Andy Ducat
Encyclopedia
Andrew Ducat was an England
and Surrey
cricket
er and an England football
er, being one of an elite group to have represented their country in both sports.
in 1906, and soon became a regular member of the county team, playing alongside Tom Hayward
, Jack Hobbs
and Ernest Hayes. Standing 5'10" high, he was a powerful, forcing batsman, and made 52 centuries for Surrey, including 306 not out against Oxford University in 1919. He was also one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
in 1920. He missed many matches due to injury: a broken leg in 1912 almost ended his career, and he missed the 1924 season after breaking his arm in the nets. In 1928, he made 994 runs in less than six weeks, including centuries four successive matches.
He played in only one Test
, the 3rd Test against Australia
at Headingley in 1921 when he was unlucky to only make 3 and 2.
In another significant "first", he was doubly out in the first innings: his bat disintegrating playing a ball bowled by Ted McDonald
; the ball looped to slip where it was caught, and a bail
was dislodged by a flying splinter (he was given out caught rather than hit wicket
).
career. He started out playing for non-league Southend United
before joining First Division
Woolwich Arsenal
in 1905.
He made his Arsenal debut on 11 February 1905, in a 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers
, playing at centre forward. After losing his place in 1906-07
, he was later switched to right half
and became a regular in 1907-08
and 1908-09
. During his time at Arsenal, he won three caps for England
, with his debut coming against Ireland
in Belfast
on 12 February 1910; England won 6-1. On his second appearance for England, against Wales
on 14 March the same year, Ducat scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.
Ducat's ability and success with England brought attention from bigger clubs than Arsenal, who were at the time going through a financial crisis. Eventually, he was sold for £1,000 to Aston Villa
in 1912, having played 188 matches and scored 21 goals for Arsenal. After suffering a broken leg in his first season at Villa, he recovered to become a stalwart in the side, captaining Villa to their sixth FA Cup
win in 1919-20
, beating Huddersfield Town. He also regained his England place; having not played since 1910, he won three more caps during 1920, the last coming in a 2-0 win against Ireland at Roker Park
on 23 October 1920, bringing his total number of England appearances to six.
He moved to Fulham
in 1921, and upon his retirement from playing in 1924, he succeeded Phil Kelso
(his former boss at Arsenal) as Fulham manager. However, the Cottagers struggled with Ducat in charge, finishing 12th and 19th in the Second Division
during the two seasons he was at the helm. He was sacked in 1926. After his departure from Fulham, he continued to play amateur football for the Casuals
for five years. He was also a sports reporter before his sudden death in 1942; his death came during a game at Lord's Cricket Ground
, where he died of an apparent heart attack
after lunch, whilst playing in a wartime cricket
match between teams from his unit of the Home Guard
from Surrey against another from Sussex. The match was abandoned. He was aged 56, and is the only person in history to have died during a match at Lord's.
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
and Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er and an England football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er, being one of an elite group to have represented their country in both sports.
Cricket career
He joined the ground staff at the OvalThe Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
in 1906, and soon became a regular member of the county team, playing alongside Tom Hayward
Tom Hayward
Thomas Walter Hayward was a cricketer who played for Surrey and England between the 1890s and the outbreak of World War I. He was primarily an opening batsman, noted especially for the quality of his off-drive...
, Jack Hobbs
Jack Hobbs
Sir John Berry "Jack" Hobbs was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934 and for England in 61 Test matches from 1908 to 1930....
and Ernest Hayes. Standing 5'10" high, he was a powerful, forcing batsman, and made 52 centuries for Surrey, including 306 not out against Oxford University in 1919. He was also one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
in 1920. He missed many matches due to injury: a broken leg in 1912 almost ended his career, and he missed the 1924 season after breaking his arm in the nets. In 1928, he made 994 runs in less than six weeks, including centuries four successive matches.
He played in only one Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
, the 3rd Test against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
at Headingley in 1921 when he was unlucky to only make 3 and 2.
In another significant "first", he was doubly out in the first innings: his bat disintegrating playing a ball bowled by Ted McDonald
Ted McDonald
Edgar Arthur "Ted" McDonald was a cricketer who played for Tasmania, Victoria, Lancashire and Australia, as well as being an Australian rules footballer who played with Launceston Football Club, Essendon Football Club, and Fitzroy Football Club.A very fast bowler with the...
; the ball looped to slip where it was caught, and a bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
was dislodged by a flying splinter (he was given out caught rather than hit wicket
Hit wicket
Hit wicket is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. This method of dismissal is governed by Law 35 of the laws of cricket. The striker is out "hit wicket" if, after the bowler has entered his delivery stride and while the ball is in play, his wicket is put down by his bat or his person...
).
Football career
Ducat also had a successful footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
career. He started out playing for non-league Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
before joining First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
Woolwich Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 1905.
He made his Arsenal debut on 11 February 1905, in a 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, playing at centre forward. After losing his place in 1906-07
1906-07 in English football
The 1906–07 season was the 36th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:-First Division:-Second Division:P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = PointsReferences...
, he was later switched to right half
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
and became a regular in 1907-08
1907-08 in English football
The 1907–08 season was the 37th season of competitive football in England. Manchester United were Football League champions for the first time, while Bradford City won the Second Division and Wolverhampton Wanderers won the FA Cup...
and 1908-09
1908-09 in English football
The 1908–09 season was the 38th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Tottenham Hotspur played their first ever season in the Football League, gaining promotion to the First Division in the process...
. During his time at Arsenal, he won three caps for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, with his debut coming against Ireland
Ireland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 12 February 1910; England won 6-1. On his second appearance for England, against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 14 March the same year, Ducat scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.
Ducat's ability and success with England brought attention from bigger clubs than Arsenal, who were at the time going through a financial crisis. Eventually, he was sold for £1,000 to Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in 1912, having played 188 matches and scored 21 goals for Arsenal. After suffering a broken leg in his first season at Villa, he recovered to become a stalwart in the side, captaining Villa to their sixth FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
win in 1919-20
1919-20 in English football
The 1919–1920 season was the 45th season of competitive football in England, and the first following the end of World War I.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition...
, beating Huddersfield Town. He also regained his England place; having not played since 1910, he won three more caps during 1920, the last coming in a 2-0 win against Ireland at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
on 23 October 1920, bringing his total number of England appearances to six.
He moved to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in 1921, and upon his retirement from playing in 1924, he succeeded Phil Kelso
Phil Kelso
Phil Wade Kelso , born in Largs on the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, was a Scottish football manager.Kelso was manager of Hibernian for one season, before taking over as manager of newly-promoted Woolwich Arsenal in 1904...
(his former boss at Arsenal) as Fulham manager. However, the Cottagers struggled with Ducat in charge, finishing 12th and 19th in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
during the two seasons he was at the helm. He was sacked in 1926. After his departure from Fulham, he continued to play amateur football for the Casuals
Casuals F.C.
Casuals F.C. were an amateur football club based in London, formed in 1878.They were founder members of the Isthmian League in 1905 and won the FA Amateur Cup in 1936....
Retirement and death
After retiring from cricket in 1931, Ducat became cricket coach at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
for five years. He was also a sports reporter before his sudden death in 1942; his death came during a game at Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, where he died of an apparent heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
after lunch, whilst playing in a wartime cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
match between teams from his unit of the Home Guard
British Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
from Surrey against another from Sussex. The match was abandoned. He was aged 56, and is the only person in history to have died during a match at Lord's.
External links
- Not out ... dead, CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
, 4 December 2004 - Fulham FC article on Andy Ducat
- Scorecard for his final match - 29 not out