John Willes

Who was John Willes?

John Willes was an English cricketer who, though he made only five known first-class appearances, had a significant impact on the game's history and development. Willes played for Kent county cricket teams and was a fast underarm or, when he could get away with it, roundarm bowler.

Willes played for the Gentlemen in the inaugural and second Gentlemen v Players matches in 1806.

As Arthur Haygarth says in Scores & Biographies, John Willes was: "...the originator, or rather the reviver, of round-armed bowling, and is said to have caught the idea from seeing his sister so deliver the ball to him in practice when he was unwell. The Cricket Field, however, speaking through William Beldham, states: Willes was not the inventor of that kind of round bowling—he only revived what was forgotten or new to the young folk. Whether he bowled round in the present match, cannot now be said, as this kind of delivery was not tolerated till about 1827, when it was permanently established by William Lillywhite, Jem Broadbridge and Mr George T Knight.