A butcher by trade, he was over six feet tall and strongly built. He came to the
attention of the county as a right arm medium fast bowler with Malden Wanderers
and was specially registered.
Victor Joseph Ransom, who was born at New Malden on May 17, 1917, made his debut
against Sussex at Portsmouth in May 1947, a week before his 30th birthday. He
immediately made a big impression by taking four wickets in each innings, helping
Hampshire win by 86 runs - one of only four victories that year. In the second
innings he took 4-37, and Herman 6-33, to dismiss Sussex for 98.
His best analysis was 5-50 in June in a rain-ruined match at Northampton. He
ended the 1947 season at the top of the Championship bowling averages with 54
wickets at 27.22, ahead of Heath who had 74 wickets at 29.48.
Unfortunately, this proved to be a one season wonder. Desmond Eagar records in the
official history: "Vic Ransom, with his tremendous enthusiasm and bulk, was undoubtedly
accident prone." Such was the dearth of opening bowling talent that the chairman,
Mr WK Pearce, instructed Eagar at the start of the 1948 season to make everyone bowl
fast in the nets - which unearthed the surprise knowledge that the young batsman and
leg spinner Derek Shackleton had bowled seam as a boy for Todmorden. The rest, as
they say, is history.
A hard hitting batsman, Ransom's highest score of 58 came in the match against
Gloucestershire at Portsmouth in 1949 when, batting at number ten, he helped avoid the
follow-on in the company of Charles Knott, 8 not out. He failed to capture a wicket in
that match, but took four catches, all off the bowling of Shackleton, who was by now
well into his stride, collecting a match haul of 12 wickets.
He managed to play in only five matches in 1949, but was awarded his cap. In 1950, he
played just one match, against Cambridge University.
He subsequently played two matches for Surrey, the first against Cambridge University
at Guildford in June 1951. Then in 1955, elevated from the Second Eleven side which
he captained, he led Surrey at the Oval against the same opponents when Surridge was
absent. His team included Barrington - voted most promising player of that year -
Stewart, Lock and Loader, who took 11 for 69 and ensured an innings victory for the
county which gained its fourth consecutive Championship title that year.
Vic Ransom continued to play club cricket. He is credited with accidentally winning a
charity match in 1961 for the Broadhalfpenny Brigands against the Lord's Taverners at
Hambledon. With the Taverners just a boundary short of victory and the last pair at
the wicket, he caught a sharp chance in the slips - and in the heat of the moment
forgot to drop it!
For Hampshire (1947-1950): Batting: M 34, I 50, NO 8, R 419, HS 58, AV 9.97, 50x1,
CT 18; Bowling: R 3071, W 88, AV 34.89, 5ix3, BEST 5-50.
Career (1947-1955): Batting: M 40, I 58, NO 11, R 455, HS 58, AV 9.68, CT 22; Bowling:
R 3469, W 98, AV 35.39, BEST 5-50.
