DVP Wright Obituary (19 November 1998)

19 November 1998

DVP Wright Obituary

Rick Eyre in CricInfo365

Doug Wright, the only leg-spinner to take 100 Test wickets for England, died last Friday aged 84. Despite an international bowling average of 39, he was regarded as one of the most unplayable of England bowlers immediately before and after World War Two.

Douglas Vivian Parson Wright made his first appearance for Kent in 1932, but it wasn't until the retirement of another legendary Kent leggie, A.P.(Tich) Freeman, that he established himself in the county side. In his first full season, 1937, he took 107 wickets. His rise to England selection was swift, making his debut in the First Test of the 1938 series against Australia at Trent Bridge. After the interruption for the War (in which he served in the British Army), his career continued, including tours to Australia in 1946-47 and 1950-51. Bradman had a lot of respect for Wright's bowling, but also took a lot of runs off him.

When Wright played his last Test in New Zealand in 1951 he had taken 108 wickets in 34 Tests at 39.11 apiece. He took 10/175 for the match in the Lord's Test against South Africa in 1947. His best innings analysis was 7/105 against Australia at the SCG in 1946-47, including the wicket of Bradman for 12.

An unusually fast bowler for a leg-spinner, almost a genuine medium-pacer, Wright took 2056 wickets in all first-class matches at 23.98 by the time he played his last game in 1957. His seven hat-tricks is more than anyone else has taken in their first-class career.

Source :: CricInfo365