Sugg Frank Image 1 Lancashire 1896

Description

Ilkeston, Derbyshire born Frank Sugg was best known as a cricketer but was also a footballer. As a cricketer he played for England in two Test matches in 1888 and (somewhat unusually) for three county cricket clubs: Yorkshire in 1883, Derbyshire from 1884 to 1886 and Lancashire from 1887 to 1899. He was six feet tall and strongly built and had a sharp eye for the ball, revelling in the drive and hook over square leg. Sugg was shaky at the start of an innings, but once settled he hit the ball very hard, and was also an excellent outfielder.

Though born in Derbyshire, he lived his early life in Yorkshire and made his first class debut for Yorkshire in 1883. In the 1884 season, Sugg went to play for Derbyshire where he was top scorer for the club and regarded as the best bat in a team that suffered the rare ignominy of an anti-perfect season, losing all ten of its county games. In 1885, Sugg scored 187 against Hampshire at Southampton and was second in the averages to Ludford Docker. He was second in the averages in the 1886 season to William Chatterton.

With Derbyshire’s fortunes declining, he went to Lancashire in 1887, and it was during his term at Old Trafford that he appeared for England in two Test matches against Australia in 1888, playing at The Oval and at Old Trafford. England won both Tests that Sugg played in by an innings, Sugg scored 31 and 24 in the two innings he played. In 1890 he was one of the “Nine Great Professional Batsmen” profiled in Wisden. Sugg scored 1,000 runs in a season five times, all during his time with Lancashire. He was one of the first players (after James Southerton) to represent three teams in county cricket. His benefit match against Kent at Old Trafford in 1897 raised £1,000.

A mountain of a man for his time, Sugg had massive biceps and took part in weightlifting, long distance swimming and shot put. He also played in the final of the Liverpool amateur billiards championship, won numerous prizes in rifle shooting and held the record for throwing a cricket ball. In a 16 year career spanning 305 first class matches, Sugg scored 11,859 runs, of which 10,375 were scored for Lancashire, at an average of 24.45, with 16 centuries, 5 times scoring more than 150, and 50 half centuries. His highest score was 220 against Gloucestershire in 1896. Sugg was also a very occasional bowler and took 10 wickets at an average of 27.3, with best bowling of 2-12. Sugg also appeared several times for The Players against The Gentlemen. Sugg later officiated as an umpire in first class matches.

As a footballer, playing centre forward, Sugg began his career with Bolton Wanderers in 1882, joining Sheffield Wednesday in 1883 where he  captained the team, moving to Derby County in November 1884 where he also captained the team. He then joined Burnley in March 1885, again as captain. Sugg was described by a commentator as a “play anywhere footballer as long as he could play football”. When football entered the Football League era in 1888, he joined Everton and made his Football League debut against Aston Villa in October the same year. He played 9 times for Everton in their inaugural League season without scoring, making one further appearance in March 1890 in a 3-0 win over Derby County at Anfield. He re-joined Burnley for the 1890-91 season but never made their first eleven.

His older brother Walter Sugg played for Derbyshire and Yorkshire between 1881 and 1902.

NB whether Frank or Walter started the company, the Sugg surname became a well known brand of cricket bats – for example see Willie Watson Image 6.