Sam Staples

Wisden Obituary
Samuel James Staples, died on June 4 after being in poor health for some months. When Staples, who was born at Newstead Colliery on September 18, 1893, ended his cricketing career with Nottinghamshire after a connection with the county club extending over eighteen years, he had taken 1,400 wickets. Medium-paced, with a rather shuffling, jumpy run, he bowled cutters an excellent length for long spells, with ability to make the ball break either way. On hard pitches he kept down runs, and was specially effective on turf which helped him, making the ball turn sharply from the off when bowling round the wicket. In 1932 at Southampton he enjoyed the distinction of dismissing, at a cost of 21 runs, all ten Hampshire batsmen in an innings. He was a splendid fieldsman, and as a batsman low in the order did good work, his highest innings being 110 against Surrey at The Oval in 1923. He toured South Africa in 1927-28 with the MCC team led by Captain RT Stanyforth, appearing in three Test matches, and went to Australia with Percy Chapman's side the following winter, but was compelled by rheumatism to return home without taking part in a single game. In 1939 he became coach to Hampshire, and he served for one season, 1949, on the list of first-class umpires, but owing to ill-health he resigned both these positions.
Wisden Almanack 1951