George John

Infobox Old Cricketer


nationality = West Indian
country = West Indies
country abbrev = WI
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngname = George John
batting style = Right-handed batsman
bowling style = Right-hand fast medium
FCs = 29
FC runs = 466
FC bat avg = 14.12
FC 100s/50s = 1/0
FC top score = 111
FC balls = 5801
FC wickets = 133
FC bowl avg = 19.24
FC 5s = 7
FC 10s = 1
FC best bowling = 7/52
FC catches/stumpings = 16/0
debut date = 23 October
debut year = 1909
last date = 7 January
last year = 1928
source = http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/23/23768/23768.html CricketArchive

George John (born c. 1883 at St. Vincent ; died January 14, 1944, Port of Spain) was a West Indian fast bowler.

George John was a very fast bowler in his prime and could cut the ball into the batsmen. He toured England with West Indies side in 1923 but by then was past his best. He claimed 90 wickets at 14.68 in all matches, 49 of them at 19.51 in first class matches. Against Glamorgan he took 10 for 147 and at Scarborough, with George Francis, reduced a near Test quality HDG Leveson Gower's XI to 19 for 6 as they were chasing 28 to win in the second innings. [ The West Indians would have won, says CLR James, but for some atrocious umpiring ] John took 5 for 54 for Trinidad against MCC in 1925-26 when he was over forty years of age.

C. L. R. James who often played against him has left a picture of what John the bowler looked like :

:"He was just the right height, about five foot ten, with a chest, shoulders and legs on him all power and proportion... He was one of those rare fast bowlers who proposed to defeat you first of all by pace and sheer pace. He ran about fifteen yards, a quick step or two first, a long loping stride that increased until near the crease he leapt into the air and delivered, his arm high...Thunderbolts they were".

Notes

References

* C. L. R. James, "Beyond a Boundary", Duke University Press (1998)
* Wisden Obituary

External links

* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/23/23768/23768.html Cricketarchive profile]
* [http://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results2.cgi?playernumber=23768&playername=g%20john&playernameexact=&displayplayername=G%20John&team=&teamexact=&opponent=&opponentexact=&captain=&wicketkeeper=&homeawaytype=All&matchtype=All&resulttype=All&startseason=&endseason=&searchtype=InningsList&startscore=&endscore=&startwicket=&endwicket=&branding=cricketarchive First class career]