The Rev Richard Seddon played for Notts in the 1845 Canterbury game v Kent, though, like Samuel Dakin, without any residential or other county qualification.

It seems that both Dakin and Seddon appeared for the County because they had represented the North v MCC immediately prior to the Kent game and William Clarke simply retained the same side, which might more properly have been ‘North’, rather than ‘Notts’.

Born in Leicester on 11 February 1825, Seddon was educated at Bridgnorth Grammar School and Cambridge, playing in the University side in 1846 and 1847. Although the Notts v Kent game was his only county match, he did play in 14 First-Class games, including a third straight match in June 1845, on this occasion for the Gentlemen of England v Gentlemen of Kent. A most unusual dismissal - and certainly not in the 'spirit of cricket' that was supposed to be the cardinal rule of that era - occurred when Brook Knight of Kent, 'after running so much became winded and to reclaim his breath sat down outside his ground and let go his bat, which the Wicketkeeper (William Nicholson) observing, took off the bails'.

Seddon's overall First-Class record was 165 runs at 6.87, top score 26, made for the North v MCC, and four catches taken.  Seddon also played a handful of other games, one of which was for Notts Amateurs v Leicester, also in June 1845, at Trent Bridge - the only game he played at what was, notionally, his home ground.

Richard Seddon was successively curate of Ryton, Shropshire; Twford, Berkshire; and Evesbach, Herefordshire where he later became rector. He died in Bournemouth on 13 July 1884.

 

August 2020

Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 64

See Rev Richard Seddon's career stats here