Thomas Richardson was one of the finest fast bowlers of the late nineteenth century.
Richardson’s match figures of 11-173 against Australia at Lord’s in 1896 were his second best in Test cricket; he finished the next Test at Old Trafford with 13-244.
At Lord’s, in Australia’s first innings, Richardson and his Surrey team-mate George Lohmann took the tourists apart, Richardson bowling the Australian captain Harry Trott for a duck and also taking the wickets of Trumble, Kelly and Jones all for 0.
Richardson finished the innings with 6 for 39, clean bowling all his victims from the Pavilion end, as Australia were bowled out for 53.
In the second innings Richardson and Jack Hearne took 5 wickets each to dismiss Australia for 347 and set up a six wicket victory.
In the 1963 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, Richardson was one of six players chosen by Neville Cardus as one of the ‘Six Giants of the Wisden Century’ a special selection to mark the 100th anniversary of Wisden.