J. Wisden 

5 September 1826 – 5 April 1884

All-England XI, United A; England XI, Sussex, Kent and Middlesex. 

Right hand bat, right-arm fast roundarm 

One of the most resonant names in all of cricket, standing at 5 ft 6 inches and known as the Little Wonder, John Wisden was one of the great-rounders in mid-nineteenth century cricket, before going on to found his famous almanack. 

Making his first-class debut in 1845 for Sussex at the age of 18, he quickly made a name for himself taking 6 wickets in the first innings and 3 in the second on debut. His reputation grew, and the following year he joined the touring All-England Eleven. Known for fast round-arm bowling, in 1850 he notably took all ten wickets in an innings for the South against the North, the only time all ten wickets have been taken clean bowled.

He backed up his impressive bowling with batting performances, scoring two centuries, and in 1855 he scored 148 against Yorkshire, the only first-class century by anyone that year. 

Following a fallout with William Clarke, and believing he could be paid better, he joined the United All-England XI in 1852, becoming joint secretary with James Dean. In 1859 he was part of the pioneering first overseas cricket tour from England to North America led by George Parr, playing matches in the United States and Canada. 

He retired early at the age of 37 in 1863 from rheumatism. He finished his career with 1109 first-class wickets at an average of 6.66 and 4140 runs at 14.12.  but he was already planning his post-playing life.

In 1850 he setup a sports equipment business in Leamington Spa and owned a pub in called The Cricketers, in Duncton, Sussex. Following retirement, he focused on the manufacturing business, moving it in 1872 to Cranbourne Street in Leicester Square. After his death it went on to be one of the pre-eminent sporting goods manufacturers in the world. Another one of his lasting legacies was establishing and running the Cricketers’ Benelovent Fund, raising money from chairty matches to help support cricketers in financial need, it’s influence can be seen in The Cricketers' Trust today. But it was in in 1864 that cemented his name in cricket folklore, publishing his first Cricketers’ Almanack, going on to be known as the cricketing bible. 

He died of cancer in 1884 at the age of 57, above his shop on Cranbourne Street. You can still see the shop’s tiled plaque above the old entrance, next to Leicester Square underground station.