George Lohmann

George Lohmann (born June 2, 1865; died December 1, 1901) is regarded as one the greatest bowlers of all time. Statistically, he holds the lowest lifetime test bowling average among bowlers with more than ten wickets.

Early County Championship triumphs

In 1890, the County Championship was officially constituted for the first time after years of unofficial "champion" counties (Surrey had been acknowledged as the champion county since 1887). Lohmann continued to carry all before him in 1890, taking a career-best 220 wickets and being the leading wicket-taker outside of touring teams for the sixth successive year (a feat bettered only by Tich Freeman between 1928 and 1935). For Surrey in county cricket he totalled 113 wickets, and he again helped England to victory over Australia in the only Tests where cricket took place. In 1891, Lohmann was leading English wicket-taker for the seventh successive year with 177 wickets, and on the following year's Australian tour, he again bowled wondefully well, taking eight for 58 on a dry wicket in Sydney.

Related Topics:
County Championship - Tich Freeman

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In 1892, with Surrey still crushing all opposition in the County Championship race, Lohmann "suffered only by comparison with previous years" (Wisden). He surprisingly ceded the position of Surrey's chief bowler to the emergent William Lockwood who took full advantage of Oval pitches being extremely fiery and untrue due to reconditionng of the square, but it still seemed as though Lohmann had many years of county and Test cricket ahead of him. A rude shock to Surrey was to come, however.

Related Topics:
Wisden - William Lockwood

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