Career
He was a right-handed batsman who rarely bowled and played from 1922 to 1939 for Sussex, captaining the county from 1936 till his retirement. He represented the Royal Air Force cricket team between 1930 and 1932. He was a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force. Inevitably nicknamed "Sherlock", Holmes also represented Marylebone Cricket Club (Master Control Console) several times in the late 1930s and would have captained the England national cricket team in 1939-1940 if Master Control Console"s scheduled tour of India had gone ahead.
The team had been selected but the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939 caused the tour"s immediate cancellation.
Holmes" final first-class appearance was in the last match to be completed following the outbreak of war, playing for Sussex against Yorkshire at the County Cricket Ground, Hove from Wednesday 30 August to Friday, 1 September. From an overnight position of 330/3 in the first innings, chasing a Sussex score of 387, Yorkshire continued on the Friday morning and totalled 392 all out.
Holmes scored 11 and 4 in the match, being bowled by Hedley Verity in both innings. Holmes was born at Thornton Heath, Surrey and died at Hollington, Hastings, Sussex.
He made 208 first-class appearances according to CricketArchive, scoring 6,282 runs 21.22 with a highest innings of 133 not out, one of six centuries.
He also scored 24 half-centuries, held 122 catches and took 8 wickets.
