Fox Victor Image 1 Worcestershire 1922

Description

Middlesbrough born Victor Fox was a notable cricketer, playing 163 first class matches for Worcestershire between 1923 and 1932. A right-handed batsman, Fox made his first class debut for Worcestershire in May 1923, making 5 and 7 in an innings defeat against Hampshire at Southampton. However, thereafter he contributed some useful innings throughout the season and ended not far short of a thousand runs, including his maiden century, an unbeaten 178 against Northamptonshire. His average that summer was a useful 32.70, but his career came to an enforced (though temporary) end at the end of the season when M.C.C. ruled that his qualification was invalid.

Fox’s cricketing career resumed in 1926, and from then until 1930 he was a regular in the Worcestershire team. In a usually weak batting side, Fox performed well, making his thousand runs in 1926, 1928 and 1929, and missing out by a single run in 1927. His best season was 1929; that year he made 1,457 first-class runs at an average of 31, with two hundreds and seven fifties.with a top score of 198 against local rivals Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1929.

His form fell away in 1930, and after hitting 134 against Lancashire at the start of July. Fox made only one further half-century in 15 innings that year to add to his previous 11 centuries and 25 fifties. He played not at all in 1931, and although he appeared four times in 1932 he did nothing of any note in those games.

He was a strictly occasional bowler, sending down fewer than 35 overs in his career and claiming just two first class wickets. His victims were both substantial cricketers: Yorkshire’s George Macaulay in 1926 and Leicestershire’s Alan Shipman in 1929. He also took 88 catches in first class play.