Fen Cresswell

George Fenwick Cresswell (22 March 1915 – 10 January 1966) was a cricketer who played three Tests for New Zealand. Born in Wanganui, he was the older brother of Arthur Cresswell. He was the 50th Test cap for New Zealand.

Fen Cresswell
Personal information
Full name
George Fenwick Cresswell
Born(1915-03-22)22 March 1915
Wanganui, New Zealand
Died10 January 1966(1966-01-10) (aged 50)
Blenheim, New Zealand
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm slow-medium
RelationsArthur Cresswell (brother)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 50)13 August 1949 v England
Last Test24 March 1951 v England
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1949–50Wellington
1950–51 to 1954–55Central Districts
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 3 33
Runs scored 14 89
Batting average 7.00 5.23
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 12* 12*
Balls bowled 650 8,107
Wickets 13 124
Bowling average 22.46 22.53
5 wickets in innings 1 8
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 6/168 8/100
Catches/stumpings 0/– 11/–
Source: Cricinfo, 1 April 2017

Cricket career

Cresswell was educated at Marlborough Boys' College, where he played for the first XI.[1] An accurate slow-medium bowler, he had played his cricket for Marlborough in the Hawke Cup when he was selected to make his first-class debut at the age of 33 in a trial match for The Rest against a New Zealand XI in January 1949.[1] After taking three wickets in the match he was selected for the 1949 tour to England.[2]

In England he took 62 wickets at 26.09 in 19 matches, and found his best form late in the tour, taking 5 for 30 against Yorkshire and 6 for 21 against Glamorgan. He made his Test debut in the final Test against England at The Oval. He opened the bowling with Jack Cowie, and took 6 for 168 in England's only innings. Batting at his usual position of number 11, he made 12 not out, which remained his highest first-class score.[3] As of early 2021 he is still the oldest person (at 34 years and 146 days) to take five or more wickets in an innings in his first Test.[4]

He played for Wellington in 1949–50. He also played for New Zealand against the touring Australian team, taking 8 for 100 in Australia's only innings; then, batting at number 11, he put on an unbroken partnership of nine runs with Walter Hadlee to avert an innings defeat.[5] Earlier in the season, captaining Marlborough in a Hawke Cup elimination match against Nelson, he took 16 wickets in the match (8 for 44 and 8 for 46) but Nelson won by two wickets.[6]

In 1950–51 he played for Central Districts in their inaugural Plunket Shield season, taking 5 for 31 against Canterbury at Palmerston North and 5 for 38 against Auckland at New Plymouth to give them victory in their first two home games and second place in the final table.[7] He played in the two Tests against the visiting English side, taking 7 wickets at 17.71. After that he suffered from a back injury,[1] and played only three matches in the next four seasons before retiring in 1956.[8]

Cresswell had an unusual run-up and action. Dick Brittenden wrote: "he bowled from a run of a few paces. He began each time by standing stiffly to attention, poised for an appreciable little interval. Then he moved in and bowled with one of the strangest of actions – no left arm, and his chest quite square to the batsman."[1]

His younger brother Arthur also played as a pace bowler for Wellington and Central Districts in the same period.[9]

Death

Cresswell was found dead at his home in Blenheim in January 1966, with a gun next to him.[10][11] He had been suffering from cancer.[12]

See also

References
  1. R.T. Brittenden, New Zealand Cricketers, A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, 1961, pp. 54–56.
  2. "New Zealand XI v The Rest 1948–49". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. "4th Test: England v New Zealand at The Oval, Aug 13–16, 1949". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  4. "Nauman Ali becomes the oldest debutant in 71 years to claim a five-wicket haul in Tests". Sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  5. Wisden 1951, pp. 833–34.
  6. "Marlborough v Nelson 1949–50". CricketArchive. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  7. Wisden 1952, pp. 893–94.
  8. "People in the Play". Press: 5. 22 December 1956.
  9. "Arthur Cresswell". Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  10. "Fen Cresswell". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  11. "G. F Cresswell Fine Bowler". Press: 13. 11 January 1966.
  12. "Mental health help there for NZ cricketers". Stuff. December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
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