Seven wickets for 22 runs against the Netherlands has to be one of Belgium's greatest ever bowling returns in an international. But, to coin a phrase, it happened almost a century ago. The honour went to Fred Wright in June 1912.
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Fred was born in the West Yorkshire town of Woodlesford, just a few kilometres from the centre of Leeds, and must have come to Belgium to work at a relatively young age.
He joined the Brussels Cricket Club and began making a name for himself as an all-rounder although records relating to the period are sparse.
What we do know know is that his 7-22 against the Netherlands in 1912 restricted the Dutch to an all-out score of 79, enabling Belgium (191) to win for only the second time in the annual series of matches which began in 1905. Fred was presented with a silver plaque to mark the occasion and this was attached to his bat (left.
Wright joined up after World War One broke out, returning to Belgium after the war and marrying a local lass in 1926. "We wish the young couple a long and happy innings and the best of luck in their partnership," the Brussels Cricket Club wrote in its May edition that year.
It was about this time too that organised cricket was getting going again in Belgium and a few months after his marriage , Fred joined the Brussels tour to Folkestone. He made 103, 42 retired hurt, 34, 55 and 99. His bowling too was effective throughout that season with returns of 7-79 on the tour and 7-76 against VVV Amsterdam.
Fred Wright died in 1948 and was buried at Jette. Today his family still holds the treasured bat and a relative includes Cricket Vlaanderen's Development Officer - Patrick Demaerschalk.
