Walter Franklin (cricketer)
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Upper Norwood, Surrey, England
Knodishall, Suffolk, England
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Walter Bell Franklin | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 August 1891 Upper Norwood, Surrey, England | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 5 March 1968 (aged 76) Knodishall, Suffolk, England | ||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | ||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||
| 1924–1937 | Minor Counties | ||||||||||||||
| 1914–1933 | Marylebone Cricket Club | ||||||||||||||
| 1911–1913 | Cambridge University | ||||||||||||||
| 1911–1946 | Buckinghamshire | ||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Source: Cricinfo, 14 August 2011 | |||||||||||||||
Walter Bell Franklin (16 August 1891 – 5 March 1968) was an English cricketer. Franklin was a right-handed batsman who fielded as a wicket-keeper. He was considered the best amateur wicket-keeper of his time.[1]
Born in Upper Norwood, Greater London, he was educated at Repton School, where he represented the school cricket team.[2] Franklin went on to make his debut for Buckinghamshire against Berkshire in the 1911 Minor Counties Championship.[3] In that same season he made his first-class debut for Cambridge University against Yorkshire. He would go on to make a further 14 first-class appearances for the university, the last of which came against HDG Leveson-Gower's XI in 1913.[4] He gained his Blue in 1912, but in 1913 he did find his opportunities limited by the arrival of Arthur Lang in the team, who the Cambridge selectors thought was a better batsman.[2] A more than capable wicket-keeper, Franklin took 16 catches and made 15 stumpings,[5] an unusual amount considering most wicket-keepers will take considerably more catches in their first-class careers. With the bat in hand, he scored 307 runs at an average of 21.92, with a high score of 68 not out.[5] This score, one of two fifties he made for the university, came against Sussex in 1913.[6]
1914 saw Franklin make his debut for the Marylebone Cricket Club, playing two matches against Oxford University.[4] However, further first-class appearances and appearances for Buckinghamshire were cut short in later in that year when county cricket was cancelled due to the start of World War I. He served in the war and was mentioned once in dispatches, in July 1917, when the London Gazette published details of his temporary promotion to Captain, with him already holding the rank of temporary lieutenant. Franklin held this rank as a recruiter in the Volunteer Force.[7]
Following the war, he returned to play for Buckinghamshire and was made county captain upon his return. In 1921, Buckinghamshire were offered first-class status and the chance to join the County Championship, however Buckinghamshire declined the invitation citing a lack of first-class facilities in the county. The early twenties were a successful period for the county, under his captaincy Buckinghamshire won the Minor Counties Championship in 1922, 1923 and 1925.[8] Further first-class appearances followed for Franklin for the Marylebone Cricket Club, who he would go on to make a further 27 first-class appearances for, the last of which came against Kent in 1933.[4] In 29 first-class matches for the MCC, he scored 660 runs at an average of 17.36, with a high score of 77. This score was one of two half centuries he made for the MCC, and came against Wales in 1925.[9] Behind the stumps he was again proficient, taking 31 catches and making 25 stumpings.[5]