David Denton
Encyclopedia
David Denton was an English
first-class cricket
er. An attacking batsman, he had a long career with Yorkshire
and played eleven Tests
for England
. His nickname
of 'Lucky' came from his habit of surviving the numerous chances, that his attacking batting style naturally created for the opposition. He was a fine deep fielder, and was said to be an excellent judge of a high catch, but did little bowling: his only really significant contribution with the ball came in 1896, when he took 5-42 against South of England. He also had one first-class stumping to his name, against Cambridge University
in 1905.
, Yorkshire
, and showed promise as a teenager, scoring a half-century in a Colts game in 1892. After three friendly (but nevertheless first-class
) matches for Yorkshire in 1894, he made his Championship
debut for the county in Yorkshire's final game of the season against Somerset
, though he did not bat, bowl or take a catch. The following year, he scored useful runs against Cambridge University
and also Lancashire
, to establish his place in the side. That year he made a thousand runs for the first time, only once thereafter (in 1898) failing to reach that landmark.
In 1905, Denton had a fantastic year, scoring 2,405 runs earning himself Wisden Cricketer of the Year recognition in the 1906 Almanack
. Injury to Archie MacLaren resulted in Denton's elevation to the Test team in July 1905, to play against Australia
at Headingley
, Leeds
, but he failed to make the most of his opportunity and was dismissed for 0 and 12, being dropped from the team immediately thereafter. He was recalled for the tour to South Africa
that winter, and played in all five Tests. He made just one fifty in ten innings, and was again dropped from the side, but nevertheless played five more matches for England
on a second and final tour of South Africa, in 1909/10. In the third Test at Johannesburg
he made 104 at about a run a minute, but in no other innings did he even pass 30, and his England career came to a permanent end.
Denton continued to play with considerable success for Yorkshire until after World War I
, making his highest score of 221 against Kent
in 1912, and scoring 209 not out at Worcester
as late as June 1920, just a month short of his 46th birthday. He retired at the end of that year, and though afflicted by ill-health for a time, recovered enough to stand as a first-class umpire
regularly from 1925 to 1930, and in occasional matches until 1937.
He died at the age of 75 in the town of his birth. His older brother, Joe Denton
, also had a brief first-class career with Yorkshire in 1887 and 1888.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
first-class cricket
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...
er. An attacking batsman, he had a long career with Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
and played eleven Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
. His nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
of 'Lucky' came from his habit of surviving the numerous chances, that his attacking batting style naturally created for the opposition. He was a fine deep fielder, and was said to be an excellent judge of a high catch, but did little bowling: his only really significant contribution with the ball came in 1896, when he took 5-42 against South of England. He also had one first-class stumping to his name, against Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
in 1905.
Career
Denton was born in WakefieldWakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and showed promise as a teenager, scoring a half-century in a Colts game in 1892. After three friendly (but nevertheless 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 for Yorkshire in 1894, he made his Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
debut for the county in Yorkshire's final game of the season against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
, though he did not bat, bowl or take a catch. The following year, he scored useful runs against Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
and also Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, to establish his place in the side. That year he made a thousand runs for the first time, only once thereafter (in 1898) failing to reach that landmark.
In 1905, Denton had a fantastic year, scoring 2,405 runs earning himself Wisden Cricketer of the Year recognition in the 1906 Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
. Injury to Archie MacLaren resulted in Denton's elevation to the Test team in July 1905, to play against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, but he failed to make the most of his opportunity and was dismissed for 0 and 12, being dropped from the team immediately thereafter. He was recalled for the tour to 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...
that winter, and played in all five Tests. He made just one fifty in ten innings, and was again dropped from the side, but nevertheless played five more matches for England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
on a second and final tour of South Africa, in 1909/10. In the third Test at Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
he made 104 at about a run a minute, but in no other innings did he even pass 30, and his England career came to a permanent end.
Denton continued to play with considerable success for Yorkshire until after 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...
, making his highest score of 221 against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
in 1912, and scoring 209 not out at Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
as late as June 1920, just a month short of his 46th birthday. He retired at the end of that year, and though afflicted by ill-health for a time, recovered enough to stand as a first-class umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
regularly from 1925 to 1930, and in occasional matches until 1937.
He died at the age of 75 in the town of his birth. His older brother, Joe Denton
Joe Denton
Joe Denton was an English first-class cricketer, who played fifteen matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1887 and 1888....
, also had a brief first-class career with Yorkshire in 1887 and 1888.