Born On This Day: 19th October

Sir Francis Lacey was born in Wareham, Dorset in 1859. He was a fine batsman and occasional slow bowler, educated at Sherborne School and Cambridge University where he won ‘blues’, for football and cricket (1882). He made his first-class debut for Hampshire in 1880 at Hove, when he scored 70 and took two wickets. and he was still playing in the three seasons after they were admitted to the County Championship in 1895.

In 1887, during the period when Hampshire were relegated to second class, he scored 323* v Norfolk, which remains Hampshire’s highest score in any form of cricket, and was at the time the highest individual score in any inter-county match.

From the following season until 1893, he captained the still second-class county. In addition to 33 first-class matches for Hampshire and three for the University, he played for MCC, the Gentlemen and other first-class sides in a total of 50 matches over 18 seasons.

For Hampshire his 33 first-class matches produced 2,028 runs at 39.76, with four centuries, spanning 16 seasons. His highest score was 211 (& 92*) v Kent in 1884 which was also Hampshire’s first double century, and he took 45 wickets at just 20.93 each.

While playing as an amateur he pursued a career as a Barrister. From 1898-1926, he was Secretary of MCC and was knighted in that final year – the first to be so honoured specifically for services to cricket.

He is credited with many significant improvements to the organisation of MCC, and since it then controlled both English and most world cricket, to the game more broadly. After retiring from MCC, he was President of Hampshire, in 1927/8. He died in Warminster in 1946.

Also today: Harry Downer, Steve Malone, Lawrence Prittipaul