Augustus Tennant

Augustus Eatwell Tennant (19 November 1841 – 28 November 1892) was an English-born cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury in New Zealand from 1864 to 1866.

Augustus Tennant

Personal information
Full name	Augustus Eatwell Tennant
Born	(1841-11-19)19 November 1841 Simla, India
Died	28 November 1892(1892-11-28) (aged 51) Hokitika, New Zealand
Height	5 ft 8.5[1] in (1.74 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Role	Wicket-keeper
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1863-64 to 1865-66	Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 3 Runs scored 31 Batting average 5.16 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 24 Balls bowled 88 Wickets 2 Bowling average 7.50 5 wickets in innings 0 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 2/7 Catches/stumpings 4/2
Source: Cricinfo, 25 September 2019

Life and career

Augustus Tennant was born in Simla in British India and educated at Rugby School in England, where he played in the First XI in 1859 and 1860.[2] He arrived in New Zealand in the early 1860s and began working for the Canterbury Province government. He was appointed as Commissioner’s Clerk of the West Canterbury goldfields in Hokitika in 1865.[3] When the County of Westland was formed he held a position in the County Treasury in Hokitika, and on the formation of Westland Province he held a position in the Superintendent’s Office. When the provinces were abolished in 1873 he worked for the national government in the stamp office, still in Hokitika.[4]

His wife died in 1872,[5] after which "[b]ad times swept over him and he commenced to drift".[4] In 1874 he was convicted of assault.[6] In 1882 he was arrested on a charge of embezzling from the Stamp Office, convicted and sentenced in March 1883 to nine months' labour.[7][1]

He died of Bright's disease, aggravated by other ailments, in Westland Hospital in Hokitika on 28 November 1892.[4]

Cricket career

Tennant played several matches for Canterbury in the 1860s as a batsman and wicket-keeper.

He was Canterbury's best batsman when George Parr's English team visited in 1863-64. When Parr's XI dismissed the Canterbury XXII for 30 and 105, Tennant made 28, the highest score on either side, in the second innings.[8] After the early finish of that match, a second match was played between two elevens combining the English and Canterbury players, and Tennant was the highest scorer in that match too, with 21 and 33.[9]

He was less successful with the bat in his first two first-class matches for Canterbury, but in his last match, in 1865-66, he again made the highest score on either side with 24 in Canterbury's second innings.[10] In 1864-65 his wicket-keeping drew praise from the Lyttelton Times, which described it after the match against Otago as one of "the most noticeable features in the whole game" and as a model for the young cricketer.[11]

He retained his involvement with cricket after he transferred to Hokitika, and at the time of his death he was the secretary of the Hokitika Cricket Club.[12]

References

1. "Return of prisoners reported as discharged from gaols ..." New Zealand Police Gazette: 5. 12 December 1883.
2. "Miscellaneous matches played by Augustus Tennant". CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
3. "Town and Country". Lyttelton Times. 9 May 1865. p. 4.
4. "[untitled]". West Coast Times. 29 November 1892. p. 2.
5. "Death". West Coast Times. 19 September 1872. p. 2.
6. "Assaulting a Bailiff". Grey River Argus. 1 June 1874. p. 2.
7. "Arrest of a Government Officer". New Zealand Mail. 11 November 1882. p. 13.
8. "Canterbury v G Parr's XI 1863-64". CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
9. "G Anderson's XI v G Parr's XI 1863-64". CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
10. "Otago v Canterbury 1865-66". CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
11. "Inter-Provincial Cricket Match". Lyttelton Times. 9 February 1965. p. 4.
12. "[untitled]". West Coast Times. 10 December 1892. p. 2.

External links

• Augustus Tennant at ESPNcricinfo
• Augustus Tennant at CricketArchive