George Macaulay

George Macaulay
Macaulay at the third Test vs. Australia at Headingley Stadium in 1926
Personal information
Full name
George Gibson Macaulay
Born(1897-12-07)7 December 1897
Thirsk, Yorkshire, England
Died13 December 1940(1940-12-13) (aged 43)
Sullom Voe, Shetland Islands, Scotland
Height5 ft 10.5[1] in (1.79 m)
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium-fast
Right-arm off spin
RoleBowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 211)1 January 1923 v South Africa
Last Test22 July 1933 v West Indies
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1920–1935Yorkshire
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 8 468
Runs scored 112 6,055
Batting average 18.66 18.07
100s/50s 0/1 3/21
Top score 76 125*
Balls bowled 1,701 89,877
Wickets 24 1,837
Bowling average 27.58 17.65
5 wickets in innings 1 126
10 wickets in match 0 31
Best bowling 5/64 8/21
Catches/stumpings 5/– 373/–
Source: Cricinfo, 15 March 2010

George Gibson Macaulay (7 December 1897 – 13 December 1940) was a professional English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1920 and 1935. He played in eight Test matches for England from 1923 to 1933, achieving the rare feat of taking a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket. One of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1924, he took 1,838 first-class wickets at an average of 17.64 including four hat-tricks.

A leading member of the Yorkshire team which achieved a high level of success in the time he played, Macaulay was a volatile character who played aggressively. He left a job at a bank to become a professional cricketer, making his first-class debut aged 23 as a fast bowler. Meeting limited success, he altered style to deliver off spin in addition to his pace bowling. This proved so effective that he was chosen to play for England in Test matches. However, his perceived poor attitude towards the game, and an unsuccessful match in the 1926 Ashes probably prevented him playing more Tests. His form slumped following injuries in the late 1920s, but a recovery in the early 1930s led to a recall by England, although he broke down in his second match back. Another injury in 1934 made cricket difficult for him and his first-class career ended in 1935, although he continued playing club cricket until the Second World War. A pilot officer in the Royal Air Force, he died of pneumonia on active service in the Second World War.

  1. ^ "Answers to Correspondents". Sheffield Daily Telegraph/British Newspaper Archive. Sheffield. 27 June 1923. p. 7.