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According to John Major, it was in July 1794 that Tom Walker "lit a fuse that would smoulder for thirty years".[1] In short, he invented the roundarm style of bowling which would become revolutionary in the 1820s. Although the Hambledon Club agreed to let Walker exhibit the style in a match on Dartford Brent that month, they did not like it, and rejected it. In the match, Walker's XI defeated David Harris's XI by 53 runs. Only the master batsman Billy Beldham was able to cope, to any extent, with Walker's quicker roundarm deliveries.[1]
During the first quarter of the 19th century, Kent bowler John Willes realised the potential of Walker's idea, and began to experiment with it.[2] Willes bowled roundarm in an 1807 "odds" match, and a newspaper report said his "straight arm bowling" was "an obstacle against getting runs".[3] Roundarm presented batsmen with additional challenges, principally faster pace and a new angle of attack. Opposition to the style arose, and became vociferous.[4]
As far as Willes was concerned, matters came to a head at Lord's in July 1822 when he led Kent against Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The story goes that, having been no-balled by the umpire, Willes walked off the field, mounted his horse, and galloped away.[5] That may have been so, but the fact remained that roundarm had caught on in county cricket, regardless of what MCC may have thought of it. Led by the Sussex bowlers Jem Broadbridge and William Lillywhite, the reformers pressed on with their campaign.[6]
Conditions of play
The matches were also known as the "Experimental Matches".[7] The conditions set for the matches allowed William Lillywhite and Jem Broadbridge of Sussex to bowl roundarm, while the England bowlers had to bowl underarm.
Summary of series
Sussex won the first match at Sheffield against an all-professional England team by 7 wickets and the second at Lord's by 3 wickets. After the second match, the following declaration was made by some of the England players:
"We, the undersigned, do agree that we will not play the third match between England and Sussex, which is intended to be played at Brighton in July or August unless the Sussex bowlers bowl fair – this is, abstain from throwing".
Lillywhite and Broadbridge bowled roundarm again despite the opposition of some England players, but the England team itself used roundarm in this game as George T. Knight was a supporter of it, and subsequently did much to have it legalised.[8]
Conclusion
The result of the "trial" was inconclusive and it was many years before roundarm was formally legalised. But, in practice, roundarm was adopted in 1827 as its practitioners, especially Broadbridge and Lillywhite, continued to use it with little, if any, opposition from the umpires.
Aftermath
In 1828, MCC modified Rule 10 of the Laws of Cricket to permit the bowler's hand to be raised as high as the elbow.
In 1835, powerless to prevent the use of roundarm, MCC finally amended the Laws of Cricket to make it legal. The relevant part of the Law stated: "if the hand be above the shoulder in the delivery, the umpire must call No Ball." Bowlers' hands now started to go above the shoulder and the 1835 Law had to be reinforced in 1845 by removing benefit of the doubt from the bowler in the matter of his hand's height when delivering the ball.
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