It took George Hirst a while to make his name for Yorkshire and England, but he became one of the greatest all-rounders. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1901.
George Hirst carried on playing for Yorkshire until 1929, making 36.356 runs at 34.13 and taking 2,742 wickets at 18.73
George H Hirst was born at Kirkheaton, on September 7th 1871. He joined the village club about 1885 and remained connected with it until 1889, in which year the eleven carried off the Lumb Challenge Cup. In the cup ties Hirst did very well as a bowler, and made so good an impression that late in the season he was given a trial for Yorkshire at Huddersfield against Cheshire.
In this, his first appearance in anything like good class cricket, he took two wickets but only scored about a half a dozen runs, his batting powers at that time being quite undeveloped. In 1890 he had a professional engagement at Elland, and in 1891 at Mirfield. Then in 1892 he became associated with Huddersfield, and his real career commenced. With local cricket at Huddersfield it may be added he kept up a close connection, till the Yorkshire Committee stopped the members of the county eleven from taking club engagements.
It was in 1892 that Hirst became known to the general public, his first match being for Yorkshire against the MCC at Lord’s. Without doing anything sensational he yet showed such capital form, both as bowler and batsman, that no good judge who saw the game could doubt that an all-round player of far more than ordinary promise had come forward. He took four wickets for 29 and two for 58, and though so little was thought of his batting that he was sent in last in the first innings, he scored 20 and not out 43.
In 1899, moreover, he had the distinction of being picked for England at Trent Bridge in the first of the five Test matches against the Australians. Unfortunately, he met with no success either as batsman or bowler, but his fielding was so superb as to almost justify his selection. What he did last summer will be found fully set forth in the Almanack in the section devoted to Yorkshire.
A better man in a county team than Hirst is at the present time not easy to find. No one plays the game more earnestly, or works more strenuously for his side. Blessed with any amount of pluck and confidence he is just the man to do his best under difficult conditions, and there is scarcely a batsman in England who can hit with greater power and dash on a wicket spoilt by rain. What he can do in the way of pulling on slow wickets must indeed be seen to be believed. His bowling, as we have said, has declined with the advance of his batting, but his fielding remains perfect. It is no exaggeration to describe him as the very best mid-off in the county.
