George Dewhurst (cricketer)

George Dewhurst

Personal information
Full name	George Alric R. Dewhurst
Born	(1894-10-31)31 October 1894 Trinidad
Died	4 January 1954(1954-01-04) (aged 59) Trinidad
Nickname	Fatty
Batting	Right-handed
Role	Wicket-keeper
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1920–1930	Trinidad
Career statistics
Competition Domestic career Matches 31 Runs scored 665 Batting average 16.21 100s/50s 0/6 Top score 58 Catches/stumpings 47/13
Source: CricketArchive, 18 June 2012

George Alric R. Dewhurst (31 October 1894 – 4 January 1954) was a Trinidadian cricketer who played for West Indies before the team attained Test match status. A highly regarded wicket-keeper, Dewhurst was an influential and popular member of the Trinidad and West Indian sides. In his later career, he improved substantially as a batsman. He toured England with the West Indies team in 1923 but missed the 1928 tour of England in controversial circumstances. Despite continued speculation that he would be recalled, he did not play representative cricket again.

Dewhurst made his first-class debut for Trinidad in 1920, playing two matches against Barbados. The following season, he played twice in the Inter-Colonial Tournament, and also played both games in 1922. In the final of the latter tournament, he scored 58, his maiden first-class half-century and only his second score in double figures.

During 1923, a representative West Indian team toured England. Dewhurst was selected as wicket-keeper for the tour. He played in 15 games to score 182 runs at an average of 10.11, with one half-century: 52 against Nottinghamshire. Although not the team's official vice-captain, Dewhurst was very influential in the side. His performances as wicket-keeper were widely praised in the English press, and according to one team-mate from that tour, the bowling was difficult for a wicket-keeper to take. Despite competition from C. Piggott, whom many Trinidadians considered a superior wicket-keeper, Dewhurst secured his place as Trinidad's wicket-keeper after the tour. Many critics regarded Dewhurst as the best wicket-keeper in the West Indies.

Dewhurst continued to play for Trinidad between 1923 and 1926, although, owing to his business commitments, he was unable to play in every game. In 1926 he played against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which was touring the West Indies, for both Trinidad and a West Indies team. He passed fifty three times against the touring team, and such was his improvement as a batsman that critics suggested he could hold a place in the West Indies team for his batting alone. However, Dewhurst did not play another first-class match until 1930.