Doug Wright (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright (born 21 August 1914, Sidcup
, Kent
, died Canterbury
, Kent
13 November 1998) was an English cricketer
. A leg-spinner
for Kent
and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain
from late 1953 to 1956. Don Bradman said he was the best leg-spinner to tour Australia since Sydney Barnes
, and Keith Miller
thought he was the best leg-spinner he had seen apart from Bill O'Reilly
. He toured Australia in 1946-47 and 1950-51, but was dogged by ill-luck and was considered to be the "unluckiest bowler in the world".
on Kent's bowling honours, but after Freeman's powers declined in 1936, Wright took his place. He did the hat-trick twice in 1937, and was picked to play for England in 1938. He bowled well on a dusty wicket at Headingley, although his figures were hurt by fielding errors, and that winter went to South Africa.
In 1939, Wright advanced so much that he was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
and produced two sensational performances: sixteen for 80 against Somerset
, and nine for 47 on a dusty wicket at Bristol, against Gloucestershire
. Wright also batted well enough to score 490 runs, and had made 103 for once out in 1936 against Warwickshire
, but his batting declined after World War II
. Though he became fixed amongst the tail order
, he did make 66 at number 11 in 1955 against Warwickshire. He served in the Army
during World War II, and the loss of several of England's dry-wicket bowlers to the War meant he became an automatic choice for the 1946-47 Ashes series.
called the no-ball "Wright's curse...He's probably bowled more of these than any other spinner in history", "On at least four occasions he was convinced he had Bradman in his bag but it was not to be. Wright, I believe was very keen to secure such a verdict over Bradman, who only once has been dismissed l.b.w. during his Anglo-Australian Test career". In the end he was overbowled and expensive. Of particular note is that Wright was the biggest wicket-taker on either side with 23 wickets - five more than any other bowler on either side - but with the high average of 43.04. He was also the chief first–class wicket-taker of the 1946–47 season – 51 wickets (33.31) - and bowled just over a third of England’s overs in the Tests; 246.3 compared to 240.2 by Alec Bedser
and 246.5 by the rest.
In the First Test at Brisbane he took 5/167 on a flat wicket in Australia's 645 and suffered in this and the next three Tests as the England captain Wally Hammond
set stereotyped defensive fields and was loath to take advice. In the Second Test at Sydney Wright (1/169) “bowled beautifully with the most wretched luck”, in one over "On four occasions Hammond, usually most undemonstrative, threw his hands in the air as the ball beat Bradman and shaved the stumps, and in between these near dismissals there was a confident appeal for leg before wicket
. "He continually rapped the pads with his straight one, and when the decision went against him, his face clouded with puzzled dismay." In the Third Test at Melbourne Bradman tried to hit a straight ball to leg, but missed and was hit on the top of his pads plumb in front of the stumps. Wright and Evans
appealed, but Bradman was given not out. However, a cameraman took a series of photographs of the delivery and "the camera appears to give a different verdict".
Finally in the Fifth Test at Sydney Wright found things turning his way. The new captain Norman Yardley
was keen to discuss field placings with his professional cricketers. He changed them as each batsmen came in and gave Wright a field of close catchers instead of trying to save runs. At the start of each Test, Wright would receive telegrams and letters from well-wishers who had lamented his bad luck "Never a match went by in which he did not hopelessly defeat the defences of the leading run-getters. Times out of number he had Barnes
, Bradman, Hassett
and their like groping forward hypnotised by the magic of his spinning witchcraft". Wright bowled unchanged for nearly two hours and took the wickets of Don Bradman, who came down the wicket, misjudged the spin and bowled for 12, and Keith Miller
taken by Jack Ikin
at slip. Australia started the fourth day on 189/4 and Wright bowled unchanged for 11 overs. Alec Bedser
shut up his end and conceded only 15 runs while Wright span his way through the Australian batting with a spell of 5/42 with Lindsay Hassett
, Colin McCool
, Don Tallon
, Ray Lindwall
and George Tribe
all falling to catches close to the wicket. Wright finished with 7/105 and only Ron Hamence
(31 not out) could play him. Australia were dismissed for 253, but England still lost the Test. The turning point was when Bill Edrich
dropped Bradman off Wright in the second innings for 2, the Australian captain made 63, Wright was hit for 2/93 and Australia won by 5 wickets.
. However, the following two years were plagued by injury and Wright did little in the Tests, but he showed many times that he was still the most dangerous English bowler in dry weather – especially in terms of ability to dismiss top batsmen.
