| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Alfred Newman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1884-11-12)12 November 1884 Southsea,Hampshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 21 December 1973(1973-12-21) (aged 89) Groote Schuur,Cape Province, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-armmedium Right-armoff break | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1906–1930 | Hampshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1922–1930 | Marylebone Cricket Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1927/28–1928/29 | Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Umpiring information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FC umpired | 220 (1931–1939) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source:Cricinfo,15 March 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John Alfred Newman (12 November 1884 – 21 December 1973) was an English professionalfirst-class cricketer who playedcounty cricket forHampshire between 1906 and 1930, and in thePlunket Shield forCanterbury in New Zealand for two seasons in the late 1920s. He was born inSouthsea, but grew up in the village ofBitterne nearSouthampton. Anall-rounder, he came to the attention of Hampshire as a teenager. A right-handedbatsman and right-armbowler, who was able to bowlmedium pacedoutswingers with the new ball, followed byoff spin once the shine had worn off the ball. Debuting in 1906, Newman would make nearly 550 appearances in first-class cricket. In these, he took 2,054 wickets and scored 15,364 runs. He formed a bowling partnership at Hampshire withAlec Kennedy, with the pair sometimes bowling unchanged throughout bothinnings of a match. He had the distinction of achieving thedouble on five occasions, and is one of just three players to take over 2,000 wickets, but to never playTest cricket.
Following his retirement, Newman spent the English summers between 1931 and 1939umpiring, with him standing in 220 first-class matches. During the winter months he coached aboard, predominantly in South Africa, where he later emigrated to. He died inCape Town in December 1973, aged 89, following acerebral haemorrhage.
Newman was born inSouthsea on 12 November 1884. At an early age, he moved with his parents to the village ofBitterne nearSouthampton.[1] He first took up cricket when he played for his localSunday school team. At the age of 14, Newman attended a match at theCounty Ground in Southampton, where whilst watching theHampshire players practice in thenets, he askedThomas Soar if he couldbowl to them, and was given permission. After watching him bowl for a few minutes, Soar fetched Hampshire secretary Fred Bacon, who invited Newman to join the staff at Hampshire when he left school in 1901.[1] He made his debut infirst-class cricket for Hampshire againstWarwickshire atEdgbaston in the1906 County Championship, with Newman making a further appearance that season againstKent.[2]
Newman established himself in the Hampshire side in 1907,[3] making first-class 19 appearances.[2] Anall-rounder, Newman was a versatile bowler who could open the bowling withmedium-pacedoutswingers, and once the shine had worn off the ball, he would change to bowlingoff spin.[1] In first full season, he took 46 wickets at anaverage of 28.91,[4] and took his maidenfive wicket haul with figures of 5 for 124 againstSussex in theCounty Championship.[5] The following season, he made 22 first-class appearances, taking 93 wickets at an average of 20.62; he took five wickets in aninnings on seven occasions during the season, in addition to takingten wickets in a match thrice.[4] His best innings figures in 1908 (8 for 54) came while playing for aHambledon XII in a commemorative first-class match against anEngland XI atBroadhalfpenny Down.[6] He was Hampshire's leading wicket-taker in the1908 County Championship, with 77.[7] In 1909, he took 89 wickets at an average of 20.89 from 23 appearances, taking five wickets or more in an innings on seven occasions;[4] his best innings figures that season were 8 for 43 against the touringAustralians at Southampton,[3] a match in which he also took ahat-trick.[8]
