Andy Ducat

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Andy Ducat
England (ENG)
Andy Ducat
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling type -
Tests First-class
Matches 1 429
Runs scored 5 23373
Batting average 2.50 38.31
100s/50s -/- 52/109
Top score 3 306*
Balls bowled - 1981
Wickets - 21
Bowling average - 43.00
5 wickets in innings - -
10 wickets in match - -
Best bowling - 3/12
Catches/stumpings 1/- 206/-

Test debut: 2 July 1921
Last Test: 2 July 1921
Source: [1]

Andrew Ducat (February 16, 1886-July 23, 1942) was an England and Surrey cricketer and an England footballer, being one of an elite group to have represented their country in both sports.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Ducat was born in Brixton, London, but grew up in Southend.

[edit] Cricket career

He joined the ground staff at the Oval in 1906, and soon became a regular member of the county team, playing alongside Tom Hayward, Jack Hobbs and Ernest Hayes. Standing 5'10" high, he was a powerful, forcing batsman, and made 52 centuries for Surrey, including 306 not out against Oxford University in 1919. He was also one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1920. He missed many matches due to injury: a broken leg in 1912 almost ended his career, and he missed the 1924 season after breaking his arm in the nets. In 1928, he made 994 runs in less than six weeks, including centuries four successive matches.

He played in only one Test, the 3rd Test against Australia at Headingley in 1921 when he was unlucky to only make 3 and 2.

In another significant "first", he was doubly out in the first innings: his bat disintegrating playing a ball bowled by Ted McDonald; the ball looped to slip where it was caught, and a bail was dislodged by a flying splinter (he was given out caught rather than hit wicket).

[edit] Football career

Andy Ducat
Personal information
Full name Andrew Ducat
Date of birth February 16, 1886(1886-02-16)
Place of birth    Brixton, London, England
Date of death    July 23, 1942 (aged 56)
Place of death    St John's Wood, London, England
Playing position Centre forward, right half
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1903-1905
1905-1912
1912-1921
1921-1924
Southend United
Woolwich Arsenal
Aston Villa
Fulham

175 (19)
074 0(4)
064 0(0)   
National team
1910-1920 England 006 0(1)
Teams managed
1924-1926 Fulham

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Ducat also had a successful football career. He started out playing for non-league Southend United before joining First Division Woolwich Arsenal in 1905.

He made his Arsenal debut on February 11, 1905, in a 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers, playing at centre forward. After losing his place in 1906-07, he was later switched to right half and became a regular in 1907-08 and 1908-09. During his time at Arsenal, he won three caps for England, with his debut coming against Ireland in Belfast on February 12, 1910; England won 6-1. On his second appearance for England, against Wales on March 14 the same year, Ducat scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Ducat's ability and success with England brought attention from bigger clubs than Arsenal, who were at the time going through a financial crisis. Eventually, he was sold for £1,000 to Aston Villa in 1912, having played 188 matches and scored 21 goals for Arsenal. After suffering a broken leg in his first season at Villa, he recovered to become a stalwart in the side, captaining Villa to their sixth FA Cup win in 1919-20, beating Huddersfield Town. He also regained his England place; having not played since 1910, he won three more caps during 1920, the last coming in a 2-0 win against Ireland at Roker Park on October 23, 1920, bringing his total number of England appearances to six.

He moved to Fulham in 1921, and upon his retirement from playing in 1924, he succeeded Phil Kelso (his former boss at Arsenal) as Fulham manager. However, the Cottagers struggled with Ducat in charge, finishing 12th and 19th in the Second Division during the two seasons he was at the helm. He was sacked in 1926. After his departure from Fulham, he continued to play amateur football for the Casuals

[edit] Retirement and death

After retiring from cricket in 1931, Ducat became cricket coach at Eton College for five years. He was also a sports reporter before his sudden death in 1942; his death came during a game at Lord's Cricket Ground, where he died of an apparent heart attack after lunch, whilst playing in a wartime cricket match between teams from his unit of the Home Guard from Surrey against another from Sussex. The match was abandoned. He was aged 56, and is the only person in history to have died during a match at Lord's.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Harris, Jeff & Hogg, Tony (ed.) (1995). Arsenal Who's Who. Independent UK Sports. ISBN 1-899429-03-4. 
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