David Hunter (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
David Hunter was part of a lineage of Yorkshire County Cricket Club
wicket-keeper
s, stretching on through Arthur Dolphin
to Arthur Wood, Jimmy Binks
and David Bairstow
. Hunter played 517 first-class
games for Yorkshire between 1888 and 1909.
, England
, Hunter also appeared in first-class cricket for Lord Hawke's XI (1889), North of England (1889-1907), L Hall's XI (1889), Players (1890-1909), Hurst Park Club (1890), L Hall's Yorkshire XI (1891), XI of Yorkshire (1894), Over 30 (1901), CI Thornton's XI (1902-1905), Lancashire and Yorkshire (1903-1909), Rest of England (1904) and Lord Londesborough's XI (1909).
In 552 matches in total, he took 913 catches and completed 350 stumpings. A modest right-handed tailend batsman, he compiled 4,538 runs at an average of 12.03, with a best of 58 not out against Worcestershire
. Over the years, he held up his end in stands of 53, 148, 121, 118 and 102 for the tenth wicket. He did bowl 42 balls as well, conceding 43 runs and not taking a wicket.
He succeeded his brother Joe Hunter as the Yorkshire wicket-keeper at the relatively late age of 28, but was then an almost ever present player for the following two decades. It is a testament to his 'good hands' that he never suffered a serious finger injury, nor were his hands damaged at the end of his career, despite the comparatively crude equipment and heavy workload of the time. In Louis Hall
's benefit match against Surrey
at Sheffield in 1891, he caught five men and stumped one in an innings, and against the same county seven years later, claimed eight of the twenty wickets, catching two and stumping six at Bradford. He was a doughty performer right up to the end of his career, making six catches in an innings, again against Surrey, at Headingley
in his last year.
He helped Yorkshire win the County Championship
eight times, and received £1,975 from his benefit
in the Roses match
against Lancashire at Bradford in 1897.
Hunter died in January 1927 in Northstead, Scarborough, at the age of 66.
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
s, stretching on through Arthur Dolphin
Arthur Dolphin
Arthur Dolphin was an English first-class cricketer, who kept wicket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1905 and 1927...
to Arthur Wood, Jimmy Binks
Jimmy Binks
James Graham "Jimmy" Binks is a former English cricketer who played as a wicket-keeper for Yorkshire. Although he was regarded by many as the best wicket-keeper of his generation, his limited batting ability restricted him to just two Test match appearances for England, both on the 1963-64 tour to...
and David Bairstow
David Bairstow
David Leslie Bairstow was an English cricketer, who played for Yorkshire and England as a wicket-keeper. He also played football for his hometown club Bradford City.-Early life and education:...
. Hunter played 517 first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
games for Yorkshire between 1888 and 1909.
Life and career
Born in Scarborough, YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Hunter also appeared in first-class cricket for Lord Hawke's XI (1889), North of England (1889-1907), L Hall's XI (1889), Players (1890-1909), Hurst Park Club (1890), L Hall's Yorkshire XI (1891), XI of Yorkshire (1894), Over 30 (1901), CI Thornton's XI (1902-1905), Lancashire and Yorkshire (1903-1909), Rest of England (1904) and Lord Londesborough's XI (1909).
In 552 matches in total, he took 913 catches and completed 350 stumpings. A modest right-handed tailend batsman, he compiled 4,538 runs at an average of 12.03, with a best of 58 not out against Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
. Over the years, he held up his end in stands of 53, 148, 121, 118 and 102 for the tenth wicket. He did bowl 42 balls as well, conceding 43 runs and not taking a wicket.
He succeeded his brother Joe Hunter as the Yorkshire wicket-keeper at the relatively late age of 28, but was then an almost ever present player for the following two decades. It is a testament to his 'good hands' that he never suffered a serious finger injury, nor were his hands damaged at the end of his career, despite the comparatively crude equipment and heavy workload of the time. In Louis Hall
Louis Hall
Louis Hall was an English first-class cricketer.Born in Batley, Yorkshire, England, Hall made his debut in 1873, and came of age with an innings of 78 for a local Eighteen against the Australian XI in 1878...
's benefit match against 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...
at Sheffield in 1891, he caught five men and stumped one in an innings, and against the same county seven years later, claimed eight of the twenty wickets, catching two and stumping six at Bradford. He was a doughty performer right up to the end of his career, making six catches in an innings, again against Surrey, at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
in his last year.
He helped Yorkshire win the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
eight times, and received £1,975 from his benefit
Benefit (sports)
A benefit or testimonial is a match or season of activities granted by a sporting body to a loyal sportsman to boost their income before retirement. Often this is in the form of a match for which all the ticket proceeds are given to the player in question.There have been occasions when a...
in the Roses match
Roses Match
The Roses Match refers to any game of cricket played between Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club. Yorkshire's emblem is the white rose, while Lancashire's is the red rose. The associations go back to the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century...
against Lancashire at Bradford in 1897.
Hunter died in January 1927 in Northstead, Scarborough, at the age of 66.