Harold Bache

Who was Harold Bache?

Harold Godfrey Bache was an English cricketer. He played 20 first-class matches between 1907 and 1910, 17 of them for Worcestershire. He also played three times for Cambridge University, but was not awarded a Blue. He was also a fine footballer, playing for West Bromwich Albion and winning an England Amateur cap.

Born in Churchill, Worcestershire, Bache made his first-class debut for Worcestershire against Surrey at Worcester late in the 1907 season, scoring 9 in his only innings and holding three catches. The following season he played twice for the county, but he made nine appearances in 1909 and eight in 1910. Mostly he played for Worcestershire but he turned out three times for Cambridge University.

His top score of 36 was made against Middlesex at Lord's in 1910. Later in the same season against the same opposition, but this time at Worcester, he took two of his three career wickets: those of Patsy Hendren and Jack Hearne. His other wicket had been that of Sussex's Robert Relf in 1909.

Bache joined the Lancashire Fusiliers and reached the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was killed in action at Ypres, Belgium at the age of just 26.