Born at Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, in 1867, 'Jack' Hearne was an outstanding right-arm medium-pace bowler and after being summoned by telegram to play in his first championship match at Lord's, he took six Nottinghamshire wickets. Representing Middlesex 453 times from 1888 until 1923, he collected 3,061 wickets (av. 17.75) and he held 426 catches mainly at slip. He was cousin of the three Hearne brothers who represented Kent and 'Young Jack' of Middlesex. He holds the record for being the earliest to achieve 100 wickets in a season on 12th June 1896. He topped 100 wickets in a season on 15 occasions and he achieved 200 wickets in a season three times. As a Test player his highlight in 12 Tests was taking a hat-trick versus Australia at Headingley, Leeds in 1899 when he dismissed Clem Hill, Syd Gregory and Monty Noble for 'ducks'. He later
acted as coach for Oxford University and the Maharaja of Patiala in India before being elected one of the first professionals to the club committee, he died at his birthplace in 1944.
