Billy Goodhew

William Goodhew (24 May 1828 – 1 May 1897), known as Billy Goodhew, was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent and several other teams in the period between 1854 and 1866.[1] He was born at Chislehurst in Kent in 1828.[2]

Goodhew was a right-handed batsman and an infrequent right-arm bowler who bowled in the round arm style. At his death, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack wrote of him: "Without ever being in the front rank of professional cricketers, Goodhew was a very fair bat and rendered useful service to Kent at a time when the fortunes of the county were at rather a low ebb."[3] His best innings was a score of 70 out of a total of just 132 when opening the Kent batting against Sussex in 1862.[4] As a bowler, his best return came when playing for a "Gentlemen of Kent" side – though a professional – against a Gentlemen of England team in 1858, when he took seven first-innings wickets for 40 runs.[5] In addition to 69 first-class matches for Kent, he played for county combinations involving Kent with Sussex, Surrey and Nottinghamshire and for the South in the North v South matches.[1]

After his playing career was over, Goodhew was used by Kent as an umpire in first-class matches from 1876 to 1882.[1] He died in 1897 at Canterbury aged 68.[2]