Arthur Wellard

Who was Arthur Wellard?

Arthur William Wellard was a cricketer who played for Somerset and England. A late starter in county cricket, having been told by his native county, Kent, that he would be better off taking up a career as a policeman, Wellard played on into his late 40s. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1936.

Wellard was a fast-bowling all-rounder who exemplified much of the happy-go-lucky cricket played by Somerset in the 1930s. Despite a first-class batting average of only 19.72, he was famous for the number of sixes he hit, with over 500 in his career, accounting for a quarter of his runs. He was for many years the holder of the record number of sixes in a single season, with 72 in 1935. But Wellard as a fast bowler was good enough to be picked twice for England, against New Zealand in 1937 and against the Australians in 1938, and his 1,614 career wickets put him 63rd on the all-time bowling lists.