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Edward Liddle's International Profiles
Edward Willoughby Fowler
  • Born 6 August 1831
  • Died 17 January 1900 Ballinasloe, Co Galway
  • Educated Cheltenham College
  • Occupation Land Agent
  • Debut 26 May 1862 v MCC at Lord's
  • Cap Number 63
  • Style Right hand bat; slow right round arm bowler
  • Teams Leinster

Edward Fowler was a member of a distinguished Anglo-Irish family, which was to become well known on the cricket field, not so much for Edward's somewhat unspectacular deeds, but for those of his second cousin, Bob Fowler, the hero of "Fowler's Match", the Eton v Harrow game of 1910. Bob's father RH, played against I Zingari in 1880, besides, for many years, being responsible, with TJS Casey, for selection of the Irish side.

Edward's club cricket was for Leinster, which team, when he started out, had not acquired the ground at Observatory Lane. Having had several homes in their formative years, the Rathmines men were at Emor Ville, opposite Portobello Gardens on the South Circular Road, at the time Edward first appeared for them. Observatory Lane was acquired in 1865.

His only appearance for Ireland was the MCC match of 1862, Ireland's second visit to Lord's and the second win there. The wicket was a poor one, as evidenced by the fact that there was only one double figure score in the first innings of each side. Edward, at 11, was 0* and did not get in the second innings, as Ireland won by 3 wickets. MCC were no match for the bowling of Arthur Samuels, Samuel Barry and the Nottinghamshire professional James Grundy, who was on the Lord's staff at the time, but was an original selection for the match. Edward may well have bowled some wicketless overs as no figures are available for the bowlers in this match. He was one of four debutants, none of whom played for Ireland again.

Later a land agent and a Justice of the Peace in Co Galway, he left £3726 - 2 shillings - 6 pence in his Will, a far from small sum in 1900.