Arthur Webb

Arthur Stuart Webb (6 August 1868 – 3 December 1952) was an English cricketer who made nearly 150 appearances in first-class cricket for Hampshire between 1895 and 1904. He later relocated to South Wales, where he was a prolific runscorer in club cricket and coached at Christ College, Brecon.

Career with Hampshire Webb was born at Bridge in Kent in August 1868, where his father, James, was a publican who ran The White Horse. His mother, Harriet, came from Newmarket in Suffolk. Webb made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Essex at Leyton in the 1895 County Championship, with him appearing twice more in 1895. He established himself in the Hampshire team in 1896, making fifteen appearances in the County Championship, as well as appearing against the touring Australians at Southampton. His sixteen first-class appearances in 1897 yielded 584 runs at an average of 20.85; it was in 1897 that his native county, Kent, made an unsuccessful attempt to sign Webb. but improved over the following seasons. In 1899, he scored 640 runs at an average of 23.70 from sixteen matches, while in 1900 he scored 830 runs at an average of 25.93 from seventeen matches. His improved returns culminated in 1901, when he passed a thousand runs in a season for the only time, having scored 1,020 at an average of exactly 34 from nineteen matches. it was in his benefit match that he made his career high score of 162 not out, having batted all day on the third day. The match was badly affected by rain, with no play being possible on the second day of the match. As a result, the ticket revenue raised for his benefit was restricted to £150. In 149 first-class appearances for Hampshire, he scored 5,475 runs at an average of 21.72, making two centuries and 28 half centuries. Lamenting on his batting in the 1904 season, the Southampton Observer and Hampshire News remarked "while he is batting Webb never looks like getting out, but he does get out all too often". Besides playing first-class cricket for Hampshire, Webb made one appearance in 1904 for the Players of the South against the Gentlemen of England at Bournemouth. for whom he was also their groundsman. He also played club cricket for Llanelli and Panteg. In the same month, he made a final appearance in first-class cricket when he played for the South Wales cricket team against the touring South Africans at Swansea. before his retirement in May 1940. During his time with Briton Ferry, he coached the future Test cricketer Cyril Walters. He was appointed Glamorgan's assistant coach in the 1930s. his wife, Ethel, predeceased him by nearly fifteen years. His brother, George, was also a first-class cricketer.