Jim Bailey

James Bailey (6 April 1908 — 10 February 1988) was an English first-class cricketer. An all-rounder, he played first-class cricket for Hampshire in two spells, making 242 appearances for the county between 1927 and 1952. He scored over 9,000 runs for Hampshire and took over 450 wickets, enjoying much of his success as a cricketer following the Second World War. He achieved the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in 1948, and as of he remains the last Hampshire player to achieve this feat.

Cricket career First spell at Hampshire Bailey was born in April 1908 at Otterbourne, Hampshire. He made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Middlesex at Bournemouth in the 1927 County Championship, just after his 19th birthday. From 1927 to 1931, he played a handful of matches per season, but achieved little success. He found form in the 1931 season and earned an extended run in the Hampshire side, establishing himself as a left-handed batsman. and made his first century (104) in the final match of the season against Nottinghamshire, taking five hours to reach three-figures.

The following season, he made the same number of appearances and further established himself, this time as an all-rounder, by taking 76 wickets at an average of 21.90, However, his bowling fell away in 1933, with Bailey taking just eight wickets. He rejoined Hampshire fully the following season, having his most successful season, scoring 1,329 runs at an average of 32.41, making one century and eight half centuries.

Post-war cricket and later life With the suspension of first-class cricket during the Second World War, Bailey played for Idle in the Bradford Cricket League. He returned to Hampshire following the war and would have the most successful period of his first-class career. In 1946, he passed 1,000 runs for the season in making 1,410 runs at an average of exactly 30. He had further success in 1949, scoring 1,254 runs at an average of 26.68, in addition to taking 86 wickets, In April 1950, he announced his retirement to take on business appointments. Two years later, following several injuries, he was an emergency selection in the Hampshire side for their County Championship match against Warwickshire. This took his number of first-class matches for Hampshire to 242, in which he had scored 9,302 runs at an average of 24.93, making five centuries and 51 half centuries. With the ball, he took 467 wickets at an average of 26.97, taking 25 five wicket hauls, in addition to taking ten-wickets in a match on five occasions.

Bailey continued to play club cricket for the Trojans, and friendly matches for Hampshire Club and Ground. During one friendly match, played against South Wilts, he recommended the broadcaster Michael Parkinson for a trial at Hampshire. He also served on the Hampshire committee. Bailey died at Southampton in February 1988.