (the other one to Australia), later the representative games there were raised to Test match status, which meant that Chatterton played one Test match, scoring 48 in his only innings.

Chatterton was considered to be almost single-handedly responsible for Derbyshire regaining first class status in the 1894 season. He finished his cricketing career for Derbyshire in the 1902 season, having appeared in 289 first class matches. In his career he scored 11,663 runs at an average of 25.17, with 8 centuries and 53 half centuries and a highest score of 169 against Gloucestershire at Bristol in 1901, beating his previous 168 against Essex at Leyton in 1889. In Derbyshire”s match with Essex at Leyton in 1896 he scored 111 and 85 not out, probably only the closure of the innings preventing him from obtaining two separate hundreds. Between 1889 and 1898 he appeared in eight matches for the Players against the Gentlemen, and made 248 runs with an average of 20.66, with 58 at Hastings in 1891 as his highest score.

Principally a batsman, he also bowled and took 208 wickets at an average of 21.46 at first class level, with one ten wicket match and 4 five wicket innings. He took 239 catches and made 4 stumpings as an occasional wicket-keeper.

As a footballer Chatterton was an inside forward and played in Derby County’s first FA Cup tie against Walsall Town on 8th November 1884, which Derby lost 7-0. He played many games for the club before the Football League was formed in 1888. He then made five League appearances for Derby County in the first Football League season of 1888-89, making his League debut at Accrington on 13th October 1888. Chatterton, on his League debut supplanted fellow cricketer Levi Wright as Derby County’s oldest League player. Chatterton scored his only League goal against Everton with his head to reduce Everton’s half-time lead to 2-1 at County Ground, the then home of Derby County on 20th October 1888. Derby County lost the match 4-2. Chatterton appeared in five League matches played by Derby County in the 1888-89 season but was not retained at the end of the season and did not play League football again.