John Crossland
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John "Jack" Crossland (born April 2 1852, died September 26 1903) was an English professional cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club between 1878 and 1887.
He was a right arm fast bowler of great renown, but also great controversy. Like Johnny Briggs he was born in Nottinghamshire but moved to Lancashire.
Crossland was one of the fastest bowlers of his day but was suspected of throwing the ball1. No umpire ever no-balled him for his action but in 1885 Lord Harris wrote to Lancashire to inform them his Kent side would not play if Crossland or Nash were selected. WG Grace however tried to have him selected for England.
Other Lancashire bowlers of his era suspected of throwing were George Nash and Arthur Mold.
Crossland's career was ended by a different controversy when it was discovered he had spent several months in 1884 living in Nottinghamshire, thereby breaking his residency qualification for Lancashire. It was a technicality which the writer David Frith compared to convicting Al Capone of tax evasion.
[edit] See also
1 History_of_Test_cricket_(1884_to_1889) "The Fast Men" by David Frith
