Bobby Abel

Robert (Bobby) Abel (born November 30, 1857, Rotherhithe, Surrey, England; died December 10, 1936, Stockwell, London, England) was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship. He also:

• was the first England player to "carry his bat" (open the batting and remain not out at the end of an innings) through a Test innings.
• was the first player to score 2000 runs in consecutive seasons (1895 to 1902).
• Carried his bat through an innings of 811 (the highest total for which this feat has been achieved)
• played a record number of first-class matches in a season (41 in 1902).

An exceedingly small man – only five feet four (162 centimetres) and very slimly built, Abel also suffered in the later part of his career from major vision problems that could handicap him against the fastest bowling. However, his ability to produce eccentric, cross-batted strokes, complemented with a remarkable determination and stamina, made Abel a wonderful batsman on the many difficult pitches of his time. He was also extremely effective at pulling the ball around his legs, a useful skill at a time when few fieldsmen were placed on the leg side, at least in dry weather.

Abel first played for Surrey in 1881, but did not achieve much until 1883, from which point he became a high-class bat – scoring 1000 runs for the first time in 1886. In the exceptional summer of 1887, he was very disappointing, but on the dreadful pitches of 1888 Abel obtained a remarkable record – scoring 1323 runs including nine scores over fifty in a year when only three other Englishmen reached four figures. He was rewarded for this excellence with his first Test matches, and his 70 at the Oval against Charles Turner was most impressive.

For the next fourteen years, except for 1893 when he was exceedingly disappointing and handicapped by injury, Abel was always one of the leading run-scorers in England. Despite missing out on test selection in 1890, Abel returned to his best form in 1891 and played excellently in Australia the following winter, whilst his superb batting in the wet summer of 1894 was a major factor (along with the pace and break-back of Tom Richardson and William Lockwood) in Surrey regaining the County Championship in 1894.

However, it was in 1895 that Abel began to stand out as a remarkable run-getter. In that year, he became only the fourth player ever to reach 2000 runs and hit his first double hundred against Essex at The Oval. Although after 1896 his problematic eyesight made Test selectors unwilling to choose him, Abel's accumulation of runs continued to increase: he was the only player to reach 2000 in 1897 and 1898, scored 2685 runs in 1899, 2592 in 1900 and a staggering 3309 (the highest aggregate at the time) in 1901.

Abel's superb batting on many 'sticky wickets' in 1902 finally induced a recall from the national selectors, but it was clear that he was not the batsman he was ten years before when he failed in both Tests he played. His success for Surrey, though, at the age of forty-four made many wonder how much longer Abel could go on, but in 1903 he was injured early and was a such a disastrous failure when he returned that the Surrey selection committee dropped him early in July.

After this decline, it was no surprise that, even when relatively fit, Abel disappointed in 1904 and retired – to be replaced by Jack Hobbs, who surpassed all Abel's records. In his later life, Bobby Abel was completely blind and he died at the age of 79 in 1936.

Teams

• England national team
• Surrey County Cricket Club

Career highlights

Tests

Test debut: vs Australia, Lord's, 1888
Last Test: vs Australia, Manchester, 1902

• Abel's best Test score of 132 not out was made against Australia, Sydney, 1891-1892

External links

Picture of Bobby Abel
Test batting averages of Bobby Abel
First-class batting averages of Bobby Abel