| Born | 4 August 1872, Dublin |
| Died | 1957 |
| Educated | Beaumont College, Clongowes Wood College |
| Occupation | Barrister |
| Debut | 9 August 1895 v Surrey at The Oval |
| Cap Number | 230 |
| Style | Right-hand bat |
| Teams | Co Galway, Connaught |
| History | Walter Meldon, who was in the First XI at both Beaumont and Clongowes, being in the same side as Dan Comyn and Tom Ross at the latter, played most of his adult cricket for Co Galway, but not so good a cricketer as his elder brother JM (Jack) or several of his cousins. Walter joined his brother Jack and cousin GEP Meldon, who should not be confused with the Irish player GJ Meldon who was 5 years old at the time, in the Connaught side which took the place of Munster in the interprovincial series in 1891 and 1892. He played a useful part as a batsman in the surprise victory over Ulster in the latter year, scoring 33, having shone with the ball the previous year against the same opponents with his side's best bowling figures of 4-36. He possibly owed his selection for the English tour of 1895, to the fact that Ireland played as JM Meldon's Gentlemen of Ireland XI, with the captain having an influence on selection. The first match against a side styled Surrey Club and ground at The Oval saw Walter at 10, be dismissed by the Parsi fast bowling all rounder ME Pavri for 6 in the first innings. Pavri, one of the best of early Indian cricketers had been the main player on the Parsi tour of England in 1888. He had also played for Phoenix and was later to write a book on Indian Cricket, now hard to find and harder to afford! Walter made 10* in the second innings but the match was drawn. Walter was denied the chance to make runs on the normally easy wicket at Westbury where Ireland met WH Laverton's XI as rain prevented any play after Bob Lambert had got among the home batsmen with early wickets. The final match was v MCC at Lord's. This was a very weak side and Ireland, though all out for 191 had no problem in recording an innings win. Only one Irish batsman failed to score, unfortunately this was Walter. He was not seen in an Irish team again. He was unmarried. "NB: Information provided to this writer in 1980 about the Meldon family included the statement that Jack and Walter were the sons of JF Meldon who played one match for Ireland in 1865. It now transpires that this was untrue and that they were the sons of John James Meldon, the eldest of the 16 Meldon siblings. A soliciter he played for the Roebuck and Co Galway XIs but made no real mark in Irish cricket. JF was unmarried. Edward Liddle, October 2007, updated December 2013, June 2020 |