Bainbridge Herbert Image 2 Warwickshire 1896

Description

Guwahati, Assam, India born Herbert Bainbridge Bainbridge was a right-handed batsman who played four seasons at Eton College, being made their captain in 1882. While studying at Trinity College, Cambridge, he played for Cambridge University and was awarded his Blue in 1884 and appointed captain in 1885. He gave an exceptional display in the 1885 match at Lord’s, when for the fourth consecutive time the match ended in a victory by seven wickets, this being the third such success by Cambridge. Bainbridge and Charles Wright opened the Cambridge innings with 152 runs, which gave their side a lead of 16 before Bainbridge hit a ball into mid-off’s hands having made 101. This was at that time the best opening stand for either University, a record broken the next year, when Bainbridge succeeded Lord Hawke as Cambridge captain, K.J. Key and W. Rashleigh put on 243 starting Oxford’s second innings, and this remained the first wicket partnership record for the University match for many years. Bainbridge scored 44 and 79 in that encounter, and altogether in three meetings with Oxford he made 262 runs with an average of 43.

A strong man standing around 6 foot tall, he was an accomplished batsman, capable of punishing good bowling by well controlled strokes all round the wicket; he also commanded respect for his leadership.

Bainbridge  first appeared in County cricket for Surrey from 1883 to 1885, the County he was qualified to play for by birth, prior to beginning his association with Warwickshire. Leicestershire protested in 1887 that he was not qualified, and the objection was upheld by M.C.C. However, Bainbridge captained Warwickshire in 1888 after completing the regulation period of qualification and kept the position until 1902, when he became honorary secretary after his playing retirement, an office he retained when appointed the County’s Chairman. In 1936 his fifty years of service received recognition by a presentation from the Warwickshire club.

His highest score of 162 was made against Hampshire at Southampton in 1897, when he and W. G. Quaife put on 288 for the first wicket. Bainbridge played several times for Gentlemen against Players, and in the 1895 match at Kennington Oval he scored 82. That season was his most successful in first class cricket, scoring an aggregate of 1,162 runs with an average of 34. He was in the team captained by E.J. Sanders, in company with W.E. Roller, K.J. Key, E.H. Buckland, Hugh Rotherham, and C.E. Cottrell, who went to America in 1886 and won seven out of eight matches, the other being drawn in their favour.

Bainbridge played 177 first class matches, scoring 6,878 runs with a career batting average of 25.76, with 7 centuries and 34 half centuries. His slow bowling claimed 31 wickets at an average of 31.87 with a best performance of 3-21. He also took 101 catches in first class cricket.

Bainbridge was one of the first three England selectors on The Ashes tour of 1899 along with Lord Hawke and W.G. Grace.

Bainbridge played football for Cambridge University without gaining his Blue. In 1883, he played football for the losing finalists Old Etonians against Blackburn Olympic in the 1883 FA Cup Final at The Kennington Oval, Blackburn Olympic winning the match 2-1.