William Beldam

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William Beldam (born 5 February 1766 in Wrecclesham, just outside Farnham in Surrey; died 20 February 1862 at Tilford, Surrey), was one of the greatest cricketers in England during the Napoleonic era.

NB: In old books, Beldam's name has often been spelled Beldham but recent research by the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians has discovered that the correct spelling was Beldam.

Though noted primarily as a fine attacking batsman, Beldam was in fact an all-rounder who also took many wickets, operating as a change bowler. Along with other greats such as John Small and Tom Walker, Beldam did much to lay the foundations of what can now be recognised as modern batting technique. He had a sound defence, like Small and Walker, but was also a marvellous strokemaker like Small and the later Fuller Pilch. ‘(He was) safer than the Bank,’ wrote John Nyren, author of the legendary book The Cricketers of My Time ‘(but) he would get at the balls and hit them away in gallant style…but when he could cut them at the point of his bat, he was in all his glory; and, upon my life, their speed was as the speed of thought.’ Nyren continued, ‘One of the most beautiful sights that can be imagined, and which would have delighted an artist, was to see him make himself up to hit a ball. It was the beauideal of grace, animation, and concentrated energy.’ Others were moved to praise numerous facets of Beldam's wonderful batting, such as his composure, eagle eye, strong wrists and fine timing. It was said the only blot on his playing career was to once bias a ball bowled against Lord Frederick Beauclerk with a lump of mud. It had the desired effect.

Known as ‘Silver Billy’ from his light hair and complexion, Beldam's immensely long first class career yielded a then unparalleled 7,064 runs at an average of 21.40 with 3 centuries. Taking to the game at an early age, his first ‘important’ game came at the age of 19 in June 1785 for Berkshire against Essex, and by the age of 21 he was widely recognised as the best batsman in England. In the last dozen years of the 18th century he averaged about 25 runs per completed innings, an astonishing feat at the time (this achievement can be measured by the fact that 110 was regarded for betting purposes as the ‘norm’ for a whole team). Possibly his best performance was playing for Surrey against England at Lords in 1794 when he scored 72 and 104, took two wickets and three catches. Although past his peak from about 1800, Beldam continued to play at first-class level for many years, occasionally displaying a glimpse of past brilliance. His final game was one of the early Gentlemen v Players matches in July 1821, when he was aged 55. His final First Class score was 23 not out.

He retired to Tilford, where he owned a public house - The Barley Mow - and spent his last 41 years, finally dying on February 20 1862, aged 96. In his old age, he was interviewed by James Pycroft, author of The Cricket Field. One of the common misconceptions concerning Beldam is that he fathered anything up to thirty six children by two wives. While he was married twice, he was far less prolific: by his first wife Ann Smith (1765-1800) he had one daughter, also Ann, born 1800. Second wife, another Ann (1779-1869), bore him eight children between 1804 and 1819, eventually outliving him by some seven years. Both are buried in the local churchyard. Beldam's cottage still sits by the side of the pub, albeit with the later addition of an upper floor.

Beldam's sister Hannah (1786 - 1842) married another leading cricketer of the day, "Honest" John Wells (1759 - 1835). Wells was one of countless cricketers who are better at theory than practice. It is thought that he impressed upon Beldam the importance of the high left elbow, although a Farnham gingerbread maker, Harry Hall, has also been credited with this. This was a novelty at the time but has since become a standard part of technique for a right-handed batsman.

[edit] References

  • KNIGHT, Albert E., The Complete Cricketer, Methuen & Co., 1906
  • BIRLEY, Sir Derek, A Social History of English Cricket, Aurum Press, 1999
  • WILDE, Simon, Number One: The World's Best Batsmen and Bowlers, Trafalgar Square, 1998

[edit] External links

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