| John Howarth | |
| Country: | England |
| Fullname: | John Stirling Howarth |
| Birth Date: | 26 March 1945 |
| Birth Place: | Stockport, Cheshire, England |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Right arm fast-medium |
| Role: | Bowler |
| Club1: | Nottinghamshire |
| Year1: | 1966 - 1970 |
| Club2: | Minor Counties East |
| Year2: | 1977 |
| Type1: | First-class |
| Debutdate1: | 6 August |
| Debutyear1: | 1966 |
| Debutfor1: | Nottinghamshire |
| Debutagainst1: | Warwickshire |
| Lastdate1: | 7 July |
| Lastyear1: | 1967 |
| Lastfor1: | Nottinghamshire |
| Lastagainst1: | Indians |
| Type2: | List A |
| Debutdate2: | 13 May |
| Debutyear2: | 1967 |
| Debutfor2: | Nottinghamshire |
| Debutagainst2: | Northamptonshire |
| Lastdate2: | 30 April |
| Lastyear2: | 1977 |
| Lastfor2: | Minor Counties East |
| Lastagainst2: | Middlesex |
| Columns: | 2 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 13 |
| Runs1: | 0 |
| Bat Avg1: | 0.00 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/0 |
| Top Score1: | 0* |
| Deliveries1: | 1242 |
| Wickets1: | 19 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 33.78 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 3/30 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 3/ - |
| Column2: | List A |
| Matches2: | 5 |
| Runs2: | 9 |
| Bat Avg2: | 4.50 |
| 100S/50S2: | 0/0 |
| Top Score2: | 5 |
| Deliveries2: | 282 |
| Wickets2: | 8 |
| Bowl Avg2: | 18.12 |
| Fivefor2: | 0 |
| Tenfor2: | n/a |
| Best Bowling2: | 3/30 |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 2/ - |
| Date: | 30 September |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Source: | https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/30/30416/30416.html CricketArchive |
John Stirling Howarth (born 26 March 1945) is a former English county cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. A right-arm fast-medium bowler of some success, he is believed to hold the unfortunate record of most first-class matches played without scoring a run.
Howarth was born in Stockport, Cheshire and played for Notts in the 1966 and 1967 English cricket seasons. In 13 first-class games he took 19 wickets at an average just below 34.[1] He is, however, best known for his remarkable record of scoring no runs in this time. A career of 13 first-class matches without a run is the world record.[2] However, Howarth only batted seven innings in these matches (out of a theoretical maximum of 26, had he batted in two innings per game). In those he was dismissed four times for a duck, and finished not out without scoring on three other occasions, giving him a career best score of 0*.[1] According to Lynch, the record for most innings in a career without scoring a run appears to belong to Seymour Clark, who played for Somerset County Cricket Club as a wicket-keeper in the 1930 season. In five matches he batted nine innings, with seven ducks and two scores of 0*.[3]
Howarth, who also played for Minor Counties, had success in his one-day cricket career, although he was limited to 5 List A matches spread from 1967 to the 1977 season. He took 8 wickets at the low average of 18.12, with a strike rate of 35 balls per wicket and an economy rate of just 3.08 runs per over. His best bowling figures were 3/30, coincidentally identical to his first-class best. Howarth also had (slightly) more success with his right-handed batting, being dismissed only twice in four innings for a total of nine runs at an average of 4.50. His highest score was 5.[1]