George Bennett

George Bennett (12 February 1829 – 16 August 1886), sometimes known as Farmer Bennett, was an English professional cricketer, who played from 1853 to 1873. He was mainly associated with Kent County Cricket Club, and made more than 150 appearances in important matches.

Life and career Bennett was born in Shorne Ridgeway near Gravesend, Kent, where he was employed as a bricklayer and for 25 years at Cobham Hall by John Bligh, 6th Earl of Darnley as a cricket coach for his sons, including Edward and Ivo both of whom went on to play for Kent. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm slow roundarm bowler who played in 126 matches for Kent. In the only important match on the tour, playing for "The World" against a "Surrey Eleven" at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 1862, Bennett took seven wickets in each innings and made 72 in the first innings.

He was the first player to be ever given out handled the ball. In a match for Kent against Sussex at the County Cricket Ground, Hove, in August 1872, he removed a ball that had become lodged in his clothing, and was given out before he had scored a run.