In 1910, Newman began what would become a twenty year bowling partnership withAlec Kennedy.[8] In the 1910 season, he took 156 wickets at an average of 18.45 from 23 matches; he took five wickets or more in an innings on seventeen occasions and took ten wickets or more in a match on seven.[4] He was Hampshire's leading wicket-taker in the1910 County Championship,[9] and nationally was second in the wicket-taking aggregate, behindRazor Smith's 215.[10] His bowling form fell away in 1911, with him taking 79 wickets at an average of 31.67 from 25 appearances.[4] His bowling returns recovered the following season, with Newman taking 99 wickets at an average of 23.34 from 27 appearances.[4] His all-round credentials would come to the fore in the 1913 season. With the ball, he took 117 wickets at an average of 22.58 from 28 appearances, taking five wickets in an innings on eight occasions.[4] With the bat, he scored 975 runs, more than double his previous highest amount across a season,averaging 21.66.[11] In the 1914 season, which was truncated in August by the outbreak of the First World War, he took 82 wickets at an average of 25.03 from 30 matches.[4] Alongside this, Newman also passed a thousand runs in a season for the first time. His 1,118 runs came at an average of 24.30,[11] and included a maiden first-classcentury with anunbeaten 107 runs againstSomerset, having also taken 5 for 43 in Somerset's first innings.[12] With theMarylebone Cricket Club (MCC) PresidentFrancis Lacey confirming the cessation ofcricket during the war, first-class cricket in England would be suspended until 1919.[13]
Newman would enlist in the war with the 5th Battalion,Hampshire Regiment, enlisting alongside other peers from Hampshire.[14] He served with the battalion inBritish India where he played regimental and first-class cricket.[15] Newman played in the first-class war relief match between anEngland XII and anIndian XII at theBombay Gymkhana.[2][16] He played a further first-class match later in the war, when he played for theMaharaja of Cooch-Behar's XI against theBengal Governor's XI,[2] a match in which Newman andFrank Tarrant took every wicket to fall in both of the Governor's XI innings.[17] Shortly after the cessation of hostilities in November 1918, Newman played for an England XII against an Indian XII at Bombay, and whilst awaiting demobilisation[3] he made two further first-class appearances, playing twice for the Maharaja of Cooch-Behar's XI against the Bengal Governor's XI andMorice Bird's personal XI, in December 1918 and January 1919 respectively.[2] In the latter two fixtures he had success, taking five wicket hauls in both.[18][19]
Newman missed the resumption of cricket in 1919 as he was still awaiting demobilisation in India.[3] He returned to England ahead of the 1920 season, where he resumed his career with Hampshire. Making 26 appearances in the1920 County Championship,[2] he took 111 wickets at an average of 25.33, having taken five wickets or more in an innings on eight occasions.[4] He was second in Hampshire's Championship bowling aggregates, behind compatriot Kennedy who took 164 wickets; between the pair, they accounted for 285 of Hampshire's wickets.[20] With Hampshire losing several cricketers during the war, Newman's medium-pace was utilised more opening the bowling in order to adjust the balance of the depleted Hampshire team.[1] The following season, Newman achieved thedouble for the first time.[8] With the ball he took 177 wickets at an average of 21.56 from 29 matches; he took five wickets in an innings on 13 occasions and ten wickets in a match thrice.[4] It was to be his most successful season as a bowler,[8] with his 177 wickets the second highest taken by a Hampshire bowler in a season.[3] He took his career best bowling figures of 9 for 131 againstEssex atBournemouth in June.[21] Newman and Kennedy again led the Hampshire attack in 1921, bowling between them 14,792 deliveries and taking 340 wickets.[22] Against Sussex atPortsmouth, Newman and Kennedy bowled unchanged throughout the match.[8] With the bat, he scored 1,065 runs at an average of 30.42.[11] His sole century in 1921, an unbeaten 166 againstGlamorgan, was to be the highest score of his first-class career.[3]
