Walter Brearley appeared for the Gentlemen of Glamorgan in their friendlies during 1906 and 1907 whilst playing for Neath CC and being in dispute with the authorities in his native Lancashire.
A tall and muscular bowler, he bowled a series of quick deliveries from a high action with his run-up starting with an idiosyncratic sideways shuffle. Walter also possessed great stamina and during the course of his county and international career he delivered some long spells of hostile fast bowling. Contemporary writers believe that Walter fully utilised both his physique and strength to become the fastest bowler in English cricket in the years leading up to the Great War.
The amateur made his debut for Lancashire in 1902 before swiftly moving into the international era with the first of his four Tests coming during the series against the 1905 Australians – a season which saw the Bolton-born bowler claim an aggregate of 181 wickets at just 19 runs apiece.
However, at the end of the 1905 season, Walter announced that his business interests would prevent him from playing further for Lancashire. He briefly relented and appeared in five matches for the Red Roses during 1906, but the pace bowler spent much of the summer appearing for other teams, including Neath CC and playing for the Gentlemen of Glamorgan against their counterparts from Essex at The Gnoll in 1906 and 1907.
Despite his most tenuous of links with South Wales, the presence of the fastest bowler in English cricket in the Glamorgan side helped to swell the attendance, very much as the officials of the Neath club had anticipated. 1908 saw a brief lull in his dispute with the Lancashire committee and he returned to their side, but relations turned sour again during 1911 and he spent 1912 playing for Cheshire, besides making his fourth and final Test Match appearance for England against the South Africans.
BREARLEY, Walter
Born – Bolton, 11 March 1876
Died – Marylebone, 30 January 1937