Garnett Harold Image 2 Lancashire 1901

Description

Aigburth, Liverpool born left-hand batsman and wicket-keeper Harold Garnett made his debut in County cricket for Lancashire in 1899, but came into prominence in 1901, playing so finely that he seemed likely to become the best left-handed bat in England. His style was attractive and his hitting brilliant. Against Sussex at Manchester he scored 110 and 89, and in two other matches, against Leicestershire at Leicester and Middlesex at Lords, he made centuries, his scores being 139 (his highest first class score) and 114. As the result of his season’s work he came out second only to Jack Tyldesley in the Lancashire averages.

On the strength of this performance he was chosen to go to Australia with Archie MacLaren’s team, but he failed, doing next to nothing during the tour, being so obviously out of form that he was given few chances. For several seasons, till business took him to Argentina, Garnett batted exceedingly well for Lancashire, helping them win the 1904 County Championship, but he never quite equalled his efforts in 1901. While there he represented Argentina at cricket.

Returning to England in 1911 and again in 1914 he renewed his connection with the Lancashire eleven and by 1914 he had developed into a first rate wicket-keeper, and strictly on his merits he was picked for The Gentlemen against The Players at Lords. Wisden said of him “He proved fully worthy of the distinction, and had no small share in winning the match. The way in which he stumped Hitch in The Players’ second innings would have been wonderful even if done by Blackham at his best.”

By the start of the First World War, he had played in 152 first class matches, scoring 5,798 runs at an average of 26.00, with 5 centuries and had made 185 catches and 18 stumpings. He was also an occasional slow left-arm orthodox bowler, claiming 8 first class wickets at 28.00 apiece, with a best return of 2-18.

Garnett volunteered for the Army at the outbreak of the First World War, and soon obtained a commission as an officer, rising to the rank of Captain. He was killed in action at Marcoing, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France during the Battle of Cambrai on December 3rd 1917, aged 38.

His younger brother Frank Garnett played 6 first class matches in the later years of the First World War and the early 1920’s for The Europeans in India.