George Chesterton
Encyclopedia
George Herbert Chesterton (born 15 July 1922) is a former English cricketer
who played first-class cricket
between 1949 and 1966. The bulk of his appearances were for Worcestershire
, whom he represented between 1950 and 1957. He was capped by the county in 1950. Very much a specialist bowler, he never reached 50 in over 100 first-class innings.
Chesterton was educated at Malvern College
.
He made his first-class debut in 1948, representing Free Foresters
in a drawn match against Oxford University
at The University Parks. He made 29 not out
in his only innings, and took two wickets, including that of future South Africa Test
player Clive van Ryneveld
.
Although that was his only first-class appearance of the season, he did also represent Cornwall
twice against the Surrey
Second XI in August, something he would do twice more in August 1949.
That 1949 season saw Chesterton play frequently for the Oxford side, and his final aggregate of 46 wickets was the highest he managed in any summer, as was his total of four five-wicket innings hauls.
His best innings return that season was the 6-11 he claimed against Free Foresters in late May; this game also saw him make his highest score of 43.
In early July he played against Cambridge University
in the Varsity Match at Lord's
, though he took only one wicket as Oxford went down to a seven-wicket defeat.
Chesterton's 1950 season began with a match against Oxford at Lord's, and he also represented MCC against Ireland in Dublin at the end of the season, but the year was most notable for his first summer of county cricket
with Worcestershire. He took 38 first-class wickets in all (32 in England and six in Ireland),
twice taking six wickets in an innings: 6-61 versus Lancashire
in early August
and 6-59 against Somerset
later that same month.
In 1951 Chesterton played only once, but between 1952 and 1957 he made about half a dozen appearances a year for Worcestershire, generally picking up 20 or 30 wickets each season, as well as continuing to take the trip to Ireland with MCC in 1952, 1954 and 1956. It was on the 1956 tour that he recorded his career-best innings return, taking 7-14. He followed that up with 3-38 in the second innings to record his only ten-wicket match haul.
Chesterton ended his county cricket career after 1957, but he did have one final game for Free Foresters against Oxford in 1961,
and continued to accompany MCC to Ireland well into the 1960s. His final first-class game came in that fixture in September 1966, but his farewell to cricket was not a success despite MCC's victory: Chesterton made 0 in both innings and did not take a wicket in 20 overs of bowling.
Chesterton wrote a book on coaching for young people with Alan Duff
, entitled Your Book of Cricket.
He also co-wrote Oxford and Cambridge Cricketers with Cambridge
blue and England Test player Hubert Doggart
. In 1991, he founded The Chesterton Cup, an annual cricket competition between schools in the English Midlands. Schools which regularly participate include RGS Worcester (record five times winner), Cheltenham College
, Malvern College
and Monmouth School
. In 2011, he was appointed president of the Cricketer Cup.
Outside cricket, Chesterton worked at Malvern College, the school he had attended as a boy, until 1982, becoming deputy head. In 1990 was published Malvern College: 125 Years, a book which he wrote. In 2006, the Malvernian Society held a dinner in his honour at the college to celebrate his 70-year association with Malvern.
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who played 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...
between 1949 and 1966. The bulk of his appearances were for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
, whom he represented between 1950 and 1957. He was capped by the county in 1950. Very much a specialist bowler, he never reached 50 in over 100 first-class innings.
Chesterton was educated at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
.
He made his first-class debut in 1948, representing Free Foresters
Free Foresters Cricket Club
Free Foresters Cricket Club is an English amateur cricket club, established in 1856 for players from the Midland counties of England. It is a 'wandering' club, having no home ground....
in a drawn match against Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
at The University Parks. He made 29 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
in his only innings, and took two wickets, including that of future South Africa Test
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...
player Clive van Ryneveld
Clive van Ryneveld
Clive Berrange van Ryneveld is a former South African cricketer who played in nineteen Tests from 1951 to 1958. He is the oldest living South African cricket captain....
.
Although that was his only first-class appearance of the season, he did also represent Cornwall
Cornwall County Cricket Club
Cornwall County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cornwall and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
twice against the Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
Second XI in August, something he would do twice more in August 1949.
That 1949 season saw Chesterton play frequently for the Oxford side, and his final aggregate of 46 wickets was the highest he managed in any summer, as was his total of four five-wicket innings hauls.
His best innings return that season was the 6-11 he claimed against Free Foresters in late May; this game also saw him make his highest score of 43.
In early July he played 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 the Varsity Match at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, though he took only one wicket as Oxford went down to a seven-wicket defeat.
Chesterton's 1950 season began with a match against Oxford at Lord's, and he also represented MCC against Ireland in Dublin at the end of the season, but the year was most notable for his first summer of county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
with Worcestershire. He took 38 first-class wickets in all (32 in England and six in Ireland),
twice taking six wickets in an innings: 6-61 versus 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...
in early August
and 6-59 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...
later that same month.
In 1951 Chesterton played only once, but between 1952 and 1957 he made about half a dozen appearances a year for Worcestershire, generally picking up 20 or 30 wickets each season, as well as continuing to take the trip to Ireland with MCC in 1952, 1954 and 1956. It was on the 1956 tour that he recorded his career-best innings return, taking 7-14. He followed that up with 3-38 in the second innings to record his only ten-wicket match haul.
Chesterton ended his county cricket career after 1957, but he did have one final game for Free Foresters against Oxford in 1961,
and continued to accompany MCC to Ireland well into the 1960s. His final first-class game came in that fixture in September 1966, but his farewell to cricket was not a success despite MCC's victory: Chesterton made 0 in both innings and did not take a wicket in 20 overs of bowling.
Chesterton wrote a book on coaching for young people with Alan Duff
Alan Duff (cricketer)
Alan Robert Duff was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket matches in the late 1950s and 1960s. Most of these were for Oxford University, but he also had a brief county cricket career for Worcestershire...
, entitled Your Book of Cricket.
He also co-wrote Oxford and Cambridge Cricketers with Cambridge
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...
blue and England Test player Hubert Doggart
Hubert Doggart
Hubert Doggart, O.B.E., MA was an English administrator, cricketer and schoolmaster...
. In 1991, he founded The Chesterton Cup, an annual cricket competition between schools in the English Midlands. Schools which regularly participate include RGS Worcester (record five times winner), Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
and Monmouth School
Monmouth School
Monmouth School is an HMC boys' boarding and day school in Monmouth, Monmouthshire in south east Wales. It was founded in 1614 by William Jones. It is run as a trust, the William Jones's Schools Foundation, by the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Livery Companies...
. In 2011, he was appointed president of the Cricketer Cup.
Outside cricket, Chesterton worked at Malvern College, the school he had attended as a boy, until 1982, becoming deputy head. In 1990 was published Malvern College: 125 Years, a book which he wrote. In 2006, the Malvernian Society held a dinner in his honour at the college to celebrate his 70-year association with Malvern.