Claude Taylor

Who was Claude Taylor?

Claude Hilary Taylor was an English cricketer. Taylor was a right-handed batsman who bowled leg break googly. He was born in Leicester, Leicestershire.

Taylor made his first-class debut for Leicestershire against Sussex in the 1922 County Championship, after completing five seasons in the First XI at Westminster School. His school record in his final year was among the very strongest in the country, and he took six wickets when Charterhouse were dismissed before lunch for 25 on a plum wicket at Vincent Square. That autumn he began reading Classics at Oxford University, and the following summer made his first-class debut for Oxford University Cricket Club against Lancashire. He made history in this year by becoming the first freshman to score a century in The University Match, making 109 against Cambridge University. He gained his Oxford Blue in the 1923 season. Taylor went on to make 42 first-class appearances for the university, the last of which came against Cambridge University in 1926. During his time playing for Oxford, Taylor scored 2,018 runs at an average of 28.42, making 5 half centuries and 5 centuries, with a top score of 115. This score came against Sussex in 1923. As an occasional bowler, Taylor took 14 wickets at a bowling average of 34.07, with best figures of 2/9.