Arthur Fenton (cricketer)

Arthur Fenton (27 February 1870 – 20 May 1950) was an Australian cricketer. He played one first-class cricket match for Victoria in 1896, and after moving to New Zealand in 1903 he played for Hawke's Bay and Wellington.[1]

An off-spin bowler, useful tail-end batsman and brilliant fielder, Fenton played club cricket in Melbourne and Sydney before being engaged as a professional coach by the Hawke's Bay Cricket Association in late 1903.[2][3] His best bowling performances were 5 for 78 for Hawke's Bay against Auckland in 1904-05[4] and 6 for 41 and 3 for 91 against Otago in 1908-09.[5] As well as coaching, he was the caretaker at the Napier Recreation Ground.

He left Hawke's Bay in late 1911 to take up a groundsman's position at Athletic Park rugby ground in Wellington.[6][7] He carried out drainage works that made a great improvement to the condition of the ground in wet weather.[8] Playing for the University club in Wellington senior cricket, he took three hat-tricks during the 1916-17 season, and finished with 44 wickets at an average of 11.22.[9]

He returned to Australia in 1920.[10][11] He died in 1950 in Melbourne, where he lived in Power Street, Hawthorn, with his wife Charlotte.[12]