Harry Jupp

Who was Harry Jupp?

Henry Jupp was an English professional cricketer, who was the opening batsman for Surrey County Cricket Club from 1862 to 1881. Renowned for his defensive technique, Jupp was known as "Young Stonewaller" after the "Old Stonewaller" Will Mortlock, and was sometimes criticised for not punishing bad balls but he had superb back play which was essential on the unrolled wickets which predominated in the early part of his career. Jupp also managed to develop a very strong cut and drive as time went by, and was also a fine outfield who frequently served as a “long stop” and occasionally kept wicket when Pooley was absent.

Jupp was born in Dorking, Surrey, and played his earliest cricket for the Wellesley House club in Twickenham. Despite not having any experience of first-class cricket took his place in a strong Surrey eleven that was to beat the best of the rest of England in 1864 by nine wickets. With Thomas Humphrey, he formed Surrey's first strong opening partnership.

Although Surrey's champion 1860s team collapsed so badly that by 1871 Surrey had become so weak as to win none of thirteen county games, and their batting depth declined to the point of almost total dependence on Jupp, the erratic Humphrey brothers and Ted Pooley, this did not affect Jupp's ability. Harry Jupp first scored 1,000 runs in 1866, in which year he hit 165 against Lancashire, and toured North America in 1868. He reached four figures every year from 1869 to 1874. In the last named year Jupp achieved the amazing feat of carrying his bat through both innings of a match against Yorkshire, a feat equalled in England only by Sep Kinneir, Cecil Wood, Vijay Merchant and Jimmy Cook. The previous winter he had participated in the first English tour of Australia.