David Jennings (cricketer)

David William Jennings (4 June 1889 – 6 August 1918) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club in the years before the First World War. Primarily a batsman, Jennings played in the Kent sides which won the County Championship in 1909, 1910 and 1913. He served in the Kent Fortress Royal Engineers in the First World War and died as a result of injuries received during his service in August 1918.

David Jennings
Personal information
Full nameDavid William Jennings
Born(1889-06-04)4 June 1889
Kentish Town, London
Died6 August 1918(1918-08-06) (aged 29)
Tunbridge Wells, Kent
BattingRight-handed
RoleBatsman
RelationsGeorge Jennings (brother)
Tom Jennings (brother)
Leonard Jennings (brother)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1909–1914Kent
FC debut16 August 1909 Kent v Surrey
Last FC20 August 1914 Kent v Worcestershire
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 35
Runs scored 1,064
Batting average 24.18
100s/50s 3/4
Top score 106
Balls bowled 95
Wickets 1
Bowling average 80.00
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 1/13
Catches/stumpings 28/–
Source: CricInfo, 23 April 2016

Cricket career

Jennings made his first-class cricket debut for Kent in August 1909 in a County Championship match against Surrey at The Oval.[1] This was his only appearance in the Kent Championship winning side of 1909 and it took until 1912 for him to make more than three appearances in a season for Kent, a County with a particularly strong batting lineup at the time.[2][3]

In 1911 he led the Kent batting averages, was awarded his County cap and scored his first century in first-class cricket, although he only played in three matches.[2][3][4] Seven appearances in 1912 saw him second in the County's averages and he scored another century against Hampshire. He played 11 matches for Kent in both 1913, as the side won the 1913 County Championship, and in 1914. He made his highest score, 106 not out, in 1914 against Essex at Tunbridge Wells. In total Jennings played 35 times for Kent and had a batting average of 24.18.[5] He played his final match in August 1914 against Worcestershire at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury.[1][6]

Military service and death

Jennings joined the Kent Fortress Royal Engineers during the First World War, eventually reaching the rank of Second Corporal.[1] He served in the same unit as his Kent teammate Colin Blythe and played alongside Blythe in two matches organised during the war against Australian and South African Imperial Forces at Lord's in 1917.[7] Jennings was gassed serving on the Western Front towards the end of the war and suffered from shell shock. He was invalided back to England and died of his injuries at Tunbridge Wells in August 1918 aged 29.[1][3][8]

Family

Jennings was part of a family with a number of cricketers in it. His father, also David Jennings, played for Devon in the Minor Counties Championship and was later the professional coach and head groundsman at Marlborough College,[9] whilst his younger brothers George and Tom both played first-class cricket after World War I, George for Warwickshire and Tom for Surrey. Both also played for Devon. Another brother Leonard played two first-class matches for the Royal Air Force while yet another, Stanley, played one match for Wiltshire in the Minor Counties Championship.[4]

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References
  1. McCrery N (2015) Final Wicket: Test and First Class Cricketers Killed in the Great War Pen and Sword, pp.432–433. (Available online, retrieved 2016-04-23).
  2. First-class batting and fielding in each season by David Jennings, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  3. Jennings, Corporal David William - Obituaries during the war, 1918, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1919. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  4. David Jennings, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  5. First-class batting and fielding for each team by David Jennings, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  6. First-class matches played by David Jennings, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  7. Miscellaneous matches played by David Jennings, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  8. Jones M (2014) Cricketers who died in World War 1 — Part 4 of 5, Cricket Country, 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
  9. Jennings, David James - Obituaries in 1938, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1939. Retrieved 2016-04-23.
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