, with two long hop
s, which Harvey cracked into the square-leg fence, but then had him groping at a googly
that turned so fiercely that it missed both bat and stumps, "a real pearl that morally bowled Harvey all the way". " The following ball had Wright appealing for lbw
, but it was turned down as it turned so much that it would have missed the stumps. In the final innings Wright was last man in at 77/9 with England needing another 115 runs to win. He helped Len Hutton
add 45 runs added for the last wicket, managing to hold a straight bat up to the few balls he was left to face until the last four balls from Jack Iverson
before lunch. He kept out the first three, but spooned the last to Ray Lindwall
at square leg and was out for 2. Batting again in the Third Test at Sydney Wright was run out for a duck by his Kent
team-mate Godfrey Evans
, tripping over his bat and pulling a muscle
as he rushed home. As a result he fielded only for a few overs before he had to retire from the game on the only spinning wicket of the series. With Trevor Bailey
's thumb broken by Ray Lindwall
England were reduced to three bowlers and lost by an innings. Wright recovered for the Fourth Test at Adelaide and took 4/99 with only Arthur Morris
, a noted player of spin, able to master him In the England innings he joined Len Hutton
at 219/9 and made 14 of their last wicket stand of 53 as the Yorkshire batsman carried his bat for 156 not out.
, the job seemed to help his bowling, for in 1954 with pitches totally unsuited he took 105 wickets and, in 1955, he had one of his best seasons. At the Oval, he led Kent to an unexpected victory over Surrey
when that county appeared certain to win. In 1956, however Wright did not take fifty wickets, though once against Middlesex
he bowled at his best: Wisden
commented, "most of his eight victims had not been born when Wright entered first-class cricket twenty-four years ago and they had no answer to his whipping leg-breaks and googlies".
At the beginning of 1957, Wright said he did not wish to be considered for the captaincy in his second benefit year, and in mid-July he decided to retire. A review of his career was provided in the article "Googly Bowlers and Captains Retire" in the 1958 Wisden. After retiring as a player, he became coach at Charterhouse School
until 1971.
Sidcup
Sidcup is a district in South East London in the London Borough of Bexley and small parts of the district in the London Borough of Greenwich.Located south east of Charing Cross, Sidcup is bordered by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bromley and Kent County Council, and whilst now part of...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, died Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
13 November 1998) was an English cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
. A leg-spinner
Wrist spin
Wrist spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball...
for Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
from late 1953 to 1956. Don Bradman said he was the best leg-spinner to tour Australia since Sydney Barnes
Sydney Barnes
Sydney Francis Barnes was an English professional cricketer who is generally regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the sport's history...
, and Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
thought he was the best leg-spinner he had seen apart from Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)
William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
. He toured Australia in 1946-47 and 1950-51, but was dogged by ill-luck and was considered to be the "unluckiest bowler in the world".
Cutting a leg-breakWrist spinWrist spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball...
is always dangerous, and cutting Wright is a form of suicide. Why a bowler of his skill failed to get more test-match wickets always mystified me; there was of course the marked tendency to bowl no-balls, but he sent down so many good ones, and worried and beat the batsmen so often, that he should have had better results...he seemed always likely to get wickets. It is one of the toughest problems of captaincy to know when to remove a man like that from the firing-line.
- Johnnie Moyes
Johnnie MoyesAlban George "Johnny" Moyes MBE MC was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Victoria. Following his brief playing career, Moyes, a professional journalist, he later gained greater fame as a writer and commentator on the game.As a right-hand batsman Moyes scored 883 runs at an average of...
Early Career
His early career was restricted by the monopoly of Tich FreemanTich Freeman
Alfred Percy "Tich" Freeman was an English cricketer. A leg spin bowler for Kent and England, he is the only man to take 300 wickets in an English season, and is the second most prolific wicket taker in first class cricket history.-Career:Freeman's common name comes from his extremely short...
on Kent's bowling honours, but after Freeman's powers declined in 1936, Wright took his place. He did the hat-trick twice in 1937, and was picked to play for England in 1938. He bowled well on a dusty wicket at Headingley, although his figures were hurt by fielding errors, and that winter went to South Africa.
