Ken James (cricketer)

Kenneth Cecil James (12 March 1904 – 21 August 1976), was a New Zealand Test cricketer who played for Wellington and Northamptonshire.

Ken James
Ken James in 1934
Personal information
Full nameKenneth Cecil James
Born(1904-03-12)12 March 1904
Wellington, New Zealand
Died21 August 1976(1976-08-21) (aged 72)
Palmerston North, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicketkeeper-batsman
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 7)10 January 1930 v England
Last Test31 March 1933 v England
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 11 205
Runs scored 52 6413
Batting average 4.72 22.19
100s/50s 0/0 7/23
Top score 14 109*
Balls bowled – 35
Wickets – –
Bowling average – –
5 wickets in innings – –
10 wickets in match – –
Best bowling – –
Catches/stumpings 11/5 311/112
Source: Cricinfo, 11 April 2017

Early career

A wicket-keeper and a useful batsman, James first played for Wellington in 1923 and toured England with the first New Zealand touring party in 1927 ostensibly as second string to Tom Lowry. But he quickly made the wicket-keeping position his own, with 85 dismissals on the tour, including eight at Derby. His understanding of the spin of Bill Merritt, the touring team's most successful bowler, was especially noted.[1] No Test matches were played on the 1927 tour.

James was first-choice wicket-keeper for New Zealand's first Test matches in 1929–30 against England, and again on the tour of England in 1931, and in the home series against South Africa in 1931–32 and against England the following season. In 11 Tests he made 16 dismissals but failed completely as a batsman, scoring only 52 runs in total. However, he was the highest scorer in the Plunket Shield in 1932–33, with 269 runs at an average of 44.83.[2]

Later career

James then left New Zealand for England to qualify by residence as a county player for Northamptonshire, becoming the regular wicket-keeper from 1936 to 1939 and being joined there by Merritt. For a very weak county — Northamptonshire failed to win a single match for four years from May 1935 — James was notable not only for his wicket-keeping but also increasingly as a batsman, and in 1938, he scored more than 1,000 runs and made two centuries.[3]

James served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War.[1] He returned to New Zealand, where he played one more first-class match, captaining Wellington against Auckland in the 1946-47 Plunket Shield just before his 43rd birthday. He later played a few matches in the Hawke Cup for Hutt Valley, taking part in the match in 1948–49 in which they won the title for the first time.[4]

He retired from cricket to run a public house. He died at Palmerston North.

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References
  1. Wisden 1977, p. 1044.
  2. "Batting and Fielding in Plunket Shield 1932-33". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  3. "First-class batting and fielding in each season by Ken James". CricketArchive. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  4. "Wanganui v Hutt Valley 1948-49". CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
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