Humphreys is considered one of the greatest bowlers to have never played Test cricket, despite having been selected as a member of the England team which toured Australia in 1894–95.

[4] Shortly thereafter, he made his debut in first-class cricket for Sussex against Kent at Hove in 1871, with him making four further appearances in his first season.

[3] By 1880, lob bowling was perceived as a lost art, previously exploited by the likes of Edward Drake, Thomas Goodrich, Roger Iddison, Walter Money, William Rose, and V. E.

[6] It wasn't long before his lob bowling bought him success, with Humphreys claiming a five wicket haul (5 for 32) against Surrey in August 1880,[9][6] while later in the season against the touring Australians, he took a hat-trick when he dismissed Tom Groube, Alec Bannerman and Jack Blackham.

[4][10] In 1884, he repeated his 1880 hat-trick feat against the touring Australians, this time dismissing Percy McDonnell, George Giffen and Tup Scott.

[3] The 1884 season was the first in which he took more than fifty wickets, in addition to claiming his then career best figures of 7 for 57 and taking ten-wickets in a match for the first time.

[7] In 1887, he scored his only first-class century when he made 117 against Cambridge University, sharing in a partnership of 136 for the sixth wicket with Jesse Hide.

[16] His achievements in 1893 were all the more remarkable, given the short boundary on the pavilion side of the County Ground that allowed for easy scoring.

[3] Although Humphreys played four fewer first-class matches in 1894, he was still nonetheless effective with his lobs, taking 47 wickets at an average of 22.61.

[26] The Australian William Murdoch recalled that during his unbeaten innings of 286 against Sussex in 1882, he could not tell by watching Humphreys hand which way he intended to turn the ball.

[27] Neville Cardus wrote following his death: "No doubt the man in the street will smile at the mere mention of lobs.

But surely the success of Humphreys’ modest art, at a period great in batsmanship, cannot be dismissed with a smile of indulgence.

[29][30] He was buried at the Brighton and Preston Cemetery, with the inscription on his tombstone reading: "The stumps are drawn, the final over bowled".