Alex Bowell

Horace Alexander William Bowell (27 April 1880 – 28 August 1957) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket as a batsman for Hampshire between 1902 and 1927. Bowell appeared in 473 first-class matches as a professional for Hampshire either side of the First World War, scoring over 18,000 runs and making 25 centuries. He also stood as an umpire in 1919.

Life and cricket career Pre-war cricket Bowell was born on 27 April 1880 in Jericho, Oxford. He moved from Oxford to Hampshire in around 1899 to 1900 for employment as a carpenter with Messrs, Martin, Wells, and Co. of Aldershot. In Aldershot, he played club cricket for Aldershot Athletic Cricket Club. Later in the 1902 season, he would make his debut for Hampshire in first-class cricket against Derbyshire in the County Championship. He initially batted in Hampshire's middle order in his first four County Championship matches, however in their final match of the 1902 season against Warwickshire, he was promoted to open the batting alongside Charlie Llewellyn. He established himself in the Hampshire team in 1903, making fifteen first-class appearances, and scoring 373 runs at an average of 14.92; having spent much of the season batting in the middle order, toward the end of the season he was again elevated to open the batting, and in his second match in that role he scored a maiden half century, making 61 runs against Leicestershire.

The following season, Llewellyn again returned to Hampshire's middle order, but from mid-July onward he opened the batting with Arthur Webb. He made sixteen appearances during the season, scoring 628 runs at an average of 22.42; and Somerset (95 runs). He began the 1905 season opening the batting, but returned to the middle order during the seasons middle stages, before returning to the opening position toward its conclusion. In 21 matches during the season, he scored 883 runs at an average of 22.64; As in previous seasons, in 1906 he again spent the season fluctuating between the middle order and opening the batting, scoring 774 runs at an average of 22.11 from nineteen matches. During the 1908 season, he played for the industrialist John Bamford's personal eleven in a first-class match against a Marylebone Cricket Club side at his Uttoxeter ground. He struggled for form in 1910, with his batting average dropping to 16.76 and his season aggregrate of runs scored falling to 574. The Portsmouth Evening News observed that Bowell had suffered from "a loss of confidence" throughout the season, whilst the Bournemouth Daily Echo remarked that his season had been "disastrous".

Prior to the 1911 season, Bowell coached at the University of Oxford. He returned to form in 1911, scoring 1,418 runs at an average of 30.17 from 25 matches; His form foundered again in 1912, with him scoring 683 runs at an average of 18.45 from 27 matches. His innings was said by the Hampshire Telegraph to have "blended sound defence with hard driving and clever leg hitting". During the season, he would deputise for Stone as Hampshire's wicket-keeper in their match against Kent. His good form continued into the 1914 season, with 1,267 runs at an average of 27.54 from 29 matches; raising £425.

Post-war cricket With the outbreak of the First World War, first-class cricket in England would not resume until 1919. Bowell resumed his first-class career with Hampshire in the 1920 season, narrowly falling short of scoring a thousand runs in the season. From 24 matches, he score 991 runs at an average of 26.78. a record which as of still stands; Hampshire had recovered from 118 for 9, with Bowell making 133 runs from the middle order. He again passed a thousand runs for the season in 1922, scoring 1,227 runs at an average of 24.54 from 29 matches, whilst recording two centuries. with Wisden commenting that he was also "sound in defence". In 473 first-class matches for Hampshire, he scored 18,466 runs at an average of 24.20, making 25 centuries and 90 half centuries. In terms of total runs scored for Hampshire, Bowell ranks eleventh. A part-time right-arm fast-medium bowler, he took 34 wickets during his career, with best figures of 4 for 20 against Warwickshire in 1913, in a match in which he also made a half century (53 runs). Bowell was considered to be a good fielder, excelling at cover-point.

Personal life and death Bowell divorced his wife in July 1922, on the grounds of her infidelity. During the latter part of his cricket career, he supplemented his income from cricket by becoming a publican. After retiring from playing, he had settled in Oxford by 1930. Bowell died in hospital in Oxford on 28 August 1957, aged 76. His son, Norman, would also play first-class cricket for Hampshire. He would be killed during the Second World War while a prisoner of war of the Japanese.