Thornton Richard Image 2 Kent 1896

Description

Folkestone, Kent born right-handed batsman Richard Thornton played for Dorset before going up to St John’s College, Oxford University in 1873 and later made non-first class cricket appearances for a variety of amateur teams, including the Gentlemen of Devon and Marylebone Cricket Club (M.C.C.) who he played for between 1874 and 1902. He made his first class cricket debut for M.C.C. against Kent in 1880 before going on to play 45 times for Kent in first class matches between 1881 and 1888. As well as making 14 first class appearances for M.C.C. he played for a variety of other sides and captained E.J. Sanders’ XI on their tour of North America in 1885. He played matches for a wide range of teams including Incogniti, Devon County Cricket Club, Wiltshire County Cricket Club and toured Portugal in 1895 with Tom Westray’s XI, and his last first class match was for M.C.C. against Cambridge University in May 1893.

In his Wisden obituary, Thornton was described as “a free-hitting bat and could bowl both slow-round and lobs”, the latter being described as “very successful indeed in club games”. In 66 first class matches he scored one first class century, making 107 for EJ Sanders’ XI against the Gentlemen of Philadelphia in 1885, although in club cricket he made a number of high scores, registering a further 10 half centuries in first class play, when he scored 2,021 runs at an average of 20.00. With his occasional bowling he took 3 wickets in first class matches with a best return of 2-16, also taking 42 catches in first class play.

His brothers, Albert and Walter both played first class cricket, Albert for Kent and Walter for Oxford University.

NB he is photographed in clerical attire, having taken Holy Orders and was chaplain to the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment during the 1890’s when he lived at Tunbridge Wells.

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