William Pickering (cricketer)

William Percival Pickering (25 October 1819 – 16 August 1905) was an English first-class cricketer with amateur status. He was one of the founders of Surrey County Cricket Club in 1845 and later, having emigrated to Canada, played a significant role in the beginnings of international cricket especially through his proposal to fund an English tour of North America. Pickering is recorded in 29 matches from 1840 to 1848 which are designated first-class by CricketArchive, totalling 445 runs at the low average of 9.67 with a highest score of 51 not out, holding 17 catches and taking 7 wickets.

Born in Clapham, London, Pickering was the youngest son of Edward Rowland Pickering of Clapham and was educated at Eton College where, according to his obituary in The Times, "he is believed to be one of the youngest cricketers who ever took part in the great public school matches at Lord's between Eton, Harrow and Winchester". He played for Eton in 1834, 1835, 1837 and 1838, captaining the side in the last two years but missing the 1836 season entirely. The obituary claims that Pickering's strength was his fielding: "He generally fielded at cover-point, and, being ambidextrous, ran out, by returning the ball with his left hand, many batsmen who had forgotten this peculiarity." After Eton he went up to Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Pickering was instrumental in the foundation of Surrey County Cricket Club, speaking at a meeting of Surrey cricketers in October 1845 to explain the objectives of the newly formed club: i.e., to develop the cricketing strength of the county and provide it with "a local habitation and a name". Pickering played in two of Surrey's earliest matches in 1846 and 1848; also representing the Surrey Club against Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's Cricket Ground in 1846.