Sharp Jack Image 4 Lancashire 1905

Description

Hereford born Jack Sharp is one of a dozen double international players to have played international level football and cricket for England.

From 1899 to 1914 Sharp played cricket regularly for Lancashire as a right-hand middle order batsman and a brisk left-arm bowler, as well as being an outstanding cover fielder. He played in every match of 1904 when the County Championship was won without a defeat. Sharp was picked for three Tests against Australia in 1909 – mainly as a bowler – he did little until the final match at The Oval where he hit 105 in 170 minutes on top of three first innings wickets, giving him a Test match average of 47 from 6 innings. After the First World War he played as an amateur for a further seven seasons and captained the Lancashire side from 1923 to 1925, doubling up as an England selector in 1924.

His top score as a batsman was 211, and he scored 38 centuries in 534 first class matches, with 117 half centuries and a batting average of 31.11, after scoring 22,715 runs in his career. His 441 wickets, costing 27.41 a piece, included a career best 9-77 and 3 ten wicket matches, as well as taking 5 wickets or more on 18 occasions. He also took 236 first class catches.

An outside right, he began his football career with hometown Bristol League club Hereford Thistle in 1896 before joining First Division Champions Aston Villa in 1897, making his Football League debut against Bolton Wanderers that October, scoring twice in a 3-2 home victory. He scored 11 goals in 16 appearances in his debut season but despite this Villa finished a disappointing 6th place. The following season he found opportunities more limited, making only 8 further appearances, scoring 4 more goals, as Aston Villa regained the League Championship.

He joined Everton in the 1899 close season and remained a key member of their team over the next 11 seasons until his retirement in May 1910. During that time he was a League Championship runner-up on three occasions, in 1902, 1905 and 1909, also finishing 3rd in 1904 and 1907. He was twice an FA Cup losing semi finalist in 1905 and 1910, scored a goal in the club’s 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the 1907 FA Cup Final and was an FA Cup winner one year previously as Everton triumphed 1-0 against Newcastle United, both finals being held at The Crystal Palace.

He first played for England in February 1903, scoring in a 4-0 victory over Ireland at Molineux. He was recalled two years later, playing in a 1-0 win over Scotland at The Crystal Palace in April 1905. He was also called into the England squad in April 1909, being a non playing reserve against Scotland. He also represented The Football League three times between 1900 and 1906.

When his playing career ended, Sharp became a director of Everton, a position he held for many years.

His brother, Bertram, was also a footballer with Aston Villa, Everton and Southampton who later became a director of Everton as well as playing minor counties cricket with Herefordshire.