he made 35 but was omitted in favour of Johnny Briggs who was bowling immensely better at county level. Flowers still bowled well in 1894, but in the dry weather of 1895 his bowling lost him: in his final season of 1896 he was put on for only twenty overs. He did achieve the notable feat of scoring a century in his last match against Sussex. Flowers was awarded a benefit match in 1899, but the match between Middlesex and Somerset at Lords turned out to be a financial disaster. The match was finished in just over 3 hours, making it the shortest first-class match ever played. Post-retirement After retiring as a player, Flowers served as an umpire from 1907 to 1912. Flowers was married to Martha, and was a frame work knitter, and later a lacehand, by trade. At birth, he was registered as Wilfred Flower. His cousin Thomas Flowers also played first-class cricket. Flowers died 1 November 1926 in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, England References External links 1856 births 1926 deaths English cricket umpires England Test cricketers English cricketers Nottinghamshire cricketers Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers North v South cricketers Players cricketers People from Gedling (district) Cricketers from Nottinghamshire Players of the North cricketers People from Calverton, Nottinghamshire Lord Londesborough's XI cricketers All-England Eleven cricketers Over 30s v Under 30s cricketers