Herbert Bainbridge

Herbert William Bainbridge, of high renown in Warwickshire cricket, died at Leamington Spa on March 3, aged 77, having been born at Assam on October 29, 1862. Standing about six feet tall and strong, he was an accomplished batsman, capable of punishing good bowling by well-controlled strokes all round the wicket; he also commanded respect for leadership. After four seasons in the Eton eleven, being captain in 1882, Bainbridge was awarded his Blue at Cambridge in 1884 and helped to make University match history. He gave an exceptional display in the 1885 match at Lord's, when for the fourth consecutive time the match ended in a victory by seven wickets, this being the third such success by Cambridge. Bainbridge and Charles Wright, a stone-waller, opened the Cambridge innings with 152 runs, which gave their side a lead of 16 before Bainbridge hit a ball into mid-off's hands. His 101 was a faultless display of splendid strokes. This was at that time the best opening stand for either University; but, strangely enough, next year, when Bainbridge succeeded Lord Hawke as Cambridge captain, K. J. Key and W. Rashleigh put up 243 in starting Oxford's second innings, and this remains the first wicket partnership record for the University match. Oxford won by 133 runs. Bainbridge scored 44 and 79 in that encounter, and altogether in three meetings with Oxford he made 262 runs with an average of 43--an exceptional achievement.

Belonging to a Surrey family, Bainbridge played for the county occasionally previous to beginning his association with Warwickshire before completing the regulation period of qualification. In 1887 Leicestershire protested and the objection was upheld by M.C.C. However, Bainbridge captained Warwickshire in 1888 and kept the position until 1902, when he became honorary secretary--an office he retained when appointed chairman. In 1936 his fifty years of service received recognition by a presentation from the Warwickshire club. His highest innings for the county was 162 against Hampshire at Southampton in 1897, when he and W. G. Quaife put on 288 for the first wicket. Bainbridge played several times for Gentlemen against Players, and in the 1895 match at Kennington Oval he scored 82. That season was his most successful in first-class cricket, his aggregate runs numbering 1,162 with an average of 34. He was in the team captained by E. J. Sanders, in company with W. E. Roller, K. J. Key, E. H. Buckland, Hugh Rotherham, and C. E. Cottrell, who went to America in 1886 and won seven out of eight matches, the other being drawn in their favour.

Bainbridge played Association football for Cambridge without getting his Blue, but was prominent for Old Etonians and was in the XI who lost the final tie for the FA Cup at the Oval in 1883, when Blackburn Olympic earned lasting fame, being the first provincial club to carry off the trophy. That was before professionalism was legalised.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack