Bonnor Middleton
FullnameJames Middleton
Birth date13 September 1865
Birth placeChester-le-Street, England
Death date23 December 1913 (aged 48)
Death placeCape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLeft-arm slow-medium
Columns2
Column 1Tests
Matches 16
Runs 152
Bat avg 17.42
100s/50s 10/0
Top score 122
Deliveries 11064
Wickets 124
Bowl avg 118.41
Fivefor 12
Tenfor 10
Best bowling 15/51
Catches/stumpings 11/–
Column 2First-class
Matches 231
Runs 2176
Bat avg 26.06
100s/50s 20/0
Top score 232
Deliveries 25571
Wickets 2140
Bowl avg 218.02
Fivefor 210
Tenfor 24
Best bowling 27/64
Catches/stumpings 214/–
Internationaltrue
CountrySouth Africa
Testdebutdate13 February
Testdebutyear1896
Lasttestdate8 November
Lasttestyear1902
Sourcehttps://www.espncricinfo.com/player/bonnor-middleton-46227 Cricinfo

James "Bonnor" Middleton (30 September 1865 – 23 December 1913) was a South African cricketer who played in six Tests from 1896 to 1902. On his debut, he took five wickets in the first innings against England in Port Elizabeth in 1896.[1]

Middleton served in the British Army until Cape Town Cricket Club bought his release so he could become their professional.[2] A left-arm slow-medium opening bowler, Middleton played for Western Province from 1890–91 to 1903–04. His best first-class figures were 7 for 64 in the Currie Cup final against Transvaal in 1897–98. He took 12 for 100 in the match, which Western Province won.[3]

Middleton was one of the leading players on South Africa's tour of England in 1894 when no Tests were played; in the South Africans' narrow victory over MCC at Lord's he bowled unchanged through both innings to take 6 for 48 and 6 for 35.[4]

His nickname was given because of his resemblance, as a hard-hitting batsman, to the Australian Test cricketer George Bonnor.[1] He died in Cape Town of heart failure after severe attacks of asthma and bronchitis.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "1st Test: South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Feb 13–14, 1896". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Wisden Obituaries in 1914". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  3. ^ Western Province v Transvaal 1897–98
  4. ^ "MCC v South Africans 1894". CricketArchive. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Obituary", Cricket, 9 May 1914, p. 136.