William Fennex

William Fennex (born c.1764 at Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire; died 4 March 1838 at Stepney, London) was a famous English cricketer. He was a noted all-rounder and right-arm underarm fast bowler who played major cricket from 1786 to 1816.

As a batsman, Fennex was reputed to be one of the first to use forward play and was said to be a good driver of the ball. As a bowler, at a time when only underarm bowling was permitted, he was said to have the highest delivery of anybody, "his hand, when propelling the ball, being nearly on a level with his shoulder".

He began his working life as a blacksmith, and stood five feet ten inches tall, "muscular and abstemious". His playing career began with Berkshire in 1785 but he was chiefly associated with Middlesex and was keeper of the ground at Uxbridge. He made 85 known first-class appearances until 1800 and then played occasionally, making nine more appearances from 1802 to 1816. He played for the Players in the inaugural Gentlemen v Players match in 1806.

He kept the Portman Arms inn at Marylebone for a time, and in old age was employed as a gardener and groundsman. Like William Beldham, he provided James Pycroft with his reminiscences.

Sources

• Buckley, G B (1935). Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket. Cotterell.
• Haygarth, Arthur (1862). Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744-1826). Lillywhite.
• Waghorn, H T (1906). The Dawn of Cricket. Electric Press.