John Buchanan (cricketer, born 1887)
Encyclopedia
John Nevile Buchanan MC
, DSO
, (30 May 1887 – 31 October 1969) was a South African born English
cricket
er. Buchanan was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium-fast
. He was born in Grahamstown
, Cape Colony
and educated at Charterhouse School
in England
, where he played for and captained the school cricket team, before undertaking studies at Cambridge University. He later served in World War I
, becoming by wars end a highly decorated officer.
debut for Cambridge University
against Yorkshire
in 1906. He made 30 further first-class appearances for the university, the last of which came against Oxford University
in 1909. In 31 first-class appearances for the university, he scored 1,484 runs at an average
of 28.00, making 5 half centuries and 4 centuries
, with a top score of 118. This score came against Northamptonshire
in 1906. As a bowler, Buchanan took 26 wickets at a bowling average
of 41.11, with best figures of 4/56.
Following his studies, he made a single first-class appearance for the Marylebone Cricket Club
against Oxford University in 1910. In this match, he scored 5 runs in the MCC first-innings, before being dismissed by Frank Tuff, while in their second-innings he was dismissed for a duck
by Philip Le Couteur
, in a match which the Oxford University v Marylebone Cricket Club won by 259 runs. Four years later he played his first first-class match for the Free Foresters
against Oxford University, with his second and final first-class appearance for the Free Foresters coming after World War I
, against Cambridge University in 1921. He later played for Buckinghamshire
as an opening batsman, making his debut for the county in the 1925 Minor Counties Championship against the Kent Second XI
. He played Minor counties cricket for Buckinghamshire from 1925 to 1927, making 8 Minor Counties Championship appearances.
in 1914, Buchanan was joined up with the Grenadier Guards
as a 2nd Lieutenant in August of that year. In September of 1917 he was still serving in the Grenadier Guards, by this time he held the full rank of Lieutenant
and the temporary rank of Acting Captain, it was in this month that he was mentioned in dispatches in the London Gazette
as having been awarded the Military Cross
.
In June of 1919, Buchanan was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. By 1919, he held the temporary rank of Major, but later relinquished his appointment on 2 April 1919.
for some time. He also had a son called Peter Alexander Buchanan. Buchanan died in St John's Wood
, London
on 31 October 1969. He was the nephew of Edward Leigh
.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, (30 May 1887 – 31 October 1969) was a South African born English
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...
cricket
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...
er. Buchanan was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium-fast
Seam bowling
Seam bowling is a phrase used for a bowling technique in cricket whereby the ball is deliberately bowled on to its seam, to cause a random deviation. Practitioners are known as seam bowlers or seamers....
. He was born in Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
, Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
and educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
in 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...
, where he played for and captained the school cricket team, before undertaking studies at Cambridge University. He later served in 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...
, becoming by wars end a highly decorated officer.
Cricket career
Buchanan made his first-classFirst-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...
debut for 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...
against 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....
in 1906. He made 30 further first-class appearances for the university, the last of which came 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...
in 1909. In 31 first-class appearances for the university, he scored 1,484 runs at an average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 28.00, making 5 half centuries and 4 centuries
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
, with a top score of 118. This score came against Northamptonshire
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...
in 1906. As a bowler, Buchanan took 26 wickets at a bowling average
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
of 41.11, with best figures of 4/56.
Following his studies, he made a single first-class appearance for the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
against Oxford University in 1910. In this match, he scored 5 runs in the MCC first-innings, before being dismissed by Frank Tuff, while in their second-innings he was dismissed for a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
by Philip Le Couteur
Philip Le Couteur
Philip Ridgeway Le Couteur was an Australian academic, philosopher and headmaster.-Early life:Le Couteur was born at Kyneton, Victoria, the only son of George, a pharmaceutical chemist, and his wife Fanny. Both parents were Methodist and Australian born...
, in a match which the Oxford University v Marylebone Cricket Club won by 259 runs. Four years later he played his first first-class match for the 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....
against Oxford University, with his second and final first-class appearance for the Free Foresters coming 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...
, against Cambridge University in 1921. He later played for Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire County Cricket Club
Buckinghamshire 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 Buckinghamshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy. The Minor Counties play...
as an opening batsman, making his debut for the county in the 1925 Minor Counties Championship against the Kent Second XI
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...
. He played Minor counties cricket for Buckinghamshire from 1925 to 1927, making 8 Minor Counties Championship appearances.
Military career
With the start of World War IWorld 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...
in 1914, Buchanan was joined up with the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
as a 2nd Lieutenant in August of that year. In September of 1917 he was still serving in the Grenadier Guards, by this time he held the full rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and the temporary rank of Acting Captain, it was in this month that he was mentioned in dispatches in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
as having been awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
In June of 1919, Buchanan was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. By 1919, he held the temporary rank of Major, but later relinquished his appointment on 2 April 1919.
Personal life
Buchanan spent part of his life living in the Buckinghamshire village of Bledlow RidgeBledlow Ridge
Bledlow Ridge is a village in the civil parish of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton in Buckinghamshire, England, population 940 . It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, about 4 miles SSW of Princes Risborough and on the road between the High Wycombe and Chinnor....
for some time. He also had a son called Peter Alexander Buchanan. Buchanan died in St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 31 October 1969. He was the nephew of Edward Leigh
Edward Leigh (cricketer, born 1913)
Edward Buchanan Leigh was an English cricketer. Leigh was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm off break. He was born in Vacoas, British Mauritius....
.
External links
- John Buchanan at ESPNcricinfo
- John Buchanan at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...