John Isaac

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John Edmund Valentine Isaac (14 February 1880 – 9 May 1915), DSO, was an English cricketer: a right-handed batsmen who played ten first-class matches in South Africa and England between 1906 and 1908. He was born at Powick Court, Worcestershire.

Isaac's first-class debut came for the South Africa Army cricket team in the only match of that standard they ever played, when they met MCC at Thara Tswane, Pretoria in January 1906. The MCC side were far too strong for their opponents and won by an innings, Isaac making 0 and 8. This match was chiefly notable for Schofield Haigh's feat of taking four wickets in as many balls in the Army's second innings.^[1]

In 1906-07 he played four times for Orange Free State in the Currie Cup, though his highest score was only 34 not out. Curiously, in Isaac's eight visits to the crease he was four times out bowled to a man who would take six or more wickets in that innings (JJ Kotze 8-57, RO Schwarz 7-25, AEE Vogler 6-34 & 8-24).

In 1907 and 1908, Isaac made five appearances for Worcestershire County Cricket Club, but never made more than 13 and never played first-class cricket again. He was killed in action in World War I, dying at Armentières, France at the age of 35.

Isaac's brother Arthur and nephew Herbert also played first-class cricket.