Tom Jennings (cricketer)

Thomas 'Tom' Shepherd Jennings (3 November 1896 – 7 September 1972) was an English cricketer. Jennings was a left-handed batsman who bowled slow left-arm orthodox. He was born in Tiverton, Devon.

Jennings made his first-class debut for Surrey in the 1921 County Championship against Essex. Jennings played first-class cricket for Surrey from 1921 to 1924, playing 18 times for them.^[1] In these 18 matches, he scored 194 runs at a batting average of 13.85, with a high score of 37*.^[2] Predominantly a bowler, Jennings took 37 wickets for Surrey at a bowling average of 29.56, with three five wicket hauls and once taking ten wickets in a match,^[3] which came against Derbyshire in 1924. He claimed 6 wickets in the Derbyshire first-innings and took 4 in their second.^[4] The pitches at The Oval in the early to mid-twenties were not friendly to Jennings style of bowling, thus he wasn't a regular feature in the Surrey team.^[5]

Following the end of his first-class career, Jennings played Minor counties cricket for Devon, having previously represented the Surrey Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship.^[6] His debut for Devon came against the Surrey Second XI in 1926, with Jennings playing Devon from 1926 to 1933.^[7] Starting in 1935, Jennings began umpiring in the Minor Counties Championship, standing in 87 matches between 1935 and 1962.^[8] He stood in just the one first-class match, held in 1953 between a combined Minor Counties team and the touring Australians at the Michelin Ground, Stoke-on-Trent.^[9]

Part of a large cricketing family, his brothers David, George and Leonard all played first-class cricket. Following his move back to Devon from, he became the head groundsman at Blundell's School in his home town.^[5] It was here that Jennings died on 7 September 1972.

References

External links

• Tom Jennings at ESPNcricinfo
• Tom Jennings at CricketArchive