Walter Troup

TROUP, MAJOR WALTER, a prominent member of the Gloucestershire XI at different times from 1887 to 1911, died in January, aged 71. He appeared first for the county when seventeen and still at a private school at Clifton. A very sound batsman, he often opened the innings with W. G. Grace, and he contributed 180 to Gloucestershire's 634 against Nottinghamshire at Bristol in 1898; during that season he also scored 176 and 100; when he helped W. G. put up 169 at Taunton against Somerset, his own contribution reached 127. Finishing second to W. G. Grace in the county batting, Troup averaged 38 for an aggregate of 968 runs. Troup became County captain next year when W. G. Grace ceased his connection with Gloucestershire, but was in office only one season before returning to India - the place of his birth. Altogether Troup scored 3,250 runs at an average of 26 an innings in first-class cricket. He played for the Gentlemen at Scarborough in 1898 and at the Oval in 1902.

Of small build, he was strong in defence and extremely patient, sometimes avoiding any attempts at scoring. More than once he batted about an hour for a single run. It is recorded that at Liverpool in 1888 he withstood the Lancashire attack altogether for 95 minutes and yet bagged a brace. Despite all his care he was stumped in the first innings and leg-before-wicket in the second, each time to the cunning bowling of Briggs. Under favourable conditions he showed skill in stroke play but was always a slow scorer. He fielded well at cover-point. After being on the staff under Lord Harris at Poona, he was District Superintendent of Police in North-West Provinces. In the Great War he became a captain in the Royal Flying Corps and he retired from the Army in 1920.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack