Roger Kimpton
Encyclopedia
Roger Charles MacDonald Kimpton, DFC
(21 September 1916 – 30 November 1999) was an Australia
n
cricketer
who played 62 first-class
games, mostly in the late 1930s. The majority of his appearances were for Oxford University
and Worcestershire
, although he appeared for the Gentlemen
in both 1936 and 1937 (only the latter game being played at Lord's
) and for an England XI in 1937.
Unusually, he alternated somewhat between keeping wicket
and bowling, although his success with the ball was limited.
Aged 18, Kimpton made his first-class debut for Oxford against his future county, Worcestershire, at The Parks in early May 1935, a game which the university won by an innings. Kimpton showed his versatility by scoring 38, bowling five (admittedly wicketless) overs and claiming a catch and a stumping (even though Norman Knight was Oxford's named keeper).
In his second match, Kimpton made what was to remain his career best innings when he hit 160 versus Gloucestershire
; these runs were hit in 155 minutes, and included a whirlwind hour in which he added 138 with Sandy Singleton
.
His seven further games for Oxford that summer were relatively uneventful.
In early May 1936 Kimpton again punished Gloucestershire, scoring a century in each innings.
Later that same month he hit a second-innings 102 (from number eight) in 70 minutes — despite needing a runner
— against Lancashire
,
then followed that up with 110 not out
and 85 against Free Foresters
; in the latter game he also took a career best 4-42.
He was picked for the Gentlemen v Players game at Folkestone
at the end of the summer, and scored 115.
Kimpton's hundred against Lancashire had put him on course for that season's Walter Lawrence Trophy
, but Leslie Ames pipped him to the title by two minutes in the very last match of the year.
1937 saw Kimpton make his debut in county cricket
, although he continued to turn out for Oxford. He had by some distance his most productive season, scoring 1,568 runs in all first-class cricket at an average
of 34.84, although despite a dozen innings between 50 and 99 he only managed one century. This, the only three-figure score he ever made for Worcestershire, came against Derbyshire
in late August.
In July he made his second appearance for the Gentlemen, this time at Lord's, and struck 59 in the first innings,
while at the end of the summer he represented an England XI against the New Zealanders at Folkestone.
Kimpton played ten games in 1938, including two on the joint Oxford and Cambridge Universities tour of Jamaica in August, but found little success, making only two half-centuries and averaging under 24. He played no cricket in 1939, and with the outbreak of the Second World War he returned to Australia to join the RAAF
as a fighter pilot
. In this role he won the DFC, the citation noting his "aggressive and determined leadership" during 140 sorties over the Pacific Ocean
.
After the war Kimpton played little, being largely occupied with the family business in Melbourne,
but he did make three further first-class appearances. There was a one-off game for Worcestershire in 1949, in which he showed his continuing ability by taking 93*
off Nottinghamshire
;
and in 1955-56 he accepted an invitation from E. W. Swanton
to join his tour to the West Indies, playing his final two matches at the age of 39.
As well as cricket, Kimpton was an accomplished tennis
player, winning the freshmen's tournament; he also achieved a blue at golf
.
His brother Stephen played four matches for Oxford University in 1935, appearing alongside Roger in two of them.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(21 September 1916 – 30 November 1999) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n
cricketer
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 62 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...
games, mostly in the late 1930s. The majority of his appearances were for 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...
and 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...
, although he appeared for the Gentlemen
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
in both 1936 and 1937 (only the latter game being played 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...
) and for an England XI in 1937.
Unusually, he alternated somewhat between keeping wicket
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
and bowling, although his success with the ball was limited.
Aged 18, Kimpton made his first-class debut for Oxford against his future county, Worcestershire, at The Parks in early May 1935, a game which the university won by an innings. Kimpton showed his versatility by scoring 38, bowling five (admittedly wicketless) overs and claiming a catch and a stumping (even though Norman Knight was Oxford's named keeper).
In his second match, Kimpton made what was to remain his career best innings when he hit 160 versus Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire 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 Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
; these runs were hit in 155 minutes, and included a whirlwind hour in which he added 138 with Sandy Singleton
Sandy Singleton
Alexander Parkinson Singleton, known as Sandy , was an English all-round cricketer: a right-handed opening batsman and slow left arm bowler. He played his county cricket for Worcestershire, captaining the side in 1946, and also captained Oxford University and Transvaal...
.
His seven further games for Oxford that summer were relatively uneventful.
In early May 1936 Kimpton again punished Gloucestershire, scoring a century in each innings.
Later that same month he hit a second-innings 102 (from number eight) in 70 minutes — despite needing a runner
Runner (cricket)
In cricket, a runner is a team member who runs between the wickets for an injured batsman.When a runner is used, the batsman stands in position and plays shots as normal, but does not attempt to run between the wickets: the runner runs for him...
— against 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...
,
then followed that up with 110 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...
and 85 against 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 the latter game he also took a career best 4-42.
He was picked for the Gentlemen v Players game at Folkestone
Cheriton Road
Cheriton Road is a football stadium in Folkestone, Kent, England, which serves as the home ground of Folkestone Invicta. Full capacity is around 6,500....
at the end of the summer, and scored 115.
Kimpton's hundred against Lancashire had put him on course for that season's Walter Lawrence Trophy
Walter Lawrence Trophy
The Walter Lawrence Trophy is an annual award made to the player who has scored the fastest century in English domestic county cricket that season, in terms of balls received...
, but Leslie Ames pipped him to the title by two minutes in the very last match of the year.
1937 saw Kimpton make his debut in 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:...
, although he continued to turn out for Oxford. He had by some distance his most productive season, scoring 1,568 runs in all first-class cricket 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 34.84, although despite a dozen innings between 50 and 99 he only managed one century. This, the only three-figure score he ever made for Worcestershire, came against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
in late August.
In July he made his second appearance for the Gentlemen, this time at Lord's, and struck 59 in the first innings,
while at the end of the summer he represented an England XI against the New Zealanders at Folkestone.
Kimpton played ten games in 1938, including two on the joint Oxford and Cambridge Universities tour of Jamaica in August, but found little success, making only two half-centuries and averaging under 24. He played no cricket in 1939, and with the outbreak of the Second World War he returned to Australia to join the RAAF
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
as a fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
. In this role he won the DFC, the citation noting his "aggressive and determined leadership" during 140 sorties over the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
After the war Kimpton played little, being largely occupied with the family business in Melbourne,
but he did make three further first-class appearances. There was a one-off game for Worcestershire in 1949, in which he showed his continuing ability by taking 93*
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...
off Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
;
and in 1955-56 he accepted an invitation from E. W. Swanton
E. W. Swanton
Ernest William Swanton CBE is chiefly known for being a cricket writer and commentator under his initials, E. W. Swanton. He worked as a sports journalist for The Daily Telegraph and as a broadcaster for BBC Radio for 30 years. He was a regular commentator on Test Match Special, easily recognised...
to join his tour to the West Indies, playing his final two matches at the age of 39.
As well as cricket, Kimpton was an accomplished tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player, winning the freshmen's tournament; he also achieved a blue at golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
.
His brother Stephen played four matches for Oxford University in 1935, appearing alongside Roger in two of them.