George Raikes: 'Muscular Christianity?'

Stephen Musk

shk 2017 · Lives in Cricket Libri 46 · Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians

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Born and raised in Norfolk and educated at Oxford, George Raikes (1873-1966) was an all-round sportsman, gaining four ‘blues’ for soccer and two for cricket in the 1890s as well as being effective on the golf course and the tennis court. As a goalkeeper his reviews were almost all ‘rave’ and it was no surprise when he earned four caps for England – what was a surprise was that he retired abruptly at the age of 23 to enter the Church.

However, his religious duties did not entirely prevent him from playing cricket and he re-appeared for Norfolk in 1904, re-invented as an inspirational and astute skipper, leading Norfolk to two Minor Counties Championships in his four years as captain; and, intriguingly, as one of the first ‘modern’ leg spinners – developing and retaining control over a variety of deliveries that bamboozled Minor Counties batsmen across the country.

This book aims to place Raikes’ sporting deeds in the context of the rise of professionalism in soccer, the inter-play between religion and sport at the end of the 19th century and the development of wrist spin. Alas, it does not claim to understand the theory behind his occasional use of the ‘slow beamer’ as a stock delivery...

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Stephen Musk was born in Norwich. Aged twelve his father suggested that he cycle the four miles to the County Ground at Lakenham to watch Norfolk play. He has rarely missed a home day’s play since. Educated at the Norwich School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, he was awarded a doctorate in cell biology in 1987 and a career in scientific research beckoned.

He is the author of Michael Falcon: Norfolk’s Gentleman Cricketer (ACS, Lives in Cricket: 15) and Lionel Robinson: Cricket At Old Buckenham (ACS, Lives in Cricket: 38). This volume on George Raikes is a logical continuation of his interest in cricketing matters in Norfolk.

The undoubted highlight of Stephen’s life was on 12 August 1978, when he was ‘plucked’ from the crowd at Lakenham as a substitute fielder for Norfolk against neighbouring rivals Suffolk. Although he had always been an appalling fielder, fortune smiled that Saturday, despite the murky light and drenching rain. He even had a favourable mention in the press.