Ken Day
Encyclopedia
Frederick George Kenneth (Ken) Day, born at Yatton
, Somerset
on 25 June 1919 and died at Whitchurch, Bristol
on 9 December 1991, played first-class cricket
for Somerset
in seven matches in 1950 and 1956.
An amateur right-handed batsman and a wicketkeeper, Day played in a first-class early-season friendly match for Somerset against Glamorgan
in 1950, making 29 not out and 4 in the two innings, and making four stumpings. But with the reliable and normally fit Harold Stephenson
as the regular Somerset wicketkeeper, and the county not running, until 1956, a regular second eleven, Day went back into Bristol club cricket, where he was a wicketkeeper and opening batsman for Knowle Cricket Club.
It was in 1956 that Day reappeared in first-class cricket. Stephenson was injured early in the season and Day played in six consecutive matches across the month of May. His wicketkeeping, said Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
, showed "much ability" and he also proved capable with the bat. In his first match, he made 43 of the last 58 runs in Somerset's only innings against Leicestershire
at Taunton. And the following game, he made an unbeaten 56 out of 85 at Old Trafford
against a Lancashire
attack that included Brian Statham
, Roy Tattersall
and Malcolm Hilton
.
At the end of May, Stephenson returned to the Somerset side and Day did not play first-class cricket again. "In different circumstances," says one directory of Somerset cricketers, "he could well have established himself at county level. As a batsman he took few risks, scoring more than 30 centuries for Knowle CC as a reward for that diligence."
Yatton
Yatton is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of North Somerset, which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located south-west of Bristol. Its population in 2001 was 9,176...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
on 25 June 1919 and died at Whitchurch, Bristol
Whitchurch, Bristol
Whitchurch is a village in north Somerset, England and an adjoining suburb of south eastern Bristol, bounded by Hartcliffe to the west and Hengrove and Knowle to the north. The suburb was initially developed during the 1930s....
on 9 December 1991, played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
in seven matches in 1950 and 1956.
An amateur right-handed batsman and a wicketkeeper, Day played in a first-class early-season friendly match for Somerset against Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
in 1950, making 29 not out and 4 in the two innings, and making four stumpings. But with the reliable and normally fit Harold Stephenson
Harold Stephenson
Harold William Stephenson was an English first-class cricketer who played for Somerset. He captained Somerset from 1960 until his retirement in 1964....
as the regular Somerset wicketkeeper, and the county not running, until 1956, a regular second eleven, Day went back into Bristol club cricket, where he was a wicketkeeper and opening batsman for Knowle Cricket Club.
It was in 1956 that Day reappeared in first-class cricket. Stephenson was injured early in the season and Day played in six consecutive matches across the month of May. His wicketkeeping, said Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
, showed "much ability" and he also proved capable with the bat. In his first match, he made 43 of the last 58 runs in Somerset's only innings against Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
at Taunton. And the following game, he made an unbeaten 56 out of 85 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (cricket)
Old Trafford is a cricket ground situated on Talbot Road in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. It has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since its foundation in 1864, having been the ground of Manchester Cricket Club from 1857...
against a Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
attack that included Brian Statham
Brian Statham
John Brian "George" Statham, CBE was one of the leading English fast bowlers in 20th-century English cricket. Initially a bowler of a brisk fast-medium pace, Statham was able to remodel his action to generate enough speed to become genuinely fast...
, Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
and Malcolm Hilton
Malcolm Hilton
Malcolm Jameson Hilton was an English left-arm spin bowler, who played for Lancashire and in four Test matches for England....
.
At the end of May, Stephenson returned to the Somerset side and Day did not play first-class cricket again. "In different circumstances," says one directory of Somerset cricketers, "he could well have established himself at county level. As a batsman he took few risks, scoring more than 30 centuries for Knowle CC as a reward for that diligence."