How prolific that bat really was can be judged from the statistics of the man's career. In 19 consecutive seasons Lambert had the distinction of scoring 1000 runs and taking 100 wickets, and on many occasions he just missed the double by a handful of runs or a few wickets. In 1897 he captured 195 wickets. The highest innings of all was when he notched 256 not out against County Kildare and seven other innings of over 200 were recorded, against Dublin Garrison (218 on two occasions), County Wicklow (226), Exmouth (246), Civil Service (203), Fitzwilliam (248 not out) and Dunfermline (202)

It was while he was studying at Edinburgh Veterinary College - he had earlier education at Wesley College and at St John's College, Preston - that he hit his first double century against Dunfermline, In fact, he actually played for Scotland against Trinity in 1898

His chance selection came about because of a misunderstanding over the date of the match: the Scots had travelled a man short and Lambert was pressed into service by their captain, who had struck a warm friendship with him. In addition to making 68, he took nine wickets and hit two balls into Nassau Street. One of these broke a cab window, and the other hit the Kildare Street Club. Only the exceptionally tall railings prevented two more sixes. Another half a dozen shots thudded against the high wall on which the railings were mounted

His first century at representative level was for J.M.Meldon's touring team against Laverton's XI at Westbury, Wiltshire in 1893 when he was only 19 years old. The innings is worth of a niche among cricket curios in that, owing to injury, Lambert used a runner and did not himself run even a single of his 115. Nor did he field at any stage of the match!

There was a magnificent century against Cambridge University at Rathmines in 1904 and 104 not out against Scotland in Glasgow seven years later. Other notable innings for Ireland were his 81 against Oxford University at Oxford in 1902 and his 51 at College Park against South Africa in 1907, with Vogler, Schwarz, Faulkner and the rest bowling.

He made 116 not out against the Philadelphians at College Park in 1908, when T.B.King, regarded by many as the greatest of all fast bowlers, was at one end and H.V.Hordern, who subsequently became a "demon bowler" in Test matches for Australia, at the other. In that match the only other batsman who made a score worth mentioning was F.H.Browing

W.G.Grace, with whom he shared a common birthday, July 18th was so impressed by the Irishman that he included him to play for London County against Lancashire. The London County team, on that occasion, included, in addition to Grace, such world-famous batsmen as W.C.Murdoch, L.O.S.Poidevin and J.W.H.T.Douglas. Despite the wealth of talent, they were shot out for 139, of which Lambert accounted for 49 not out - the top score of the innings, Grace himself mustering only 22.

Rated by many who saw him frequently in action as the most classical knocks he played were the 174 he took off a celebrated Free Foresters attack and an undefeated 98 not out of a Leinster total of 132 against a Bradford side, which included the famous spin bowler H.J.Knutton. Against Cambridge at Rathmines in 29013 he hit exactly 100.

Lambert's most prolific season was 1906 when he scored 2119 runs for Leinster in 26 innings for an average of 124. He completed his 2000 runs with 75 not out in 30 minutes against Civil Service, Leinster winning by nine wickets after being set 151 to win in 90 minutes in heir second innings. When Lambert cracked the winning runs there were still three minutes remaining for play. In that match he was twice not out, scoring 88 in the first innings. That season for Leinster he also dismissed 143 batsmen.

His biggest feat was undoubtedly against County Wicklow when he "lofted all bowlers out of the ground half a dozen times, drove Hardy over the screen to Observatory Lane twice, would have sent the ball into Mountpleasant Avenue half a dozen times but for the trees, and generally bombarded the pailings all round. In all he got 34 fours and when time was called was 176 not out".

There seemed to be no end to the flow of runs from his punishing bat. He began the 1921 season by being eight times not out, and had totalled 664 runs before he lost his wicket for the first time,

According to Patrick Hone his batting style was "severely practical, without flourish of extraneous ornament, very quick on his feet, he was a terror to the close-in fielder; in defence he had wonderful judgement, particularly in letting the awkward ball pass him by , sometimes almost to shave the stumps, which he did with an air of apparent indifference to it."

Even if he had never made a run Lambert's prowess as a bowler would on it's own have entitled him to rank as an outstanding cricketer of his time. Equally as aggressive with the ball as with the bat, he never gave the batsman a moment's respite, often laking his medium-pace off-breaks lift nastily off the pitch.

Scotland got a taste of his ability with the ball at College Park in 1910 when he grabbed ten wickets for 14 runs. In the first innings Lambert was put on late and got three wickets for three runs, In the second innings he made use of a sticky wicket to return figures of 7 for 11, six of the batsmen having their wicket shattered.

G.W.F.Kelly at the other end chipped in with 3-18, and Scotland were routed for 32, so an Irish defeat by an innings at Perth the previous year was amply avenged. Against Ulster in 1901 Lambert had match analysis of 15 for 62 in overs. (sic)

At Rathmines in 1894 Lambert claimed five South African batsmen for 37 runs. The South Africans of 1907 also fell under his spell. This time he took 5 for 35, There was a five wicket feat against MCC at Lord's as well, 6 for 40 on another occasion against the Scots, a hat-trick included in 8 for 35 against Surrey at the Oval in 1895 - in all he was to achieve three wickets in three balls five times in his career - and 7 for 125 against Cambridge and 7 for 68 against I Zingari.

In 1910 in his 29th match for Ireland he became the first Irish player to achieve the 1000 runs and 100 wickets double for Ireland. In all he played 52 times for his country, scoring 1995 runs and taking 179 wickets,

Points to make?

Try the LCC Forum