Reginald Hands
Encyclopedia
Reginald Harry Myburgh Hands (July 26, 1888 – April 20, 1918) was born in Claremont, Cape Town
, South Africa and died in France as a result of injuries sustained on the Western Front
during the first Great War, aged just 29. He was a South African cricket
er who played in one Test
match in February 1914. Not surprisingly given the period, his entire first-class cricket
career lasted just 15 months in which time he played a few matches for Western Province in the Currie Cup
(1912-13) and against the visiting M.C.C.
led by J.W.H.T. Douglas
(1913-14). During that English tour, Hands made his only Test appearance in the fifth match of the series, played at Port Elizabeth. A useful right-handed batsman, he scored 0 and 7 in a match won convincingly by the visitors by 10 wickets. No mention of his representative appearance was made in his Wisden obituary, nor that his brother, P.A.M. Hands
, also played in that same Test. Reginald Hands was a talented rugby forward and played two international matches for England
in 1910 against France
and Scotland
. He (along with his two brothers, incidentally) had previously won his rugby Blue at Oxford University. A lawyer called to the Bar in 1911, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star
, the British War Medal
and the Victory Medal
for his military service.
Claremont, Cape Town
Claremont is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated six miles south of the city, and is one of the so-called "Southern Suburbs". It is an important commercial and residential area, which is currently experiencing significant growth and development.-History:Until the arrival of Dutch...
, South Africa and died in France as a result of injuries sustained on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
during the first Great War, aged just 29. He was a South African cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played in one Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
match in February 1914. Not surprisingly given the period, his entire 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...
career lasted just 15 months in which time he played a few matches for Western Province in the Currie Cup
SuperSport Series
The SuperSport Series is the main domestic first class cricket competition in South Africa, first contested in 1889-90. From 1990-91 it became known as the Castle Cup, and from 1996-97 by its current title...
(1912-13) and against the visiting M.C.C.
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
led by J.W.H.T. Douglas
Johnny Douglas
John "Johnny" William Henry Tyler Douglas was a cricketer who was captain of the England team and an Olympic boxer.-Early life:...
(1913-14). During that English tour, Hands made his only Test appearance in the fifth match of the series, played at Port Elizabeth. A useful right-handed batsman, he scored 0 and 7 in a match won convincingly by the visitors by 10 wickets. No mention of his representative appearance was made in his Wisden obituary, nor that his brother, P.A.M. Hands
Philip Hands
Philip Albert Myburgh Hands , was a South African cricketer who played in 7 Tests from 1913 to 1924. His brother, Reginald, also played Test cricket for South Africa....
, also played in that same Test. Reginald Hands was a talented rugby forward and played two international matches for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
in 1910 against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
and Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
. He (along with his two brothers, incidentally) had previously won his rugby Blue at Oxford University. A lawyer called to the Bar in 1911, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star
1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 .Recipients of this medal also...
, the British War Medal
British War Medal
The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
and the Victory Medal
Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at...
for his military service.