Sam Staples

Who was Sam Staples?

Samuel James Staples was a Nottinghamshire cricketer of the 1920s and early 1930s. He played in three Tests for England against South Africa in 1927–28 but did modestly on the matting wickets. He would have toured Australia in 1928–29 but his health broke down before the tour began.

However, as a stock bowler for Nottinghamshire, Staples was an essential part of their successful team in the 1920s because his long spells of accurate medium-pace bowling allowed speedster Harold Larwood and the physically sensitive Tich Richmond to be more effective through not being overworked. Although on a relatively few occasions his off-break from round the wicket could be quite unplayable, Staples rarely obtained exceptional averages even in helpful summers but there is no doubt that without his ability to keep more penetrative bowlers fresh Nottinghamshire's bowling would have been much less formidable.