Newman did not achieve the double in 1922, but did take 122 wickets at an average of 24.37 from 31 matches, claiming five wickets or more in an innings on seven occasions.[4] He was involved in controversy during the season when Hampshire playedNottinghamshire atTrent Bridge in theCounty Championship. In response to the crowd barracking him for perceived timewasting,[23] he refused to bowl, resulting in Hampshire'scaptainLionel Tennyson ordering him from the field, responding to Tennyson by kicking down thestumps as he left the field.[8] At the close of play Tennyson summoned him into theamateurs' changing-room. "Jack," he said, "you have this afternoon disgraced the annals of Hampshire cricket... Hampshire cricket, mind you, the cradle of the game. You must send a letter of apology. Sit down; here's pen and paper. I'll dictate the letter."[23] Tennyson proceeded to speak out loud a letter to the president of Nottinghamshire in which Newman offered his profound apologies. A second letter, toArthur Carr, the Nottinghamshire captain, followed. Tennyson then dictated a letter from Newman to himself: "Now, Jack, a final letter. To the Hon. L H Tennyson, captain, Hampshire County CC, Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire. Dear Skipper, I humbly regret my behaviour, and so on, you confounded old villain; and don't let us have a repetition of your disgraceful conduct. And, good evening to you, Jack, and, damn you, take this."[23] Upon completion, Tennyson thrust a five-pound note – a considerable sum in those days – into Newman's hands.[23] In the 1922 season, he played for the MCC for the first time, and was chosen to represent the Players in theGentlemen v Players match.[2]
Newman achieved the double for the second time in 1923. He scored 1,006 runs at an average of 22.86 from 30 appearances, making one century.[11] With the ball, he took 148 wickets at an average of 25.25, claiming five wickets or more in an innings on eight occasions, while taking ten or more on four.[4] For the second time, Newman and Kennedy bowled unchanged against Somerset in 1923.[8] In 31 appearances in 1924, Newman struggled for batting form,[11] with his bowling returns also diminishing. He took 87 wickets at an average of 31.01,[4] but nonetheless against Sussex he managed to dismiss three Sussex batsmen in four balls.[8] His bowling returns further declined in 1925, with 65 wickets at an average of 35.12 from 31 matches.[4] Both his batting and bowling form recovered in 1926, with him achieving the double for the third time. In 33 appearances, he scored 1,468 runs at an average of 32.17, making two centuries.[11] With the ball, he took 154 wickets at an average of 24.70, claiming five wickets or more in an innings on nine occasions, while taking ten or more on five.[4] He achieved his best all-round performance during the season, scoring 66 and an unbeaten 42 runs and taking 14 wickets for 148 runs againstGloucestershire in theCounty Championship.[3]
Newman again achieved the double in the following season. In 32 appearances he scored 1,448 runs at an average of 32.17, making three centuries.[11] With the ball, he took 115 wickets at an average of 23.19, claiming five wickets or more in an innings on nine occasions, while taking ten or more on three.[4] He took his career-best match figures of 16 wickets for 88 runs against Somerset in theCounty Championship;[8] this would remain the best match figures taken by a Hampshire bowler until 2019, whenKyle Abbott took 17 wickets for 86 runs.[24][3] He also scored two centuries in the same match againstSurrey, both scores of 102, with one unbeaten.[8]
Alongside five othercounty cricketers, Newman embarked for New Zealand in the winter that followed the 1927 season to coach for the Canterbury Cricket Association (CCA).[25][26] He played first-class cricket forCanterbury in the1927–28 Plunket Shield, making two appearances, while also playing against the touring Australians. Alongside this he also played twice for The Rest againstNew Zealand.[2] Though he did not have success with the ball in these five matches, he did score 414 runs at an average of 51.75,[11] making a century (112 not out) on his Canterbury debut againstOtago.[27] He returned to England aboard theRMS Mataroa.[26] He completed the double for the fifth and final time during the 1928 season.[8] Newman struggled for form during the early part of the season, but improved as the season progressed.[28] From 31 appearances in 1928, he scored 1,474 runs at an average of 29.48, making three centuries.[11] With the ball, he took 112 wickets at an average of 30.30, claiming five wickets or more in an innings on five occasions.[4]
