Arthur Cursham
CountryEngland
FullnameArthur William Cursham
Birth date14 March 1853
Birth placeWilford, Nottingham, England
Death date24 December 1884 (aged 31)
Death placeFlorida, USA
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm slow
Club 1Nottinghamshire
Year 11876–1878
Club 2Derbyshire
Year 21879–1880
Type 1FC
Debutdate 128 August
Debutyear 11876
Debutfor 1Notts
Debutagainst 1Yorkshire
Lastdate 126 August
Lastyear 11880
Lastfor 1Derbyshire
Lastagainst 1Kent
Columns1
Column 1First-class
Matches 121
Runs 1314
Bat avg 18.97
100s/50s 10/1
Top score 167
Deliveries 1104
Wickets 11
Bowl avg 149.00
Fivefor 10
Tenfor 10
Best bowling 11/39
Catches/stumpings 110/–
Date10 August
Year2010
Sourcehttps://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/28/28893/28893.html CricketArchive

Arthur William Cursham (14 March 1853 – 24 December 1884)[1] was an English cricketer and footballer. He played football for England and for Notts County between 1876 and 1883. He played cricket for Nottinghamshire from 1876 to 1879 and for Derbyshire from 1879 to 1880.

Early life

Cursham was born in Wilford, Nottingham the son of William Cursham, solicitor and, at one time, mine owner. He attended Oakham School and became a mine manager.[2]

Football career

He played football for Notts County, between 1876 and 1883 and made his England footballing debut in March 1876 in a 3–0 home defeat at the hands of Scotland. A photograph of this team is believed to be the first ever photograph of an English team. However Cursham does not appear in the picture – it is believed he was behind the camera.[citation needed] He made six international footballing appearances in total, four coming against Scotland and two against Wales.

Cricket career

Cursham made his County Cricket debut during the 1876 season, playing his first game for Nottinghamshire in a low-scoring victory against Yorkshire. He, along with the rest of the Nottinghamshire team, failed to impress in a match in which only one player would reach double figures in each of the first three innings, himself scoring just three runs from the middle order. Cursham, a right-handed batsman and a round-arm bowler, appeared extensively for Nottinghamshire during the 1877 and 1878 seasons, scoring a maiden career half-century against Middlesex in 1877.

Cursham moved to play briefly for Derbyshire during the 1879 season. He played regularly in the Derbyshire lower order, scoring a duck in his debut innings, though failing to break into the side as a bowler. He played for Derbyshire again in the 1880 season, retiring from the game at the age of 27.

Three years after the end of his cricketing career, Cursham played two further games for the England national football team, a victory against Wales in which he scored his second and final international goal, and a defeat against Scotland.

Cursham emigrated to the United States at the end of his footballing career, just a year after his final international footballing appearance. He died in Florida at just 31 years of age from yellow fever.[1]

His brother Henry was also an England international footballer.

References

  1. ^ Betts, Graham (2006). England: Player by player. Green Umbrella Publishing. p. 83. ISBN 1-905009-63-1.
  2. ^ British Census 1881