In 1939, Wright advanced so much that he was named 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"...
and produced two sensational performances: sixteen for 80 against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
, and nine for 47 on a dusty wicket at Bristol, against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
. Wright also batted well enough to score 490 runs, and had made 103 for once out in 1936 against Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
, but his batting declined after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Though he became fixed amongst the tail order
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
, he did make 66 at number 11 in 1955 against Warwickshire. He served in the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during World War II, and the loss of several of England's dry-wicket bowlers to the War meant he became an automatic choice for the 1946-47 Ashes series.
Australia 1946–47
Wright was seen as England's trump card when he arrived in Australia, but had trouble with his no balls due to his odd run up "He waves his arms widely, and rocks on his legs like a small ship pitching and tossing in a fairly heavy sea. Whenever he bowls in Australia there are people who whistle and cat-call as he goes through his strange approach to the stumps." Jack FingletonJack Fingleton
John "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
called the no-ball "Wright's curse...He's probably bowled more of these than any other spinner in history", "On at least four occasions he was convinced he had Bradman in his bag but it was not to be. Wright, I believe was very keen to secure such a verdict over Bradman, who only once has been dismissed l.b.w. during his Anglo-Australian Test career". In the end he was overbowled and expensive. Of particular note is that Wright was the biggest wicket-taker on either side with 23 wickets - five more than any other bowler on either side - but with the high average of 43.04. He was also the chief first–class wicket-taker of the 1946–47 season – 51 wickets (33.31) - and bowled just over a third of England’s overs in the Tests; 246.3 compared to 240.2 by Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
and 246.5 by the rest.
In the First Test at Brisbane he took 5/167 on a flat wicket in Australia's 645 and suffered in this and the next three Tests as the England captain Wally Hammond
Wally Hammond
Walter Reginald "Wally" Hammond was an English Test cricketer who played for Gloucestershire in a career that lasted from 1920 to 1951. Beginning his career as a professional, he later became an amateur and was appointed captain of England...
set stereotyped defensive fields and was loath to take advice. In the Second Test at Sydney Wright (1/169) “bowled beautifully with the most wretched luck”, in one over "On four occasions Hammond, usually most undemonstrative, threw his hands in the air as the ball beat Bradman and shaved the stumps, and in between these near dismissals there was a confident appeal for leg before wicket
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
. "He continually rapped the pads with his straight one, and when the decision went against him, his face clouded with puzzled dismay." In the Third Test at Melbourne Bradman tried to hit a straight ball to leg, but missed and was hit on the top of his pads plumb in front of the stumps. Wright and Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
appealed, but Bradman was given not out. However, a cameraman took a series of photographs of the delivery and "the camera appears to give a different verdict".
Finally in the Fifth Test at Sydney Wright found things turning his way. The new captain Norman Yardley
Norman Yardley
Norman Walter Dransfield Yardley was an English cricketer who played for Cambridge University, Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England, as a right-handed batsman and occasional bowler. An amateur, he captained Yorkshire from 1948 to 1955 and England on fourteen occasions between 1947 and 1950,...
was keen to discuss field placings with his professional cricketers. He changed them as each batsmen came in and gave Wright a field of close catchers instead of trying to save runs. At the start of each Test, Wright would receive telegrams and letters from well-wishers who had lamented his bad luck "Never a match went by in which he did not hopelessly defeat the defences of the leading run-getters. Times out of number he had Barnes
Sid Barnes
Sidney George Barnes was an Australian cricketer and cricket writer, who played 13 Test matches between 1938 and 1948. Able to open the innings or bat down the order, Barnes was regarded as one of Australia's finest batsmen in the period immediately following the Second World War...
, Bradman, Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
and their like groping forward hypnotised by the magic of his spinning witchcraft". Wright bowled unchanged for nearly two hours and took the wickets of Don Bradman, who came down the wicket, misjudged the spin and bowled for 12, and Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
taken by Jack Ikin
Jack Ikin
John Thomas Ikin, known as Jack Ikin was an English cricketer, who played in eighteen Tests from 1946 to 1955...
at slip. Australia started the fourth day on 189/4 and Wright bowled unchanged for 11 overs. Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
shut up his end and conceded only 15 runs while Wright span his way through the Australian batting with a spell of 5/42 with Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
, Colin McCool
Colin McCool
Colin Leslie McCool was an Australian cricketer who played in 14 Tests from 1946 to 1950. McCool, born in Paddington, New South Wales, was an all-rounder who bowled leg spin and googlies with a round arm action and as a lower order batsman was regarded as effective square of the wicket and against...
, Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
, Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
and George Tribe
George Tribe
George Edward Tribe was an Australian cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1946 to 1947, as well as an Australian rules footballer with the Footscray Football Club in the VFL....
all falling to catches close to the wicket. Wright finished with 7/105 and only Ron Hamence
Ron Hamence
Ronald Arthur Hamence was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. A short and compact right-handed batsman, Hamence excelled in getting forward to drive and had an array of attractive back foot strokes...
(31 not out) could play him. Australia were dismissed for 253, but England still lost the Test. The turning point was when Bill Edrich
Bill Edrich
William John "Bill" Edrich DFC was a distinguished cricketer who played for Middlesex, MCC, Norfolk and England.Edrich's three brothers, Brian, Eric and Geoff, and also his cousin, John, all played first-class cricket...
dropped Bradman off Wright in the second innings for 2, the Australian captain made 63, Wright was hit for 2/93 and Australia won by 5 wickets.
England 1947-50
In 1947, with the dry pitches suiting him, proved Wright's best season as he took 177 wickets, including 10/175 against South Africa at Lord'sLord'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...
. However, the following two years were plagued by injury and Wright did little in the Tests, but he showed many times that he was still the most dangerous English bowler in dry weather – especially in terms of ability to dismiss top batsmen.
Australia 1950-51
Wright toured Australia again for the 1950-51 Ashes series, but still suffered from bad luck and no balls. In the First Test at Brisbane He bowled a typical over to Neil HarveyNeil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
, with two long hop
Long hop
A long hop is a type of inadvertent delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes a short delivery which is not especially fast, which is thus easy for the batsman to hit because he has plenty of time to observe the speed and direction of the ball after the bounce and choose his shot accordingly...
s, which Harvey cracked into the square-leg fence, but then had him groping at a googly
Googly
In cricket, a googly is a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is occasionally referred to as a Bosie , an eponym in honour of its inventor Bernard Bosanquet.- Explanation :...
that turned so fiercely that it missed both bat and stumps, "a real pearl that morally bowled Harvey all the way". " The following ball had Wright appealing for lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
, but it was turned down as it turned so much that it would have missed the stumps. In the final innings Wright was last man in at 77/9 with England needing another 115 runs to win. He helped Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
add 45 runs added for the last wicket, managing to hold a straight bat up to the few balls he was left to face until the last four balls from Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
before lunch. He kept out the first three, but spooned the last to Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
at square leg and was out for 2. Batting again in the Third Test at Sydney Wright was run out for a duck by his Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
team-mate Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
, tripping over his bat and pulling a muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
as he rushed home. As a result he fielded only for a few overs before he had to retire from the game on the only spinning wicket of the series. With Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
's thumb broken by Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
England were reduced to three bowlers and lost by an innings. Wright recovered for the Fourth Test at Adelaide and took 4/99 with only Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
, a noted player of spin, able to master him In the England innings he joined Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
at 219/9 and made 14 of their last wicket stand of 53 as the Yorkshire batsman carried his bat for 156 not out.
Later Career 1951-57
Wright ended the series with 11 wickets (45.45) and his Test career came to an end with 7 further wickets in New Zealand (25.57). In order to regain supremacy in international cricket, England captains began to change to tactics that emphasised reducing the ability for batsmen to score. In this context, Wright was an expensive luxury. In 1951, Wright was never at his best in a damp summer, and on the hard wickets of 1952 his wickets cost six runs more than in 1947 or 1949. However, in August 1953, Wright became Kent's first professional captain, and in contrast to Eric HolliesEric Hollies
William Eric Hollies was an English cricketer, who is mainly remembered for taking the wicket of Donald Bradman for a duck in Bradman's final Test match innings, in which only four was needed for a Test average of 100...
, the job seemed to help his bowling, for in 1954 with pitches totally unsuited he took 105 wickets and, in 1955, he had one of his best seasons. At the Oval, he led Kent to an unexpected victory over 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...
when that county appeared certain to win. In 1956, however Wright did not take fifty wickets, though once against Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
he bowled at his best: Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
commented, "most of his eight victims had not been born when Wright entered first-class cricket twenty-four years ago and they had no answer to his whipping leg-breaks and googlies".
At the beginning of 1957, Wright said he did not wish to be considered for the captaincy in his second benefit year, and in mid-July he decided to retire. A review of his career was provided in the article "Googly Bowlers and Captains Retire" in the 1958 Wisden. After retiring as a player, he became coach at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
until 1971.
External links
- Doug Wright at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...
- 21 August down the years from 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...
- DVP Wright Obituary from 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...