Dempster Stewie Image 1 Wellington 1931

Description

Wellington, New Zealand born right-handed batsman Stewie Dempster played for the Wellington Boys’ Institute team in his youth and was encouraged by his father to score hundreds, being rewarded with 5 shillings from him for each one he scored. In his most prolific season he scored nine centuries in ten innings with the remaining innings scoring 99 and gaining the attention of the local provincial selectors.

Dempster made his first first class appearance for Wellington against Canterbury at the Basin Reserve over New Year 1921-1922 scoring 10 and 1. Dempster first toured England with New Zealand in 1927, when no Test matches were played, and headed the touring team’s first class batting averages. He was a surprise choice for the tour, being selected more for his performances in second class cricket. In the 1929-30 M.C.C. tour of New Zealand Dempster made his Test debut in New Zealand’s first ever Test match against England at Christchurch in January 1930. In the Second Test at Wellington, he and Jackie Mills put on a New Zealand record first innings stand of 276 for the first wicket, which remained the highest for New Zealand until 1972, when Glenn Turner and Terry Jarvis put on 387 against West Indies at Georgetown, Dempster making his Test best score of 136, also scoring an unbeaten 80 in the second innings. He followed this with 62 not out in the rain affected Third Test at Auckland.

In the 1931 New Zealand tour of England he averaged 59.26 and scored 53 and 120 in the First Test at Lord’s. In 1932 he was listed as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. He made his tenth and final Test appearance against the 1932-33 England team scoring 83 not out at Auckland in March 1933. In his Test career he averaged 65.72 with the bat. Dempster has the distinction of having the second highest Test batting average in history for completed careers of 10 or more innings, behind Sir Donald Bradman.

Dempster then moved to England, appearing in one first class match for Lindsay Parkinson’s XI in 1933 and once for Scotland in 1934. He settled in England from 1935, being contracted by the Leicestershire millionaire Sir Julien Cahn to play for his private team. Dempster qualified for Leicestershire, captaining the team from 1936 to 1938, although playing irregularly in 1938 and 1939. In 1938-39, he toured New Zealand with Cahn’s team. He was able to play County cricket as an amateur, and was therefore acceptable as a County captain, by being employed by Cahn, ostensibly as the manager of one of his furniture stores in Leicester.

Dempster appeared for the County scratch sides during the Second World War but left the staff when the War ended. He played three times for Warwickshire in 1946 before returning to New Zealand to become a coach. He was selected to play for New Zealand in a one-off Test in Christchurch against England, but withdrew due to an eye injury the night before play. The match ended in a draw. Dempster made his final appearance for Wellington against Auckland at Eden Park in January 1948 scoring 7 and 41.

After his retirement from playing he was a prominent cricket coach in Wellington for many years. His pupils included the New Zealand Test players Bruce Edgar and Ian Smith.

In 184 first class matches Dempster scored 12,145 runs at an average of 44.98, with 35 centuries and 55 half centuries, with a highest score of 212. An occasional bowler, he took 8 first class wickets at 37.50 apiece with a best return of 2-4, and also held 94 catches in first class play, also making two stumpings as a stand in wicket-keeper.

NB in the photograph he walks out to bat with Jackie Mills (right) in New Zealand’s match against H.D.G. Leveson-Gower’s XI at Scarborough in September 1931.

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