George Alfred Lohmann

Created <2009, Changed; 26/08/2022, 19/10/2022

I am advised by my grandfather and his side of the family that I am the nearest relative to The Surrey Cricketer; George Lohmann. I have seen the block of flats built in his name very many years ago.

Lohmann House block of flats, Oval Cricket Ground, Kennington, London

There is more information at; (but in case the link does not work - an outline of what it says is reproduced below (the cricket terminology means little to me).

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/16337.html (Reference; LOHMANN_GA_01000092.html)

George Alfred Lohmann

Born: 2 June 1865, Camden Hill, Kensington, London

Died: 1 December 1901, Worcester, Cape Province, South Africa

Major Teams: Surrey, Western Province, England.

Known As: George Lohmann

Batting Style: Right-hand Bat

Bowling Style: Right Arm Medium Fast

Test Debut: England v Australia at Manchester, 1st Test, 1886

Last Test: England v Australia at Lord's, 1st Test, 1896

Wisden Cricketer of the Year, 1889

Profile:

A master of the high art of bowling, George Lohmann's Test record stands alone, 112 wickets in 18 Tests at an average of 10.75 - an exceptional achievement, even considering he bowled on the poorly prepared and uncovered wickets of the time. On the matting in South Africa, he was even better, destroying the South African batting with 35 wickets in three tests at just over 5 apiece.

He bowled medium to slow medium with a high action, and with varied and deceptive flight. He could bowl a leg break, but mostly moved the ball into the batsman. Disdaining the off-theory espoused by many other bowlers at the time, he always attacked the stumps, and his strength was in his accuracy and variation. Unfailingly accurate, he changed pace and flight with no discernible change of action, and often took wickets with a ball that did not spin at all, deceiving batsmen playing for the break. Both W.G Grace and CB Fry stated he was the finest medium paced bowler they ever saw - and between them, they played cricket over six decades.

He was also an excellent lower order bat (with three first-class centuries), as with his bowling never failing to attack, and was one of the first specialist slip fielders, a position at which he excelled.

He was given a trial by Surrey in 1884 at the age of 18, and by the next season was one of the leading bowlers in England, taking over 150 wickets. By 1888 he was taking 200 wickets a season, a feat he repeated the following two years. A handsome man - tall, blond and blue-eyed - his career was relatively brief, as after 6 years at the peak of his career his health failed him, as he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. A hard and tireless worker, he had bowled a phenomenal amount over the preceding period, taking part in two Australian tours as well as the demanding schedule of the English season. He was sent to South Africa to recuperate, and after trying his health with Western Province in the Currie Cup, two years later returned to play two more seasons with Surrey. His final tour was in 1895-96 to South Africa, but after the 1896 season, apparently following a dispute with Surrey over his fee for the Oval Test, and with his health failing him again, he moved to South Africa permanently.

He returned to England as manager of the 1901 South African team, but sadly died shortly after his return to South Africa. He was just 36.

Quotes

P.F Warner, "He was a great cricketer who loved the game with all his soul, and to hear him talk on cricket was well worthwhile"

H.S Altham "His whole heart was in the game, which indeed, he loved not wisely but too well, crowding into thirteen years more work than even his magnificent physique could stand"

[Dl, 2000]

* Last Updated: Monday, 29-Jul-2002 14:39:52 GMT

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