Bill Andrews (cricketer)

Bill Andrews (cricketer)

Bill Andrews (April 14, 1908, Swindon, Wiltshire – January 9, 1989, Worlebury, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset) was an English cricketer who played for Somerset. He was a right-arm fast-medium pace bowler and useful middle-order right-handed batsman. He played 226 matches for Somerset between 1930 and 1947 and took 750 wickets at an average of 23.38 and scored 4,833 runs at an average of 15.59.

Andrews was a tall man (6 ft 3in) with a high arm action, often referred to as "12 o'clock high". He kept a good length and generally bowled in swingers to right-handed batsmen. He claimed his high action was modelled on Ted McDonald.

Although he was sacked four times by Somerset, twice as a player and twice as a coach, he put much of his life into the club as player, coach and later on committees and as a supporter. In turn he became one of the most popular players that Somerset have ever had.

Well to the left in terms of politics he did not fit in well with the clear distinction between Amateurs and Professionals prevalent in the game when he started. He seems to have a particular dislike for Jack White who was his first captain at Somerset and was an Amateur from a different era. It has been conjectured that his forthright views were the reason that he was never selected to play any representative cricket.

He was well known for his greeting of "Shake the hand that bowled Bradman". He had indeed bowled Bradman in 1938 but it was, of course, a joke since Bradman had scored 202 by that stage and deliberately let himself be bowled. Bradman, who did not start his innings until early on the second day, completed his innings before the tea interval. His second hundred came in just 70 minutes. Andrews autobiography was called "The Hand that bowled Bradman". Although not entirely accurate it is a good read.

The other great one-liner credited to Andrews was on his Somerset debut in 1930 when he asked the Somerset pro Tom Young: "Am I the worst cricketer that ever played first-class cricket, Mr. Young?". Back came the answer: "No son. There was one worse than you. Trevor Arnott of Glamorgan.". Trevor Arnott had dismissed Tom Young a number of times in the previous two season perhaps explaining why his name came to mind.