Everyone at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club has been saddened by the death of former fast bowler Harry Kelleher at the age of 96.
At the time of his passing, Harry – who had lived in the United States for a number of years – was Northamptonshire’s oldest surviving first-class cricketer, a distinction that now passes to 93-year-old Terry Freeman #255.
According to his son Bill, Harry ‘passed peacefully in his sleep after a brief illness’ after ‘an amazing life.’
Henry Robert Albert Kelleher was born at Bermondsey in London on March 3, 1929, turned out for Surrey’s Second XI in 1952 and three years later made his Championship debut – under the captaincy of Alec Bedser – against Worcestershire at The Oval. His impact was immediate, claiming 5-23 in the first innings and 5-50 in the second as Surrey (on the way to a fourth successive title) won by ten wickets inside two days.
However, competition for places there was fierce, and with Kelleher looking for more regular first-team cricket he proved a perfect fit for Northamptonshire who signed him on a long-term contract with the aid of a special registration ahead of the 1956 season.
There was an element of deja-vu about his debut in County colours – another five-wicket haul, this time against Nottinghamshire at Wantage Road, after sharing the new ball with Frank ‘Typhoon’ Tyson. Against the Australians at Northampton in June he knocked over Colin McDonald, John Rutherford and Ian Craig in a superb spell that reduced the tourists to 17 for three.
‘Umpety’ (the nickname referencing his bouncy run-up to the crease) was a regular for Northamptonshire in both 1956 and 1957 – the latter one of the club’s most successful campaigns, taking runners-up spot to Surrey in the Championship with 15 victories, still a County record.
The annual report praised his ability to strike ‘vital’ blows for Dennis Brookes’s team, but Northamptonshire’s policy of preparing home pitches to suit their trio of left-arm spinners – George Tribe, Jack Manning and Mick Allen – meant less bowling for Kelleher, who finished the 1957 campaign with a still-respectable tally of 42 Championship wickets at 26.83.
With Tyson to accommodate as well, the writing was on the wall. Kelleher dropped out of the first team at the end of May 1958 – despite being awarded his county cap – and duly agreed terms with the club to end his contract early. In his 55 first-class matches between 1955 and 1958 he claimed 112 wickets at 27.65.
Kelleher had started work with British Timken (the firm which employed so many Northamptonshire cricketers) when he came to Northampton, and eventually spent 36 years with them – including a four-year stint in Germany – before retiring.
His cricket career also continued in the Birmingham and District League, appearing regularly for their representative team in the inter-league competition in the 1960s, and locally he played for Horton House CC. Harry married his wife Eileen in 1950 and she passed away in Ohio in 2019, aged 92. But he continued to lead an active life nearly to the end, exercising and swimming into his 90s.
NCCC offers sincere condolences to Harry’s family and friends.
Words from Club Archivist Andrew Radd