A slow leg-break bowler and a left-hand bat, Walter Speak achieved great success with Nottinghamshire Unity CC and Attenborough CC. He was included in the Nottinghamshire XI v the Colts XXII in 1905 and played for Notts in the first three First-Class fixtures of that season, against MCC (Lord’s), Sussex (Hove) and Middlesex (Lord’s). He scored 39 runs @6.50 and bowled 8.3 overs failing to take a wicket and conceding 54 runs. He never played for Notts again.
For Attenborough v Dixon & Parker at Attenborough on 1 July 1910, he took all 10 wickets for 20 runs. Born in Ripon, Yorkshire on 20 February 1873, Walter Speak resided in Attenborough from 1896 to 1912 before he emigrated to Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. He was employed in the lace trade. Whilst in Canada Speak played for Oak Bay CC.
He died in Victoria, BC, of cancer aged 70 years on 21 June 1943.
May 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 288