Walters Cyril Image 1 Worcestershire 1934

Description

Bedlinog, Glamorgan, Wales born right-handed batsman Cyril Walters first played for Glamorgan as a 17 year-old in 1923. Although he only made one score of over fifty in three full seasons, Glamorgan’s batting was of such a standard that he remained in the eleven, especially with his energetic fielding. The following year, his business as a surveyor and architect kept him out of the team in the first half of the season, but on returning he improved phenomenally with 116 in his first match against Warwickshire and 114 against Leicestershire. These innings showed him as a classically graceful batsman with many strokes and led to him being seen as an England prospect.

However, business prevented Walters playing in 1927 after May, and Worcestershire, interested in having a permanent secretary, saw him as an ideal candidate. He accepted the position of secretary to that County in 1928 and, despite playing without success for Glamorgan in a few matches that year, began a period of qualification for Worcestershire. Though his sole first class match in 1929 was for Wales against the M.C.C., when qualified in 1930 Walters’ batting helped Worcestershire rise from perennial wooden-spooners to a respectable position in the Championship table.

The following year Walters became captain of Worcestershire, and he advanced steadily despite his team falling off and two very wet summers, scoring over 1,500 runs in 1932 including 190 against Warwickshire. However, it was not until 1933 that Walters entered the front rank of batsmen. Whereas he had hit only one century in each of his first three seasons at Worcestershire, that year he hit a County-record nine centuries. With the Nawab of Pataudi, Maurice Nichol and Harold Gibbons, Walters gave Worcestershire a quartet of batsmen who contributed 25 centuries between them. In 1934 he was described as “a true stylist possessing strong, flexible wrists, Walters drives superbly.”

Although Worcestershire won only two games because of deplorable bowling, with Herbert Sutcliffe suffering a surprise decline, Walters was chosen to open the batting in all three Tests against the touring West Indians, making his England debut at Lord’s in June 1933. With scores of 51 and 46 in the first two Tests he did not disappoint, and was named a Cricketer of the Year by Wisden for 1934 after his aggregate of 2,404 runs. The following winter on tour in India Walters definitely established himself as England’s first choice opening bat, averaging 71 for six innings including 102, his only Test match century, at Chennai in February 1934.

Although he was unsuccessful captaining England against Australia at Trent Bridge in the summer of 1934, when he played in all five Tests against the visitors, Walters went from strength to strength as a batsman, scoring 2,000 runs for the second successive year and over 400 runs in the five Tests. 1935 started well, but after a month Walters broke down in health and was advised to take a long rest. However, 271 runs in two matches on returning had him selected for the last Test at Kennington Oval but he had to withdraw as his health broke down again, and he never returned to first class cricket after 1935 in spite of hopes that he might still do so in the subsequent two or three years. At the end of 1935 Walters had resigned as secretary and captain of Worcestershire.

Overall, he had a remarkable record in Test cricket of having reached 40 in twelve of his eighteen innings, finishing with a Test match batting average of 52.26 from 11 Tests. In 245 first class matches, he scored 12,145 runs at an average of 30.74 with 21 centuries and 55 half centuries. He also took 5 first class wickets with his occasional bowling with a best return of 2-22, and held 102 catches in first class play.

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