Jim Blanckenberg
Encyclopedia
James Manuel Blanckenberg was a South African cricketer
. He was born in Claremont
, Cape Town
, South Africa
on New Year’s Eve, 1892 and died circa 1955, in West Berlin
, Germany
. A middle-order batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, Blanckenberg’s first-class
career spanned the years 1912 to 1924. In a period interrupted by the First World War, he played all but his final season with Western Province; his final domestic season was spent with Natal. For several years he was considered the best bowler in South Africa, a player that could bowl for hours on matting wickets if asked to do so. Twenty-one times during his career he took five wickets in an innings
, his best being 9 for 78 gained at Johannesburg
in the Currie Cup
match between Transvaal
and Western Province, January 1921. And three times he surpassed 10 wickets in a match - 11 for 161 in that same match at Johannesburg in January 1921, Transvaal v Western Province; 10 for 102 at Newlands
, Cape Town
in March 1921, Western Province v Natal; and 10 for 74 at Northampton
on the South African tour of England
in July 1924, Northants
v South Africa. Two other bowling feats are worthy of note. In December, 1923, in a Currie Cup match at Johannesburg between Griqualand and Natal, Blanckenberg took 9 wickets for 75 runs. And in August, 1924, in a tour match at Cardiff
against Glamorgan
, he took eight wickets for 97 runs in South Africa’s only innings on the field, all his victims being bowled. Rather ironically, his highest first-class score with the bat was 171 for Natal against his former team, Western Province in December, 1923. In this drawn match, he and A.W. Nourse
(186) hit a partnership worth 291 runs. Eighteen times Blanckenberg represented South Africa at Test
level, his debut coming in December 1913 when J.W.H.T. Douglas
led England to the first of their four victories on the tour. After failing in that game Blanckenberg then played in every South African Test match from the 1913/14 series against England to their own visit to England in 1924. Although he was generally successfully on this last tour, taking 119 wickets in all matches at an average of 22.40, he failed against the better English batsmen and admitted that "he could not bowl well on turf wickets". The exact date of Blanckenberg’s death remains unconfirmed and no obituary appeared within Wisden
for him.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. He was born in Claremont
Claremont, Cape Town
Claremont is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated six miles south of the city, and is one of the so-called "Southern Suburbs". It is an important commercial and residential area, which is currently experiencing significant growth and development.-History:Until the arrival of Dutch...
, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, 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...
on New Year’s Eve, 1892 and died circa 1955, in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. A middle-order batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, Blanckenberg’s 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...
career spanned the years 1912 to 1924. In a period interrupted by the First World War, he played all but his final season with Western Province; his final domestic season was spent with Natal. For several years he was considered the best bowler in South Africa, a player that could bowl for hours on matting wickets if asked to do so. Twenty-one times during his career he took five wickets in an innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
, his best being 9 for 78 gained 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...
in the Currie Cup
SuperSport Series
The SuperSport Series is the main domestic first class cricket competition in South Africa, first contested in 1889-90. From 1990-91 it became known as the Castle Cup, and from 1996-97 by its current title...
match between Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
and Western Province, January 1921. And three times he surpassed 10 wickets in a match - 11 for 161 in that same match at Johannesburg in January 1921, Transvaal v Western Province; 10 for 102 at Newlands
Newlands, Cape Town
Newlands is an upmarket suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.It is located at the foot of Table Mountain in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, and is the wettest suburb in South Africa due to its high winter rainfall...
, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in March 1921, Western Province v Natal; and 10 for 74 at Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
on the South African tour of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in July 1924, Northants
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire 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 Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
v South Africa. Two other bowling feats are worthy of note. In December, 1923, in a Currie Cup match at Johannesburg between Griqualand and Natal, Blanckenberg took 9 wickets for 75 runs. And in August, 1924, in a tour match at Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
against Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
, he took eight wickets for 97 runs in South Africa’s only innings on the field, all his victims being bowled. Rather ironically, his highest first-class score with the bat was 171 for Natal against his former team, Western Province in December, 1923. In this drawn match, he and A.W. Nourse
Dave Nourse
Arthur William "Dave" Nourse, born at Croydon, England on 26 January 1878 and died at Port Elizabeth, South Africa on 8 July 1948, was a cricketer who played for Natal, Transvaal, Western Province and South Africa....
(186) hit a partnership worth 291 runs. Eighteen times Blanckenberg represented South Africa at 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...
level, his debut coming in December 1913 when J.W.H.T. Douglas
Johnny Douglas
John "Johnny" William Henry Tyler Douglas was a cricketer who was captain of the England team and an Olympic boxer.-Early life:...
led England to the first of their four victories on the tour. After failing in that game Blanckenberg then played in every South African Test match from the 1913/14 series against England to their own visit to England in 1924. Although he was generally successfully on this last tour, taking 119 wickets in all matches at an average of 22.40, he failed against the better English batsmen and admitted that "he could not bowl well on turf wickets". The exact date of Blanckenberg’s death remains unconfirmed and no obituary appeared within Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
for him.