William Denison (13 January 1801 – 9 March 1856) was involved with English

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

in the mid-19th century as a journalist, writer, administrator, and player. A "distinguished rower" in his youth, Denison was a member of

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...

(MCC), for which he appeared in several important matches. However, although his career spanned the years 1832 to 1847, he was only an occasional player who took part in just 8 games. As a batsman, Denison scored a mere 34 runs, with a high score of 12 and average of 3.77. He was more successful as a bowler, taking 30 wickets at an average of 12.41, with best figures of 6-72. He was apparently the first player brave enough to bowl slow

roundarm In cricket, roundarm bowling is a bowling style that was introduced in the first quarter of the 19th century and largely superseded underarm bowling by the 1830s. Using a roundarm action, the bowlers extend their arm about 90 degrees from their ...

deliveries in important matches, for which he acquired the nickname "Stick 'em up" Denison. Denison is best known for being the first Honorary Secretary of

Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club (Surrey CCC) is a first-class club in county cricket, one of eighteen in the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Surrey, including areas that now form South London ...

when it was founded in 1845, remaining in the position until 1848. He made one first-class appearance for the county, in their inaugural match, against MCC on 25–26 May 1846. He was a cricket reporter for nearly 25 years, and a regular columnist for '' The Era'' newspaper in London. He wrote for ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' in the 1840s and was also on the staff of ''

The Sporting Magazine ''The Sporting Magazine'' (1793–1870) was the first English sporting periodical to devote itself to every type of sport. Its subtitle was "Monthly Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chase and Every Other Diversion Interesting to the ...

''. Between 1844 and 1847 he produced an annual publication called ''The Cricketer's Companion'', which provided a summary of the previous season's play. He also wrote the book, ''Cricket: Sketches of the Players'' (1846), reflecting his involvement with the

All-England Eleven In English cricket since the first half of the 18th century, various ''ad hoc'' teams have been formed for short-term purposes which have been called England (or sometimes "All-England"; i.e., in the sense of "the rest of England") to play against, ...

team. Denison died near

Blackheath Blackheath may refer to: Places England *Blackheath, London, England ** Blackheath railway station **Hundred of Blackheath, Kent, an ancient hundred in the north west of the county of Kent, England *Blackheath, Surrey, England ** Hundred of Blackh ...

in London on 9 December 1856, it being noted in the press that he would be "remembered in life for his many amiable and excellent qualities, which endeared him to a large circle of friends".

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Denison, William 1801 births 1856 deaths English cricketers English cricketers of 1826 to 1863 English cricket administrators Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Surrey Club cricketers Cricket historians and writers Gentlemen of England cricketers 19th-century British businesspeople