Fagg Arthur Image 2 Kent 1936

Description

Chartham, Kent born right-handed opening batsman Arthur Fagg first played for Kent at the age of 17 in 1932, and impressed enough to be selected for his first Test match for England aged 21, making his debut against India at Old Trafford in July 1936, making 39 in his only innings in what proved his highest Test score. However after playing in the Brisbane and Sydney Tests in December 1936 he caught rheumatic fever on the tour of Australia the following winter, and missed the whole of the 1937 season.

The evidence was strong in 1938 that Fagg was back to his best form. He set a first class world record playing for Kent against Essex at Colchester, scoring 244 in the first innings and an undefeated 202 in the second innings in a drawn match, becoming the first batsman in first class cricket history to score double centuries in both innings of a match. This feat was not equalled until February 2019, when it was achieved in Sri Lankan domestic cricket by Angelo Perera for The Nondescripts Cricket Club. This would not be Fagg’s highest single score for Kent, which he achieved when he made an unbeaten 269 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 1953.

The 1938 season was a year of record-breaking, and the young Leonard Hutton cemented his place as England’s first choice opener with his 364 against the Australians at The Oval. Perhaps Fagg’s health was still somewhat in question as he refused an invitation to tour South Africa that winter.

Fagg played only one more Test, making 32 in the second innings against The West Indies at Old Trafford in July 1939, before the outbreak of the Second World War significantly disrupted his career. Unfit for the Services during the War, he went as coach to Cheltenham and, when first-class cricket was resumed in 1946, felt so doubtful whether he could stand the strain that he decided to stay there.

In 1947 Kent persuaded him to return, but already at 32, he was moving like a veteran, Hutton and Washbrook were established as England’s opening pair and his days of Test cricket were clearly over. He remained very solid, he had strokes all round the wicket and, being a fine hooker, was particularly severe on fast bowling, scoring more than 2,000 runs in four of the five early post-war seasons. Against spin he was less impressive, though he remained a consistent scorer in County cricket until the mid-1950’s, playing his last match for Kent in 1957. In 435 first class matches, he scored 58 centuries and 128 half centuries with an aggregate of 27,291 runs at an average of 36.05, taking 425 catches and making 7 stumpings when an occasional wicket-keeper when neither Ames nor Levett was available.

After his retirement he became a respected cricket umpire standing from 1959 to the season immediately before his death in September 1977, later officiating in 18 Test matches and 7 One Day Internationals from 1967 through to 1976. In an incident at Edgbaston in 1973, on the third morning he refused to take the field until the second over, Alan Oakman, the Warwickshire coach, having stood during the first, having threatened to withdraw after the second day after the West Indies team disputed one of his decisions.

NB in the photograph Fagg stands on the right with Kent team mates Leslie Todd (left) and Claude Lewis (centre).

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