Farrimond Bill Image 1 Lancashire 1931

Description

Daisy Hill, Westhoughton, Lancashire born right-hand batsman and wicket-keeper Bill Farrimond was widely regarded in the late 1920’s and across the 1930’s as the second best wicket-keeper in English cricket, but the man regarded as the best was his Lancashire colleague George Duckworth, and for many years both of them were kept out of the England team by Kent’s Les Ames, who was a much better batsman. The result was that Farrimond played only a handful of County matches each season from his County debut in 1924 to 1937 until, after Duckworth’s premature retirement, he finally played two full seasons in 1938 and 1939. It speaks volumes for Farrimond’s loyalty that during this long period he never accepted any of the offers he received to qualify for another County.

Despite being second string wicketkeeper at Lancashire, Farrimond played four Test matches for England. In 1930-31, he was picked as second wicketkeeper to Duckworth on the tour to the South Africa, and played in two matches when Duckworth was injured, making his debut at Johannesburg in February 1931. On the tour to South Africa he averaged 30.70. Four years later, he toured the West Indies and played one Test, with regular keeper Les Ames playing as a batsman in that match. His only home Test match was the match against South Africa at Lord’s in 1935, when Ames again played as a batsman only.

As a batsman Farrimond was quiet and unobtrusive, but immensely sound and particularly good on the leg side. He scored heavily for the Second XI, and though he never made a century for the County, in 1934 he hit 174 for the Minor Counties against Oxford University, his highest first class score, with Farrimond also scoring 16 half centuries during his career. An unobtrusive wicket-keeper, unlike Duckworth, Farrimond was the second wicket-keeper, after Tiger Smith, to make seven dismissals in an innings, then the world record, a feat achieved against Kent at Old Trafford in 1930.

His long and useful service was recognized by Lancashire with a benefit in 1939 before the Second World War intervened and effectively ended his career. He played one first class match in 1945, a friendly “Roses” match, but at 42 years of age he did not play again when regular cricket resumed after the Second World War.

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