William Eccles (cricketer)

{{short description|English cricketer, cricket administrator and soldier}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name =

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = William Hall Eccles

| birth_date = 24 March 1838

| birth_place = Davenham, Cheshire, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|1900|4|18|1838|3|24|df=yes}}

| death_place = Folkestone, Kent, England

| nickname =

| family = Charles Eccles (brother)

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling =

| role =

| club1 = Marylebone Cricket Club

| year1 = 1866–1867

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 2

| runs1 = 30

| bat avg1 = 15.00

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = 17

| hidedeliveries = true

| catches/stumpings1 = –/–

| date = 29 May

| year = 2021

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/12602.html Cricinfo

}}

William Hall Eccles (24 March 1838 – 18 April 1900) was an English first-class cricketer, cricket administrator and British Army officer.

The son of William Eccles, he was born in March 1838 at Davenham, Cheshire. Eccles was commissioned into the British Army as an ensign with the Rifle Brigade in February 1855,{{London Gazette|issue=21662|date=13 February 1855|page=551}} receiving a promotion to lieutenant in June of the same year.{{London Gazette|issue=21733|date=22 June 1855|page=2402}} He saw action during the Crimean War, during which he was described as "an intrepid character".Death of Captain William Hall Eccles. Cheshire Observer. 28 April 1900. p. 6 He later purchased the rank of captain in May 1861.{{London Gazette|issue=22509|date=10 May 1861|page=2003}} Eccles retired from active service in October of the same year,{{London Gazette|issue=22554|date=8 October 1861|page=3982}} before resigning his commission fully in April 1868.{{London Gazette|issue=23375|date=1 May 1868|page=2499}} A keen cricketer, Eccles had an association with cricket in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. He served as the honorary secretary of Hampshire County Cricket Club from 1867 to 1869,{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/227115.html |title=Wisden - Obituaries in 1900 |date=24 November 2005 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |accessdate=2021-05-29}} having replaced George Ede.{{cite book|title=Frederick Lillywhite's Cricket scores and Biographies|publisher=Longman|location=London|first=Frederick|last=Lillywhite|year=1878|page=49|volume=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H18IAAAAQAAJ|language=en}}

In addition to his role as an administrator, Eccles was also played two first-class cricket matches for the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1866 and 1867, both against Sussex at Hove.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29215/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class Matches played by William Eccles |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=2021-05-29 |url-access=subscription}} He scored 30 runs in these matches, with a highest score of 17.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29215/f_Batting_by_Team.html |title=First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by William Eccles |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=2021-05-29 |url-access=subscription}} He was also a playing member of the nomadic I Zingari club. He was resident in Hampshire at Fair Oak and was a justice of the peace for the county.{{cite book |title=History, Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Hampshire |first=William |last=White |page=9 |year=1878 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l8RCAAAAYAAJ |language=en}} Eccles died suddenly while attending the Radnor Club at Folkestone in April 1900.Deaths. The Times. 20 April 1900 He was survived by his wife, Emma Cornelia. His brother, Charles, was also a first-class cricketer.