Eric Dalton

Eric Londesbrough Dalton (2 December 1906 – 3 June 1981) was a South African cricketer who played in 15 Test matches from 1929 to 1938–39.[1] He was born and died in Durban, Natal.[1]

Eric Dalton

Dalton pictured in 1935
Personal information
Born	(1906-12-02)2 December 1906 Durban, Natal
Died	3 June 1981(1981-06-03) (aged 74) Durban, Natal
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm legbreak
International information
National side	South Africa
Test debut	29 June 1929 v England
Last Test	3 March 1939 v England
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 15 121 Runs scored 698 5,333 Batting average 31.72 33.12 100s/50s 2/3 13/24 Top score 117 157 Balls bowled 864 7,662 Wickets 12 139 Bowling average 40.83 25.81 5 wickets in innings 0 5 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 4/59 6/42 Catches/stumpings 5/– 72/–
Source: Cricinfo, 14 November 2022

In a match against Tasmania during the 1931–32 South African tour of Australia, Dalton had his jaw broken by a bouncer from Laurie Nash, who was on a hat-trick at the time.[2]

In 1935, Dalton was a member of the South African team that won a Test match in England for the first time.[3] During the match at Lord's, although not especially noted for his bowling, he took the key wickets of Wally Hammond and captain Bob Wyatt in England's first innings to return figures of 2 for 33.[4][5][6] In the final Test at The Oval, he scored 117 runs in the first innings, his highest Test score, and 57 not out in the second as the match was drawn,[7] The result gave South Africa their first Test series victory in England.

After his cricket career ended he concentrated on golf. He won the South African Amateur Championship in 1950 and represented South Africa in the first Commonwealth Tournament at St Andrew's in 1954. He was also adept at several other sports, including bowls, tennis and table tennis, and had a keen interest in music, playing the piano and singing baritone.[5]