John Isaac
Encyclopedia
John Edmund Valentine Isaac (14 February 1880 – 9 May 1915), DSO
, was an English
cricketer
: a right-handed batsmen who played ten first-class
matches in South Africa
and England
between 1906 and 1908. He was born at Powick Court, Worcestershire
.
Isaac's first-class debut came for the South Africa Army cricket team
in the only match of that standard they ever played, when they met MCC
at Thara Tswane, Pretoria
in January 1906. The MCC side were far too strong for their opponents and won by an innings
, Isaac making 0 and 8. This match was chiefly notable for Schofield Haigh
's feat of taking four wickets in as many balls in the Army's second innings.
In 1906-07 he played four times for Orange Free State
in the Currie Cup, though his highest score was only 34 not out. Curiously, in Isaac's eight visits to the crease he was four times out bowled to a man who would take six or more wickets in that innings (JJ Kotze
8-57, RO Schwarz
7-25, AEE Vogler
6-34 & 8-24).
In 1907
and 1908
, Isaac made five appearances for Worcestershire County Cricket Club
, but never made more than 13 and never played first-class cricket again.
Attached to the 2nd battalion, Rifle Brigade, Captain Isaac was killed in action in World War I
, at Fromelles
, France
at the age of 35 during the northern attack of the Battle of Aubers Ridge, 9th May 1915
. Initially posted as missing, his body was recovered in April 1921 and identified by the medal ribbons. He was subsequently reburied at New Irish Farm Cemetery
, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
.
Isaac's brother Arthur
and nephew Herbert
also played first-class cricket.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, was an English
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...
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 right-handed batsmen who played ten 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...
matches in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and 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...
between 1906 and 1908. He was born at Powick Court, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.
Isaac's first-class debut came for the South Africa Army cricket team
South Africa Army cricket team
The South Africa Army cricket team represented the British Army in South Africa, the Union of South Africa having not yet been formed at the time....
in the only match of that standard they ever played, when they met MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
at Thara Tswane, Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
in January 1906. The MCC side were far too strong for their opponents and won by an innings
The result in cricket
The result in a game of cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing, a draw or a tie. In the case of a limited overs game, the game can also end with no result...
, Isaac making 0 and 8. This match was chiefly notable for Schofield Haigh
Schofield Haigh
Schofield Haigh was a Yorkshire and England cricketer. He played for eighteen seasons for Yorkshire County Cricket Club, for England from the 1898/99 tour to 1912, and was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1901....
's feat of taking four wickets in as many balls in the Army's second innings.
In 1906-07 he played four times for Orange Free State
Orange Free State cricket team
The Free State cricket team is the first-class cricket team representing the province of Free State in South Africa....
in the Currie Cup, though his highest score was only 34 not out. Curiously, in Isaac's eight visits to the crease he was four times out bowled to a man who would take six or more wickets in that innings (JJ Kotze
Johannes Kotze
Johannes Jacobus Kotze was an South African cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1902 to 1907....
8-57, RO Schwarz
Reggie Schwarz
Major Reginald Oscar Schwarz MC, known as Reggie was a South African cricketer and international rugby union footballer.-Early life:...
7-25, AEE Vogler
Bert Vogler
Albert Edward Ernest Vogler was a South African cricketer.Vogler was born in Swartwater, Queenstown, Eastern Cape. He began his cricket career for Natal as an attacking lower order right-handed batsman and fast medium bowler before acquiring the googly from Reggie Schwarz on that player’s return...
6-34 & 8-24).
In 1907
1907 English cricket season
The 1907 English cricket season gave Nottinghamshire its first-ever official County Championship title and saw the first Test matches to be held in England against South Africa.-Honours:*County Championship - Nottinghamshire...
and 1908
1908 English cricket season
The 1908 English cricket season was the year in which American John Barton "Bart" King topped the bowling averages as a member of the touring Philadelphian cricket team.-Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire...
, Isaac made five appearances for Worcestershire County Cricket Club
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...
, but never made more than 13 and never played first-class cricket again.
Attached to the 2nd battalion, Rifle Brigade, Captain Isaac was killed in action in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, at Fromelles
Fromelles
-References:* -External links:*** video report from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the age of 35 during the northern attack of the Battle of Aubers Ridge, 9th May 1915
. Initially posted as missing, his body was recovered in April 1921 and identified by the medal ribbons. He was subsequently reburied at New Irish Farm Cemetery
New Irish Farm Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
New Irish Farm Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of the First World War located near Ypres in Belgium on the Western Front....
, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Isaac's brother Arthur
Arthur Isaac
Arthur Whitmore Isaac was an English cricketer: a right-handed batsman who played a number of times, though with only modest success, for Worcestershire in their early seasons in first-class cricket. He was also a member of the Club Committee, and spent a period as its Treasurer...
and nephew Herbert
Herbert Isaac
Herbert Whitmore Isaac was an English cricketer who played three first-class games for Worcestershire in 1919 without any great success...
also played first-class cricket.
External links
- Statistical summary from 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...