An innings of 282 by Dick Thomas is thought to be an all-time record by an Oxfordshire cricketer.

Playing for Oxford City at Exmouth in 1924, he reached his score in just 145 minutes, hitting 12 sixes and 32 fours, and finished not out.

Thomas’s achievement was recorded in a newspaper article on the city club in the 1930s, a copy of which was sent in by readers David Brown and Vince Floyd (Memory Lane, September 21).

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Julian Lawton Smith, who has been researching the club’s history, tells me: “Thomas, a tall, well-built man, was an all-rounder who scored two centuries for Oxfordshire as well as taking many wickets as an opening bowler for the county.

In later years he would coach the Oxfordshire Colts in The Parks.

“As far as I know, his score of 282 not out in 1924 remains a record high score for any Oxfordshire club. Another City stalwart in the years between the two World Wars was Elmer Cotton, founder of the now closed sports shop in Turl Street.

Oxford Mail:

Elmer Cotton in 1954

As well as scoring many runs for the club, he was also a long-time committee member.

“After the Second World War, the club continued to play their matches on the Merton College ground until the early 1950s when they moved to the newly-created Oxford Sports Club ground on the Southern By-Pass.

“The most prominent person in the club through the 1950s and 1960s was Bill Miller, another county player who was an opening batsman.”

Miller was also the club secretary and ran the club through this period.

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Oxford City was the premier club in the city throughout its existence, supplying many players for the Oxfordshire county side. Sadly, it folded during the 1967 season as there were too few playing members to support it. With few players owning cars, it was difficult for them to reach the Southern Bypass ground.

Mr Lawton Smith, who lives in Headington, has enclosed a picture of cricketers during the 1950s, two of whom are unnamed. Can anyone identify them?

He is also appealing for help in tracing a trunk containing score books and minute books for the club from the 19th century. He writes: “It was last known to be with the club’s final captain, Stan Wilde. If any reader knows where this trunk might be now, please get in touch so that we can build an even fuller picture of this renowned club.”

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We reported in our previous article that Oxford City Cricket Club became the current Oxford Cricket Club, but that was wrong. Mr Lawton Smith tells me: “Oxford CC was formed in 1994 as a merger of the Headington and Cowley St John clubs. Oxford Cricket Club has built its own reputation.”