Bill Shipman

Shipman was born in the village of Ratby, Leicestershire on 1 March 1886.[1] He was one of three brothers who played cricket for Leicestershire; Alan Shipman played almost 400 matches for the county,[2] while Albert Shipman appeared in seven matches for the second XI during the 1914 season.[3] He died in Ratby on 26 August 1943, at the age of 57.[1]

Shipman began his Leicestershire career in the summer of 1908 and took four wickets on his County Championship debut in the drawn match against Essex in July of that year.[4] Throughout the next five seasons, he was an almost ever-present for the county. Shipman attained personal-best figures of 9–83 against Surrey in September 1910,[5] and went on to bowl three ten-wicket hauls in his career. His form for Leicestershire earned him appearances in two Test trial matches in the 1911 season; one for The Rest against the England Test side, and one for Gilbert Jessop's XI against a team selected by Plum Warner.[4] In August 1911, Shipman scored 69 runs, his highest ever in a first-class match, in the County Championship defeat to Warwickshire.[6] He scored half-centuries on six occasions during his career.[1]

For the 1915 season, Shipman was the club professional for Nelson Cricket Club in the Lancashire League. He scored 417 runs and took 77 wickets during his time at Seedhill.[7] In July 1921, after a seven-year absence from the Leicestershire team, Shipman returned to play his final first-class game for the county, taking six wickets in the win against Northamptonshire at Aylestone Road.[4]