Hallam Newton Egerton ‘Granny’ Alston

HNE Alston, 1908-1985, was not a local lad nor had any connection to the island of Guernsey except after a successful visit to the ‘rock’ he became a regular summer visitor and ended up playing cricket for the island against Jersey in 1935 . Granny Alston played one first class game for Somerset CCC against Surrey at the Oval in July 1933 taking Jack Hobbs’ wicket who had scored 117 by then. He bowled 7-3-6-1 and was dismissed for 2 and 4.

HNE ‘Granny’ Alston

Hallam Alston was born at Cheltenham on 10 June 1908.  Cricket was an early passion. He was a tall and well-built boy playing for the school in 1925, 1926 and 1927, having attracted attention in 1924 by taking 5 for 11 in 19 overs for Cheltenham Colts v Clifton Colts and being in while the winning hit was made.  In 1925 he captured 5 for 10 in 10 overs for the college v Clifton CC and in 1926 he shared most of the bowling with EM Wellings and LBS Colbeck, securing 31 wickets, average 23.87, including 12 wickets v Old Cheltonians which made a superb victory possible.  

Hallam, however, was not a happy cricketer at Cheltenham.  His enthusiasm and skill were being undermined, he felt, by faulty coaching.  What galled him particularly was the apparent underrating of his batting.  It was the Island of Guernsey that saved him and his enthusiasm.  During family holidays in 1925, he was invited to play for visitors to the Island v Guernsey C.C. and, opening the bowling, he took 9 for 31. He was selected to represent the Island, he finished his holiday with 60 wickets, average 9.71.

In 1926 his top-score at number ten or eleven had been 22, for Guernsey in holiday time he hit 662 runs, average 33.10, highest score 77 not out, besides taking 70 wickets, average 12.10.  In all matches that season, he made 800 runs and collected 101 wickets.

He played less in 1927, but 1928 saw him blossoming as an all-rounder for a variety of clubs.  He played several qualifying matches for M.C.C. and for Guernsey v Alderney he struck his first hundred – 104 not out on matting over gravel, believed to be the first ever century on Alderney.  He hit 628 runs and took 42 wickets for Guernsey and 267 runs and 54 wickets for Gloucester City.  In all matches he achieved his first double, with 1271 runs, average 24.44, and 123 wickets, average 19.37.  His high skill at rackets – amateur championship singles and doubles – helped his fitness.

He played for a host of clubs besides Guernsey more especially MCC and Somerset Stragglers.

Helped by his height and build, Hallam was a powerful right-handed all-round-the-wicket batsman, with a particularly splendid drive. Over the years he blended his fast-medium seam up with slowish off-spinners and had been coached in the fundamentals of flight and length: he could land the ball on a piece of paper.  In the field he was a very safe gully or slip.  

He was a teacher at Stanmore Park (1929-1930), Burnham-on-Sea (1930-35) and Clevedon (1935-38).  After 10 years he became a businessman with Heinz and, after War service, was successively with Kraft Foods and British Oxygen and latterly in finance.

In 1929 he dominated in Guernsey.  He slammed 120 as a guest for Old Westminsters v the Garrison; and was a host in himself for the Island v Gentlemen of Worcestershire. Opening the bowling, he took 5 for 51 and 5 for 53; top-scored with 91 out of 165 and 81 out of 161 for 8 declared (before Reg Perks bowled him and skipper, Major M.F.S. Jewell, had him lbw respectively).  On the Island he hit 535 runs, average 38.21, and took 47 wickets, average 12.95.

In 1930 for Pinner he often opened the bowling and before leaving for Guernsey to play for M.C.C., he made 452 runs, average 30.13, and secured 39 wickets, average  14.1 After a rough sea crossing, M.C.C. collapsed against Guernsey at Elizabeth College Ground, but in the second innings Alston hit 149 not out in two and a half hours, adding 89 with H.F. Wilkinson after 5 had fallen for 88.  According to the Star, he ’took complete command… not giving a chance of any kind’, reaching his hundred with ‘a typical drive through the covers’.  He also took 7 for 45 in the match, M.C.C., winning comfortably.  In his next match, for the Island V Sir Julien Cahn’s XI, he clean-bowled opening bat Sir Julien for 0, instead of allowing the great patron to get off the mark with an easy one to leg.  Undeterred, Alston caught the other opener, G. Rogerson, off the bowling of R.W.V. Robins; had C. Flood caught by Vic Lewis; and finished with 4 for 142.  Requested urgently to represent M.C.C. v Oxfordshire at Oxford – his first match against a county – he left his holiday home to join Nawab of Pataudi, S.H. Martin, W.H.Webster, J.M. Simms and company, but scored only 8 and secured 1 wicket.  Returned to Guernsey, he faced Gentlemen of Leicestershire and, in a low-scoring match – fewer than 500 runs were made – he hit 26 quickly when victory was almost in the Island’s grasp, after capturing 8 for 44 in 34 overs in the second innings.  In all matches he scored 1099 runs, average 30.52, and took 140 wickets, average 11.50, another double.

