Norman Hardy

Norman Hardy (11 March 1892 – 17 November 1923) played first-class cricket for Somerset between 1912 and 1921.^[1] He was born at Norton Malreward, Somerset and died at Fishponds, Bristol.

Norman Hardy

Personal information
Full name	Norman Hardy
Born	(1892-03-11)11 March 1892 Norton Malreward, Somerset, England
Died	17 November 1923(1923-11-17) (aged 31) Fishponds, Bristol, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
Role	Bowler
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1912–21	Somerset
First-class debut	11 July 1912 Somerset v Northamptonshire
Last First-class	15 July 1921 Somerset v Worcestershire
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 11 Runs scored 169 Batting average 14.08 100s/50s –/– Top score 38 Balls bowled 1750 Wickets 34 Bowling average 21.97 5 wickets in innings – 10 wickets in match – Best bowling 4/22 Catches/stumpings 6/–
Source: CricketArchive, 30 January 2011

Hardy was a right-handed, lower order batsman and a right-arm, fast-medium bowler. He first played for Somerset in two matches within a week in 1912, but achieved little in them. In 1919, he returned to the team as a professional for four matches, during which he both made his highest first-class score and had his best bowling return. In the match against Gloucestershire at County Ground, Taunton, in which Sydney Rippon played for Somerset under a false name, Hardy made 38, batting at No 10 and adding 58 for the ninth wicket with his captain, Jack White.^[2] Against Surrey, he took four first-innings wickets for 22 runs.^[3] In his four matches in 1919, Hardy took 18 first-class wickets at an average of 13 runs per wicket to be top of the Somerset averages for the season.^[4]

Hardy played in just two matches as an amateur in 1920 and three in 1921 without making much impact. He died suddenly from heart failure while playing football, aged 31.^[5]

References

1. "Norman Hardy". www.cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
2. "Scorecard: Somerset v Gloucestershire". www.cricketarchive.com. 9 June 1919. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
3. "Scorecard: Somerset v Surrey". www.cricketarchive.com. 27 August 1919. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
4. "Somerset Matches". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack (1920 ed.). Wisden. p. 110.
5. "Deaths in 1923". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack (1924 ed.). Wisden. p. 259.