Christopher Collins (cricketer)

Christopher Collins (14 October 1859 – 11 August 1919) was an English cricketer. Collins was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast-medium. The son of Benjamin Collins and his wife Jane, he was born Cobham, Kent. In the 1881 census, Collins was living at Cobham and was employed, alongside his father, as a gardener.[1] He learnt his cricket at Cobham, where he played under the captaincy of Ivo Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley.[2]

Chris Collins

Personal information
Full name	Christopher Collins
Born	(1859-10-14)14 October 1859 Cobham, Kent
Died	11 August 1919(1919-08-11) (aged 59) Gravesend, Kent
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
Relations	Benjamin Collins (father) George Collins (son) George Collins (brother)
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1881–1885	Kent
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 8 Runs scored 97 Batting average 8.81 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 41 Balls bowled 688 Wickets 16 Bowling average 19.06 5 wickets in innings 0 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 4/9 Catches/stumpings 5/–
Source: CricInfo, 8 April 2012

Collins made his first-class cricket debut for Kent County Cricket Club against MCC at Lord's in 1881. He made seven further first-class appearances for the county, the last of which came against Yorkshire in 1885..[3] He took 16 wickets in his eight matches, but his bowling action was considered to have aroused "enough suspicion" that Lord Harris, the dominate figure in Kent cricket at the time, was unwilling to allow Collins to play for the county again.[4]

He was subsequently groundsman at the Bat and Ball Ground, Gravesend and later ran a sports outfitters in the town.[5]

His father played first-class cricket for Kent, as did his brother, George. His son, also called George, played first-class cricket for Kent as well. Collins died at Gravesend, Kent, on 11 August 1919.

References

1. Ambrose, Don. "Brief profile of Christopher Collins". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
2. "Obituaries in 1949". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. 1950. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
3. "First-Class Matches played by Christopher Collins". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
4. Moore D (1988) The History of Kent County Cricket Club, p.39. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7470-2209-7
5. "100 Years Ago The Ringing World, 2 May, 1913—Selected by the Editor—Mr. George Collins, County cricketer and bellringer". The Ringing World. 3 May 2013 [2 May 1913]. p. 458. Issue 5323.

External links

Christopher Collins at ESPNcricinfo