A quick-footed, attacking batsman who was a shrewd judge of a quick run,[4] he played cricket as an amateur for Glamorgan from 1901, initially as wicket-keeper.

Apart from two matches for Welsh teams against the touring South Africans in 1912, he played no first-class cricket until Glamorgan's initial season in the County Championship in 1921, when he captained the team, turning 38 during the season.

His obituary in Wisden expressed the opinion that he had "the natural ability, the technique and the temperament" to have become a Test player, but had lacked the opportunity.

[5] Riches was Glamorgan's only batsman of genuine class in their early years.

He was a fine fieldsman in the covers or the deep and a competent first-class wicket-keeper, although he was reluctant to keep wicket for fear of damaging his hands, which he relied on in his profession.