[1] His initial matches aroused suspicion around his bowling action, with the Lancashire Evening Post reporting that his deliveries were regarded as suspicious on debut.
The Leeds Mercury similarly noted this, reporting how other players realised that his bowling action was open to serious question.
[2] This suspicion culminated in him being called for throwing by umpire Valentine Titchmarsh in his sixth match of 1898 against Kent at Tonbridge.
[1] During his time at Hampshire, he became one of the most renowned groundsmen in the country,[5] and prior to the First World War, he turned down the opportunity to become the head groundsman at Lord's.
[6] During the war, he helped to organise exhibition matches against both British and overseas armed forces sides to raise money for the Red Cross Fund.