Английская Википедия:Basil Helfrich

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Infobox cricketer Basil Arthur Helfrich (30 March 1919 – 6 March 1938) was a South African cricketer who showed great promise as a teenager but died at the age of 18. He was one of four brothers who played first-class cricket in South Africa.

Life and career

Basil Helfrich lived in Kimberley, where he made his first-class debut in March 1935 a few days before his 16th birthday, playing for Griqualand West in a victory over Western Province. Also in the Griqualand West team were John Waddington, who had made his debut earlier in the season a few days younger than Helfrich and would play for Griqualand West for another 24 years; Tony Harris, 18 years old, who would play Test cricket for South Africa after World War II; and Helfrich's elder brother Dudley, who had made his debut five seasons earlier at the age of 17.[1]

As he was still at school, he played only home matches in his first two seasons. In 1935–36 he top-scored with 66 in the match against Orange Free State, and then top-scored in both innings of the match against the touring Australians, making 64 and 59 when none of his team-mates were able to reach 25.[2] In the second innings he was so severe on the bowling of Bill O'Reilly that O'Reilly was taken out of the attack.[3] The Australian batsman Jack Fingleton thought Helfrich "was bound to become an international",[4] as did the South African sports journalist Louis Duffus.[5]

He played the full seasons of 1936–37 and 1937–38. In 1936–37 he made his only century, 109 against Transvaal,[6] and appeared for a strong South African team in a first-class match against City of Johannesburg.[7] His batting form fell away in 1937–38. During the season, just after scoring 120 not out in 80 minutes in a club match in Kimberley, he was struck down with enteric fever, and died a few weeks later, just short of his 19th birthday.[5] Griqualand West's match against North-Eastern Transvaal was abandoned after the second day's play when news came of his death.[8]

Besides his batting he was a brilliant fieldsman and useful slow bowler. He also excelled at Rugby union and swimming.[5]

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

  1. Шаблон:Cite web
  2. Шаблон:Cite web
  3. Шаблон:Cite news
  4. Jack Fingleton, Cricket Crisis, Cassell & Co., London, 1946, p. 226.
  5. 5,0 5,1 5,2 "Obituary: B. Helfrich", The Cricketer, 30 April 1938, p. 28.
  6. Шаблон:Cite web
  7. Шаблон:Cite web
  8. Шаблон:Cite web