Remembering Jim Horsley's feat

One hundred years ago, on July 15, 1919, Derbyshire's Jim Horsley took a hat trick against the Australian Imperial Forces side, service men who stayed on to play 28 matches on a tour of England during the first English cricket season after the First World War. 

Five of that squad made their Australian debuts the following year and their defeat against Derbyshire was one of only four on the tour, as well as being the only one to a county side. 

In the game, we made 181 and 112, while the Australians responded with 125 and 132, as Derbyshire ran out winners by 36 runs.

Horsley took 6-55 and 6-62 in the two innings and was a solid performer for the county for a number of years, ending his career with 267 wickets at an average of 20. This despite losing some of his best seasons to the war and preferring to play league cricket for three years between 1920 and 1922.

Bowling fast medium, in the best Derbyshire tradition, Horsley was born and lived much of his life at Melbourne in south Derbyshire, where, to mark the centenary of his feat, they are having a celebration at the Chip and Pin on July 15 at 7pm.

The organiser, Andy Heafield, is looking for any descendants to attend the event and it would be lovely to see them involved. 

Please contact Andy on 07722 485213 or a.heafield@btinternet.com