21 Facts About Dudley Nourse

Arthur Dudley Nourse was a South African Test cricketer.

Dudley Nourse's father represented South Africa in 45 consecutive Test matches from 1902 to 1924.

Dudley Nourse was named after William Ward, 2nd Earl of Dudley, who was the Governor-General of Australia in 1910.

Dudley Nourse was born a few days after his father scored a double hundred against South Australia, where he was touring with the South African team.

When Lord Dudley Nourse heard about the innings and the baby, he expressed the wish that he be named after him.

Dudley Nourse's father refused to teach him how to play cricket, insisting that Dudley teach himself like he had.

Aged 18, Dudley Nourse decided to concentrate on cricket, initially playing for Umbilo Cricket Club in Durban.

Dudley Nourse played domestic first-class cricket for the Natal cricket team from 1931 to 1952, and played 34 Test matches for South Africa, in a long international career of 16 years, from 1935 to 1951.

Dudley Nourse scored a century in his second match for Natal, when his father was playing for the opposing team, Western Province.

Dudley Nourse was an aggressive batman, stocky in build like his father, particularly later in his career, with broad shoulders and strong arms.

Dudley Nourse played mainly off the back foot, cutting square, hooking, and driving on the off side.

Dudley Nourse joined the tour to England in 1935, in a team captained by Herby Wade, where he made his Test debut.

Dudley Nourse is the only batsman to score a double century in the second innings of a Test match after being out for a duck in the first innings.

South Africa resumed Test cricket in 1947, and Dudley Nourse joined the tour to England as vice-captain under Alan Melville.

Dudley Nourse topped the South African batting averages, and he and Melville were Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1948.

Dudley Nourse batted for 9 hours, with a pin in his right thumb that had been broken while fielding in an earlier tour match.

Dudley Nourse was then unable to field, or bat in the second innings.

Dudley Nourse retired from Test cricket at the end of the 1951 tour, after the Fifth Test, and played his last first-class match in 1953.

Dudley Nourse was South African Cricket Annual Cricketer of the Year in 1952.

Dudley Nourse scored 9 Test centuries, including 7 against England, and is a member of the short list of Test batsmen to retire with a batting average exceeding 50 runs.

Dudley Nourse served as a selector for South Africa, and managed the side that toured England in 1960, captained by Jackie McGlew.