Rev. Archibald Hugh Conway Fargus MA (15 December 1878 –6 October 1963) was an English cricketer who was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast. He was also a scholar and clergyman and served in the Royal Navy. [1]
Born in Clifton,Bristol, [2] Fargus was the son of novelist Frederick John Fargus and Amy Spark. [1] He was later educated at Clifton College and Haileybury before attending Pembroke College,Cambridge. [3]
Fargus made his first-class debut for Gloucestershire in the 1900 County Championship against Middlesex. In that same season he also made his first-class debut for Cambridge University against Surrey. [4] Fargus played first-class cricket for both teams in 1900 and 1901,typically playing for Cambridge University in the months of June and July and for Gloucestershire in August. [4] He played 12 matches for the University,from whom he won a Cambridge Blue in 1900 and 1901, [3] [5] and 15 for Gloucestershire,plus one match for the Gentlemen in 1900. [6]
Overall,Fargus was a superior batsman while playing for Cambridge University,scoring 292 runs at a batting average of 16.22,plus scoring his only half century in first-class cricket,a score of 61. For Gloucestershire he batted in 27 innings,scoring 210 runs at an average of 9.13. [7] With the ball,the reverse was true;his bowling with Gloucestershire was more successful. For the county he took 33 wickets at a bowling average of 26.54,with best figures of 7/55,one of two five wicket hauls he took. [8] His best figures came in his debut match against Middlesex,with the 7/55 coming in the Middlesex second-innings and following on from the 5/32 in their first-innings. [9] These figures were the best by any player on debut in the County Championship at that time,it would be a record which would stand for 14 years,until it was beaten by Cec Parkin who took match figures of 14/99 on his Lancashire County Cricket Club debut in 1914 [10] In contrast,for the University he took 27 wickets at an average of 41.66,with best figures of 4/35. [8]
His first-class career ended at the end of the 1901 season. However,in 1904 he represented Devon in that season's Minor Counties Championship,playing a single match against Glamorgan. [11]