- Chick Cray
-
Personal information Full name Stanley James Cray Born 29 May 1921
Stratford, Essex, EnglandDied 10 October 2008 (aged 87)
Torquay, Devon, EnglandNickname Chick Batting style Right-handed Domestic team information Years Team 1954 & 1957 Devon 1938–1950 Essex Career statistics Competition First-class Matches 102 Runs scored 4,218 Batting average 24.66 100s/50s 7/17 Top score 163 Balls bowled 32 Wickets 1 Bowling average 40.00 5 wickets in innings – 10 wickets in match – Best bowling 1/0 Catches/stumpings 24/– Source: Cricinfo, 20 April 2011 Stanley James Cray (29 May 1921 – 10 October 2008) was an English cricketer. Cray was a right-handed batsman and known to fellow players as Chick. He was born in Stratford, Essex.
Cray made his first-class debut for Essex against Worcestershire in the 1938 County Championship. He became a regular in the Essex team in 1939, but the start of the Second World War abruptly ended his first-class career with Essex in its tracks.[1] Serving in the war, Cray served in the British Raj, while stationed there he played two first-class matches for a Services XI against an Indian XI and a Bengal Governor's XI, both in 1944.[1] Following the war, Cray returned to Essex, where he played first-class cricket once more from 1946 to 1950.[1] As well as his appearances for Essex and a Services XI, he also played a single first-class match for a combined Essex and Middlesex team against a combined Surrey and Kent team in 1947.[2] Cray was a member of the Essex team which tied with Northamptonshire in 1947, a match in which he scored a century in the Essex first-innings.[3]
In total he made 99 first-class appearances for the county, scoring 4,062 runs at a batting average of 24.46, with sixteen half centuries, seven centuries and a high score of 163.[4] His highest first-class score came against Nottinghamshire in 1950.[5] Cray passed 1,000 runs for a season twice, in 1947 and 1949.[6] Following the 1950 season, Cray coached in South Africa when out of the blue he received a phonecall informing him his services were no longer required by Essex.[7]
Following his release he played Minor Counties Championship cricket for Devon on two occasions, firstly in 1954 against the Surrey Second XI and secondly against Oxfordshire in 1957.[8] While in Devon he was the professional at Paignton Cricket Club. He retired fully from playing and coaching in 1961, following problems with a hand injury he had sustained in a car accident.[7] He had a number of jobs outside of cricket, including as a postman and a kitchen assistant.[7]
One of the few cricketers to have played first-class cricket before the war, Cray died in Torquay, Devon on 10 October 2008.[7]
References
- ^ a b c "First-Class Matches played by Chick Cray". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4821/First-Class_Matches.html. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
- ^ "Surrey and Kent v Middlesex and Essex, 1947". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18285.html. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "Essex v Northamptonshire, 1947 County Championship". CricketArchive. http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18012.html. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Chick Cray". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4821/f_Batting_by_Team.html. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "Essex v Nottinghamshire, 1950 County Championship". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/19/19300.html. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Chick Cray". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4821/f_Batting_by_Season.html. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d Williamson, Martin (10 November 2008). "Essex veteran Cray dies". http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/story/377741.html. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Chick Cray". CricketArchive. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4821/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
External links
Categories:- 1921 births
- 2008 deaths
- People from Stratford, London
- People from Essex
- English cricketers
- Essex cricketers
- Devon cricketers
- Cricket coaches
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