In September 1935 he played his last match in the Channel Islands.  For Guernsey v Jersey at College Field, Jersey, he carried his bat for 57 out of 131.  Jersey replied with 148, Alston taking 2 wickets.  Then he top-scored again with 42, and Jersey needed 158 to win.  Opening the attack, he secured two early wickets, was hit for two sixes and finished with 8-54, Guernsey scraping home by seven runs.  The hospitality in the Channel Islands was said to be outstanding, particularly over the weekends.

In summary he scored 8,045 runs, average 24.37, and took 1,173 wickets, average for Nomads including 2 seasons where he did the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets; 8,741 runs, average 42.63; and 531 wickets, average 24.33, for Somerset Stragglers; 3099 runs, average 24.99, and 535 wickets – the record for the club – average 17.52 for Sou’westers; 2,962 runs, average 29.62, and 377 wickets, average 12.36 for Guernsey sides; 1,285 runs, average 38.93 and 106 wickets, average 9.38, for Clevedon; and 1,090 runs, average 29.45 and 53 wickets, average 19.24, for M.C.C.

In all matches everywhere, Hallam “Granny” Alston scored more than 30,000 runs, averaging about 31, including 41 centuries (19 for Somerset Stragglers) and took 3,700 wickets, average 14.95.

NOMADS CC v GUERNSEY August Thursday 27th & Friday 28th 1925
Result: Match Drawn               Rain stopped play       Toss:   won by Nomads CC

NOMADS CC1st Innings   2nd Innings   
MHC Dollc Rawlinsonb Lord5
LJ Crookst Rawlinsonb Lord21b Rooke3
AH Seymourb Alston10c Davyb Lord37
CJT Pool*b Alston4
FK Butlerb Lord0not out14
KE Beartb Alston10lbwb Stone50
JS Caulfieldb Lord9not out1
HJ Sherrenc Stoneb Lord37st Aireyb Rooke11
RG Bendac Morresb Lord8
AJC Airc Stoneb Lord14
EW Mountfordnot out1
Extras916
TOTAL128132for 4

Bowling – Lord took  seven wkts
GUERNSEY1st Innings   2nd InningsRained off  
HNE Alstonb Doll21
H Woodb Doll5
Col EH Rookeb Doll7
Cpt JV Bladc Caulfieldb Mountford103
WF Lordb Doll6
Mjr ER Morresc Mountfordb Sherren31
VE Stoneb Caulfield6
Mjr RN Aireyc &b Sherren0
PL Howittb Doll7
JH Rawlinson+b Caulfield8
CE Davynot out0
Extras7
TOTAL201

Bowling – Doll took a five wkts


NOMADS V MAJOR MORRES’ XI in Guernsey Saturday August 29th
Result: Match Drawn                              Toss:   won by Major Morres’ XI

MAJOR MORRES’ XI Innings    
Capt JV Bladc Butlerb Doll3
Col EH Rookeb Mountford7
JMT Perryc Sherrenb Doll96
Mjr ER Morresb Mountford52
HNE Alstonc Caulfieldb Sherren0
HG Greenb Sherren2
VE Bladb Mountford0
CE Davynot out4
RH Onslow-Careynot out9
T Huttondnb
Extras2
TOTAL175for 8 dec

NOMADS CC Innings    
SB Caulfieldb Perry0
EW Mountfordb Alston2
LJ Crookb Alston66
HJ Sherrenc Morresb Hutton16
FK Butlerc Perryb O-Carey50
KE Beartb Alston6
AH Seymournot out0
AJC Airc &b Alston1
RG Bendanot out1
CJT Pool*dnb
MHC Dolldnb
Extras12
TOTAL154for 7