George Simpson-Hayward

Who was George Simpson-Hayward?

George Hayward Thomas Simpson-Hayward was an English cricketer who played in 5 Tests in 1910 and took six wickets on debut in the first innings. He is notable for being the last serious exponent of underarm or lob bowling to appear regularly in first-class cricket.

Educated at Malvern College, he played for Cambridge University and Worcestershire where he was captain from 1911 to 1912. He played regularly throughout his cricketing career for which he was rewarded, aged 34, by being selected to play for the England national cricket team. He played throughout the five-Test series in South Africa on matting pitches taking the first of his 23 wickets with his fifth ball. He bowled brisk off-breaks along a low trajectory with a leg-break action.

He was a Cambridge Blue at both cricket and soccer.