John Cameron (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
John Hemsley Cameron was a cricketer
who played in two Tests
for the West Indian cricket team
in 1939. But though Jamaican by birth, Cameron played only once for Jamaica, the bulk of his first-class cricket
career being spent in England.
Cameron was a lower-order right-handed batsman of uncomplicated methods and a bowler who began as a prodigious leg-spin and googly bowler, but turned to off-breaks when he lost the knack of finger spin. He came to early fame as a schoolboy cricketer in 1931 when, having played for Taunton School
, he was picked for the Rest of England side against the Public Schools XI and took all 10 wickets in the Schools' innings for 49 runs. The next season, 1932, he played a couple of matches for Somerset
.
From 1934, he played for four seasons for Cambridge University
, winning a Blue three times, and turned out for Somerset in the university holidays. As a bowler, his best season was 1935, when he took 60 wickets; as a batsman, he scored 863 runs in 1937.
In 1938, he played twice in first-class cricket in Jamaica, both times for the touring combined Oxford and Cambridge University side against the island team. But in 1939, he was back in England as vice-captain of the West Indies touring team. He played in the first two Test matches, taking the first three wickets to fall in the England
first innings at Lord's: the three were Harold Gimblett
, Eddie Paynter
and Walter Hammond, and they remained Cameron's only Test wickets. Wisden
reported in 1940 that Cameron was "not reliable with bat or ball", and he was injured for latter part of the tour.
After the Second World War, Cameron played his one match for Jamaica and a handful of games for Somerset, but retired in 1947.
His father, John Joseph Cameron
, was a doctor, and played first-class cricket for Jamaica and toured England with the first West Indian cricket team in 1906; his brother Jimmy Cameron
was a Test cricketer as well, and played for both Jamaica and Canada
.
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 in two 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 the West Indian cricket team
West Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
in 1939. But though Jamaican by birth, Cameron played only once for Jamaica, the bulk of his 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...
career being spent in England.
Cameron was a lower-order right-handed batsman of uncomplicated methods and a bowler who began as a prodigious leg-spin and googly bowler, but turned to off-breaks when he lost the knack of finger spin. He came to early fame as a schoolboy cricketer in 1931 when, having played for Taunton School
Taunton School
Taunton School is a co-educational independent school in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18....
, he was picked for the Rest of England side against the Public Schools XI and took all 10 wickets in the Schools' innings for 49 runs. The next season, 1932, he played a couple of matches for 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...
.
From 1934, he played for four seasons 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...
, winning a Blue three times, and turned out for Somerset in the university holidays. As a bowler, his best season was 1935, when he took 60 wickets; as a batsman, he scored 863 runs in 1937.
In 1938, he played twice in first-class cricket in Jamaica, both times for the touring combined Oxford and Cambridge University side against the island team. But in 1939, he was back in England as vice-captain of the West Indies touring team. He played in the first two Test matches, taking the first three wickets to fall in the 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...
first innings at Lord's: the three were Harold Gimblett
Harold Gimblett
Harold Gimblett was a cricketer who played for Somerset and England. He was known for his fast scoring as an opening batsman and for the much-repeated story of his debut...
, Eddie Paynter
Eddie Paynter
Edward "Eddie" Paynter was an English cricketer: an attacking batsman and excellent fielder. His Test batting average of 59.23 is the fifth highest of all time, and second only to Herbert Sutcliffe amongst Englishmen; against Australia alone Paynter averaged an extraordinary 84.42.Born in...
and Walter Hammond, and they remained Cameron's only Test wickets. Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
reported in 1940 that Cameron was "not reliable with bat or ball", and he was injured for latter part of the tour.
After the Second World War, Cameron played his one match for Jamaica and a handful of games for Somerset, but retired in 1947.
His father, John Joseph Cameron
John Joseph Cameron
John Joseph Cameron was a West Indian cricketer who toured with the second West Indian touring side to England in 1906...
, was a doctor, and played first-class cricket for Jamaica and toured England with the first West Indian cricket team in 1906; his brother Jimmy Cameron
Jimmy Cameron
Francis James "Jimmy" Cameron, born at Kingston, Jamaica on June 22, 1923 and died at Kingston, Jamaica on June 10, 1994, was a cricketer who played in five Tests for the West Indian cricket team in India in 1948-49....
was a Test cricketer as well, and played for both Jamaica and Canada
Canadian cricket team
The Canada cricket team is the national cricket team representing Canada in men's international competition. It is run by Cricket Canada.While Canada is not sanctioned to play Test matches, the team does take part in One Day International matches and also in first-class games against other...
.