David Pratt (cricketer)

David Pratt
Personal information
Born 20 July 1938 (1938-07-20) (age 73)
Watford, England
Batting style Right-handed
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox
Domestic team information
Years Team
1959 Worcestershire
1961 Combined Services
1962 Nottinghamshire
Career statistics
Competition FC
Matches 18
Runs scored 50
Batting average 3.12
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 14
Balls bowled 2,680
Wickets 23
Bowling average 49.60
5 wickets in innings 1
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 5-54
Catches/stumpings 4/0
Source: CricketArchive, 19 October 2008

David Pratt (born 20 July 1938) is a former English cricketer who played first-class cricket between 1959 and 1962 for three different teams. He also played minor counties cricket for Hertfordshire. He was a specialist bowler, whose batting was extremely poor: indeed, in his first 14 first-class innings his highest score was 3 not out, and he only ever reached double figures twice.[1]

He made his first-class debut for Worcestershire in May 1959 against Derbyshire at Chesterfield, but took no wickets.[2] He did not play in the first-team again until early August, when Worcestershire played Surrey at Worcester, but he then produced what was to remain a career-best performance. After going wicketless in the first innings, second time around he took 5-54, all his victims being current or future Test cricketers: Micky Stewart, Ken Barrington, Eric Bedser, Jim Laker and Alec Bedser.[3]

He stayed in the team throughout August, but took only eight more wickets in six games. In 1960 he played no cricket at all, but in 1961, by now in the Army, he turned out on three occasions for Combined Services against Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire as well as a touring "South Africa Fezelas" side, taking six wickets in all. He returned to county cricket in 1962 with Nottinghamshire, playing seven first-class games (in which he took just four wickets) but otherwise being confined to the Second XI. Reflecting the start of his career, in his final match (against Gloucestershire) both his victims were Test players: Arthur Milton and David Smith.[4]

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