Norman Riches

Norman Vaughan Hurry Riches (9 June 1883 – 6 November 1975) was a Welsh cricketer who played first-class cricket for Glamorgan from 1921 to 1934.

Early life and education Norman Riches (back row far left) during the Abingdon School athletics past and present fixture in 1900. The son of C. H. Riches of Tredegarville, Cardiff, Norman Riches joined Abingdon School from Chard School in 1900. He was a first team member of the football and athletics team and played cricket for the Old Abingdonians.

Career Riches worked as a dentist. A quick-footed, attacking batsman who was a shrewd judge of a quick run, he played cricket as an amateur for Glamorgan from 1901, initially as wicket-keeper. His first major innings was against Monmouth at Swansea when he scored 183 in 1904. Apart from two matches for Welsh teams against the touring South Africans in 1912, he played no first-class cricket until Glamorgan's initial season in the County Championship in 1921, when he captained the team, turning 38 during the season. His obituary in Wisden expressed the opinion that he had "the natural ability, the technique and the temperament" to have become a Test player, but had lacked the opportunity.

Riches was Glamorgan's only batsman of genuine class in their early years. In 1926 he played for Wales against Ireland in Belfast, scoring 239 not out. As of late 2018 this remains the highest first-class score made in Ireland.