Arthur Bannister

Who was Arthur Bannister?

Arthur Frederick Bannister was an English cricketer: a right arm slow bowler who played 38 times for Worcestershire between 1900 and 1902.

Born in Somers Town, London, Bannister made his first-class debut on 7 May 1900 against Yorkshire. Although Worcestershire lost by an innings, Bannister made an immediate impact, taking 5-30 in the Yorkshire first innings; his first victim was Test cricketer Ted Wainwright, and he also claimed the scalps of three other England players including Yorkshire captain Lord Hawke. However, his achievement was rather overshadowed by Yorkshire's Wilfred Rhodes, who took 7-20 in Worcestershire's second innings.

Two matches later, against Hampshire, Bannister enjoyed what was to remain his best bowling performance, when he turned in an outstanding innings analysis of 20.4-8-29-7; 1900 was the first year in which six-ball overs were used in England. Another excellent effort came in August, when he took five wickets in each innings against Kent, despite his county slipping to a 231-run defeat. Bannister ended the season with 65 wickets at 20.47 to top the county's bowling averages.