Charles Higginbotham

Charles Ernest Higginbotham (4 July 1866 in Charing Cross, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland – 11 March 1915 in France)[1] was a British soldier[2] who also had a notable cricket career.[3]

Charles Higginbotham

Personal information
Full name	Charles Ernest Higginbotham
Born	4 July 1866 Charing Cross, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died	11 March 1915 (aged 48) Neuve Chapelle, France
Batting	Right-handed
Role	Batsman
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1912	Army
1906	South African Army
First-class debut	12 January 1906 South Africa Army v Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)
Last First-class	30 May 1912 Army v Royal Navy
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 2 Runs scored 45 Batting average 15.00 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 40* Balls bowled 0 Wickets - Bowling average - 5 wickets in innings - 10 wickets in match - Best bowling - Catches/stumpings 1/0
Source: CricketArchive, 4 December 2007

Biography

After attending Rugby School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst,[2] Higginbotham was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Northamptonshire Regiment on 5 February 1887. He was promoted to lieutenant on 16 April 1890,[4] and stationed in the Far East, where he played cricket for the Straits Settlements, playing three matches against Hong Kong between 1890 and 1891.[5]

Following promotion to captain on 2 January 1899, he served during the Second Boer War in South Africa,[2] and was Superintendent of Gymnasia until July 1902,[6] when he returned to his regiment.[7] He took part in some Minor Counties cricket for Devon in the first years of the 20th century.[8] Whilst stationed in South Africa after the end of the Boer war, he made his first-class debut in January 1906, playing for the South African Army against the touring Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) team,[9] who were in fact the touring England cricket team.[10]

He played one further first-class match, playing for the Army against the Royal Navy at Lord's in May 1912.[9] He was killed on active service at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915.[2][11]

References

1. CricketArchive profile
2. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1916, Obituaries in 1915
3. Cricinfo profile
4. Hart´s Army list, 1903
5. Other matches played by Charles Higginbotham Archived 15 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine at CricketArchive
6. "No. 27462". The London Gazette. 8 August 1902. p. 5101.
7. "No. 27468". The London Gazette. 26 August 1902. p. 5535.
8. Minor Counties Championship matches played by Charles Higginbotham at CricketArchive
9. First-class matches played by Charles Higginbotham at CricketArchive
10. MCC in South Africa 1905/06 Archived 7 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine at CricketArchive
11. CWGC entry