Charlie had already played for Leinster CC during School and University holidays and he became the regular stumper in 1936, when the short University season ended, and was not seriously challenged for the role until he retired. He was the leading wicket keeper in LCU competitive cricket on five occasions, the last as late as 1955 when he made 19 dismissals. All told he played 194 competitive matches for Leinster, catching 130 and stumping 103 of his 223 dismissals. He was captain in 1944, when his club shared the League title.

He made 14 appearances for Ireland 1936-1938, catching 9 batsmen and stumping 14. His best match for his country was probably the Australian game in College Park in 1938. First of all he, together with paceman Charlie Billingsley rescued the Irish innings from almost total oblivion with a last wicket stand of 30, his score being 16* He then aided fellow Leinsterman Eddie Ingram to bring about a mini collapse as the visitors threatened to run away with the game. He stumped the great Stan McCabe, captain in Bradman's injured absence, and two further batsmen to help Ingram to 7-83. Charlie had 5 victims in all, having previously held catches off Ingram and James Macdonald. The fairy tale then ended: promoted to 8 in the second innings, he was out for 0, caught by opening bat WA Brown (at the time of writing, August 2007, the last survivor of the match), off the great Bill O'Reilly. Charlie kept wicket in Ireland's last pre war game v Sir Julian Cahn's XI at that magnate's Loughborough estate. He allowed only 4 byes in a total of 418, not a bad note on which to finish. Crothers regained his place after the War, and, with Frank Miller challenging in Dublin, Charlie was not considered again. It was, perhaps not inappropriate, that a man born one day after the First World War broke out, should end his career in major cricket. a fortnight before the second conflict erupted.

Away from cricket he had a reputation as a devastating mimic besides being a fine hockey player who gained interprovincial honours for Leinster. He qualified as a solicitor in 1940 and from 1944 was heavily involved with employers organisations being involved in the founding of the Federated Union of Employers now IBEC, becoming its Secretary and Law Agent. On his death in 1972 following a stroke his estate was valued at £111285, all of which he left to the Society of St Vincent and and St Paul.

NB: I am obliged to the Cambridge Dictionary of Irish Biography for help with non cricket details.

Edward Liddle, August 2007, updated February 2021