A profile of Alec Hearne by Dave Liverman

---

Player:

A Hearne

---

A member of the famous Hearne family, brother of Test players G.G. and Frank, cousin of Test player J.T. and first-class cricketers G.F., Herbert and Walter; uncle to Test player G.A.C., and son of George Hearne of Middlesex. Alec played just one Test, when he toured South Africa with W.W.Read's side in 1891/92 (his brother George and cousin J.T. were in the same side, and his brother Frank in the opposition!). Like his brothers he was introduced to cricket by his father, who was groundsman at Catford Bridge, where Kent played their home matches in 1875. He came into the Kent XI as an excellent leg-spin bowler the quicker style, with good command of length and line, and with a deceptive flight. He initially had no pretensions as a batsman but with much practice and application turned himself into a genuine all-rounder. As a batsman he favoured the back-foot, and was an excellent cutter, particularly of the rising ball that he would play deliberately over the slips. He was unfortunate not to play more Test cricket - he performed particularly well when Kent defeated the Australian tourists in 1884, 1886 and 1890. After retirement from playing he coached for Kent, and on the death of his brother Walter took over his post as county scorer. He scored for fourteen years, despite being severely handicapped by rheumatism in his later years. Wisden said of him in their obituary "like all the Hearnes he was quiet of speech and manner, modest, and an excellent judge of cricket".

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Dave Liverman)