Frank Shacklock

Who was Frank Shacklock?

Francis Joseph Shacklock was an English cricketer who played first class cricket for Nottinghamshire in 1883 and between 1886 and 1893, for Derbyshire in 1884 and 1885, for MCC between 1889 and 1893 and for Otago New Zealand from 1903 to 1905. Shacklock may have been the inspiration for the naming of Arthur Conan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes.

Shacklock was born at Crich, Derbyshire and by 1881 was a professional cricketer living in Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. He made his first class debut for Nottinghamshire in September 1883 against MCC when he took a wicket in the first innings and 4 in the second innings but failed to score a run.

Shacklock joined Derbyshire in the 1884 season and played regularly. In the 1885 season against Yorkshire in August he took 8 for 45 in the first innings, and 5 for 87 in the second innings of the same match. He shared the top wicket tally for the season with William Cropper. Shacklock took 59 wickets for Derbyshire at an average of 16.74 and a best performance of 8 for 45.

In 1886 Shacklock rejoined Nottinghamshire and played 117 matches for them over the next eight years. For Nottinghamshire he took 360 wickets at an average of 18.74 and a best performance of 8 for 32. After 1889 Shacklock played for the MCC against the universities and also for sides selected by Nottinghamshire wicketkeeper Mordecai Sherwin.