He returned to New Zealand to coach following the 1928 season.[28] There, he made three appearances for Canterbury in the1928–29 Plunket Shield.[2] He scored 193 runs at an average of 48.25,[11] but struggled with the ball, averaging 57.57 for his seven wickets.[4] During the 1929 English season, he took 73 wickets at an average of 29.97 from 28 appearances, claiming five wickets or more in an innings on three occasions.[4] With the bat he scored 963 runs at an average of 19.26.[11] Whilst he returned to coach in New Zealand with the CCA following the 1929 season, however he did not play any further representative cricket for Canterbury as his contact with the CCA stipulated that he could not play in representative matches.[29] In the 1930 English season, he took 81 wickets at an average of 25.02 from 27 appearances, claiming five wickets of more on seven occasions;[4] he claimed his 2,000th first-class cricket during the course of the season.[30] However, his batting aggregate declined to 683 runs at an average of 18.76.[11] Newman retired from playing at the end of the 1930 season, having been encouraged to so after suffering a breakdown.[1]
In a long first-class career that lasted from 1906 to 1930, Newman made 541 appearances in first-class cricket.[2] As a spin bowler, his run-up came off eight springy-paces, delivering his off-spinners from a high-arm action at nearly medium-pace.[1] He was able to use his long fingers to good effect to elicit sharp turn on the ball when bowling off spinners. He possessed the ability to vary his pace and length, doing so subtly.[22] He had amongst his spin-bowling repertoire a faster ball which was well concealed during its delivery.[1] Arlott would later write that he had a preference for bowling over the wicket, as opposed to around, and was less effective when utilised from around the wicket.[1] Newman took 2,054 wickets during his first-class career at an average of 25.02,[note 1] taking five wickets or more in an innings on 134 occasions and ten wickets or more in a match on 35 occasions.[31] For Hampshire in 506 appearances, he took 1,946 wickets;[32] only Kennedy (2,549) andDerek Shackleton (2,669) have taken more first-class wickets for Hampshire.[33][34] He completed the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season five times between 1921 and 1928;[8] ten doubles have been taken for Hampshire, with Newman and Kennedy each accounting for half of them.[33] He is one of three bowlers to take over 2,000 first-class wickets but never earn a Test cap, with the others beingDon Shepherd andGeorge Dennett.[35]
As a batsman, Arlott would describe him as "an orthodox, determined batsman".[1] he scored 15,364 runs at an average of 21.57, making ten centuries and 69 half centuries.[31] For his Hampshire, he scored 13,904 runs.[36] It was not uncommon for Newman to finish bowling and return to the field toopen the batting, often doing so alongside Kennedy.[22] He also held 318 catches,[31] 295 of which came for Hampshire.[36] In 1981, Arlott included him in a side of the best players who were never selected by England to play in a Test match.[37]
Following his retirement, Newman began standing as a first-classumpire.[1] He first umpired in representative cricket whilst coaching in South Africa in the winter following the 1930 season, when he stood in a match betweenCape Province and the touring MCC. He stood in a second first-class match in England in 1931 between the touring New Zealanders and theGentlemen of England atEastbourne.[38] He was appointed to the first-class umpires list in December 1931, alongsideHerbert Baldwin,Bill Hitch,Alec Skelding, andClaud Woolley.[39] He remained on the first-class umpires list until 1939, standing in 218 first-class matches in England since his appointment to it.[38]
Newman had begun his coaching abroad during the winter months in England as early as 1922.[40] After the end of his umpiring career, Newman coached cricket in India, New Zealand, and South Africa. He subsequently emigrated to Cape Town, where he coached for much of the last thirty years of his life.[41] Whilst coaching atDiocesan College, Newman coached future South African Test cricketersSandy Bell andTuppy Owen-Smith.[42][43] He coached in Western Province, with the with Pawle opining that "no one did more for Western Province cricket";[22] in recognition of his contributions to Western Province cricket, Newman was afforded a benefit, with the proceeds providing him an annuity for the remainder of his life. He was also afforded life membership atNewlands.[22]
Newman spent his later years living inCape Town. He returned to England in later life to visit his former Hampshire teammates in Southampton,[33] making his last visit in 1966, at which point his health had begun to decline.[22] Newman died at theGroote Schuur estate in Cape Town on 21 December 1973, aged 89, having been admitted to hospital following acerebral haemorrhage.[44] He died a bachelor.[45]