Julius Caesar :the popular cricketer of pre-Test match era
On the birth anniversary of the Bard of Avon, Arunabha Sengupta recalls William Shakespeare the cricketer
The Ides of March have come and gone (ay, but not truly gone).
The contest which has gone down as the first ever Test match was played on 15 Mar 1877. Since then, the summers have been rendered more lovely and more temperate with the sound of willow on leather. O Jesu, they perhaps said, this is excellent sport in faith.
In spite of the rather exclusiveness of the Empire during the early years, we can say with some confident hindsight that in 1877 it would have been prudent enough to predict: How many ages hence shall the lofty scene be acted over in states unborn and accent yet unknown.
By now the summer game is not restricted to the summer alone. Indeed, with every passing day, we realise ever so often: if all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work.
Of course, before Test matches the world had seen an ace pre-Test-day cricketer called Julius Caesar. Lesser than the Roman but also greater — at least with the willow, earning many a laurel wreath with his exploits on the field, embarking on at least two invasions across the oceans.
And then there was William Shakespeare himself.
Wing Commander William Harold Nelson Shakespeare, OBE MC AFC, a forgotten batsman of sorts who played 26 First-Class matches for Worcestershire between 1919 and 1931
Born in Worcester on August 24, 1893, Shakespeare was more famed as a Pilot in the Royal Flying Corps (later known as Royal Air Force). The Military Cross was granted in 1918—with valour he bore the yoke of patrols twofold in weather outrageous and fire that blazed and burn’t. He carried out two patrols, one in very bad weather and one under intense fire, flying at a height of 400 feet and bringing back very valuable information. Thus was he named “a gallant and determined pilot”. A few months hence he won the Air Force Cross. He was, after all, a singularly brave man: he knew that cowards die many times ‘ere their deaths; the valiant nev’r tastes of death but once.
Shakespeare made his First-Class debut against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1919 and scored 62 and 67, undefeated both times, against the arrows and traps of the bowlers. Unfortunately, the second-innings score remained the highest tide in his affairs with First-Class cricket. He scored only two more fifties. He played intermittently for the weak side.
One of the pioneers of military and civil transport aviation, he was the Captain of the first pan-European flight from London to Athens — that ancient land whence Timon had sprung. While in Athens, he met and flew with the King of Greece who was also a keen aviator. Our Shakespeare could perhaps put a girdle about the Earth in forty minutes.
Shakespeare went on to become the President of RAFA and played a crucial role in arranging the Victory Test matches against Australia, post the last cry of havoc and the last whimper of the dogs of War.
Between 1974 and 1976, he was the Warwickshire CCC President. In that capacity he was instrumental in finding Imran Khan a place at Worcester Royal Grammar School prior to his joining the Worcester staff. Hence to all the kings of the royal Shakespearean entourage … Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV ( Parts 1 and 2), Henry V, Henry VI (Parts 1, 2 and 3), Richard III, Lear, Duncan, John … we can rightly add the King of Greece and King Khan.
However, “Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast” was not his prescribed advice. Once during his tenure Worcestershire struggled against Leicestershire, with Garth McKenzie making the batsmen hop on a green top. The Wing Commander came in during one interval and gave the team a tongue lashing. Far be it for him to emulate his namesake and preach about discretion being the better part of valour. This Shakespeare told the team that the best way to play the swinging ball was to take two paces down the pitch and smack McKenzie straight back over his head. The Australian stalwart ended with 8 for 89 in the match, Leicestershire won by four wickets.
William Harold Nelson Shakespeare passed away on July 10, 1976 at the age of 83.