Fen Cresswell

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Fen Cresswell
Personal information
Full name
George Fenwick Cresswell
Born(1915-03-22)22 March 1915
Wanganui, New Zealand
Died10 January 1966(1966-01-10) (aged 50)
Blenheim, New Zealand
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm slow-medium
RelationsArthur Cresswell (brother)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 50)13 August 1949 v England
Last Test24 March 1951 v England
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1949–50Wellington
1950–51 to 1954–55Central Districts
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 3 33
Runs scored 14 89
Batting average 7.00 5.23
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 12* 12*
Balls bowled 650 8,107
Wickets 13 124
Bowling average 22.46 22.53
5 wickets in innings 1 8
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 6/168 8/100
Catches/stumpings 0/– 11/–
Source: Cricinfo, 1 April 2017

George Fenwick Cresswell (22 March 1915 – 10 January 1966) was a cricketer who played three Tests for New Zealand. Born in Wanganui, he was the older brother of Arthur Cresswell. He was the 50th Test cap for New Zealand.

Cricket career[edit]

Cresswell was educated at Marlborough Boys' College, where he played for the first XI.[1] An accurate slow-medium bowler, he had played his cricket for Marlborough in the Hawke Cup when he was selected to make his first-class debut at the age of 33 in a trial match for The Rest against a New Zealand XI in January 1949.[1] After taking three wickets in the match he was selected for the 1949 tour to England.[2]

In England he took 62 wickets at 26.09 in 19 matches, and found his best form late in the tour, taking 5 for 30 against Yorkshire and 6 for 21 against Glamorgan. He made his Test debut in the final Test against England at The Oval. He opened the bowling with Jack Cowie, and took 6 for 168 in England's only innings. Batting at his usual position of number 11, he made 12 not out, which remained his highest first-class score.[3] As of early 2021 he is still the oldest person (at 34 years and 146 days) to take five or more wickets in an innings in his first Test.[4]

He played for Wellington in 1949–50. He also played for New Zealand against the touring Australian team, taking 8 for 100 in Australia's only innings; then, batting at number 11, he put on an unbroken partnership of nine runs with Walter Hadlee to avert an innings defeat.[5] Earlier in the season, captaining Marlborough in a Hawke Cup elimination match against Nelson, he took 16 wickets in the match (8 for 44 and 8 for 46) but Nelson won by two wickets.[6]

In 1950–51 he played for Central Districts in their inaugural Plunket Shield season, taking 5 for 31 against Canterbury at Palmerston North and 5 for 38 against Auckland at New Plymouth to give them victory in their first two home games and second place in the final table.[7] He played in the two Tests against the visiting English side, taking 7 wickets at 17.71. After that he suffered from a back injury,[1] and played only three matches in the next four seasons before retiring in 1956.[8]

Cresswell had an unusual run-up and action. Dick Brittenden wrote: "he bowled from a run of a few paces. He began each time by standing stiffly to attention, poised for an appreciable little interval. Then he moved in and bowled with one of the strangest of actions – no left arm, and his chest quite square to the batsman."[1]

His younger brother Arthur also played as a pace bowler for Wellington and Central Districts in the same period.[9]

Death[edit]

Cresswell was found dead at his home in Blenheim in January 1966, with a gun next to him.[10][11] He had been suffering from cancer.[12]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d R.T. Brittenden, New Zealand Cricketers, A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, 1961, pp. 54–56.
  2. ^ "New Zealand XI v The Rest 1948–49". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. ^ "4th Test: England v New Zealand at The Oval, Aug 13–16, 1949". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Nauman Ali becomes the oldest debutant in 71 years to claim a five-wicket haul in Tests". Sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  5. ^ Wisden 1951, pp. 833–34.
  6. ^ "Marlborough v Nelson 1949–50". CricketArchive. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  7. ^ Wisden 1952, pp. 893–94.
  8. ^ "People in the Play". Press: 5. 22 December 1956.
  9. ^ "Arthur Cresswell". Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Fen Cresswell". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  11. ^ "G. F Cresswell Fine Bowler". Press: 13. 11 January 1966.
  12. ^ "Mental health help there for NZ cricketers". Stuff. December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011.

External links[edit]

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