George Harold Shepstone (9 April 1876 – 3 July 1940) was a South African cricketer who played in two Test matches in 1896 and 1899. He played first-class cricket for Transvaal from 1897–98 to 1904–05.[1]
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | George Harold Shepstone | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 9 April 1876 Pietermaritzburg, Colony of Natal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 3 July 1940 (aged 64) Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut | 2 March 1896 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 14 February 1899 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1897–98 to 1904–05 | Transvaal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 13 November 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shepstone was born in Pietermaritzburg and educated in England at Repton School, where he played in the First XI in 1892 and 1893.[2][3]
Cricket career
editShepstone was an all-rounder – a right-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler – who made his first-class and Test debuts in the same match, for South Africa against England in 1895–96. Playing in only the second of the three-Test series, he scored 21 and 9 batting in the middle order, and took no wickets.[4]
Shepstone was one of only two century-makers in the Currie Cup in 1897–98, with 104 for Transvaal against Griqualand West.[5] Opening the Transvaal bowling with Jimmy Sinclair, he also took 14 wickets in the competition, including 5 for 77 and 4 for 34 against Natal.[6]
When England next toured South Africa in 1898–99, Shepstone played in the First Test, but was unsuccessful and South Africa lost. He was not selected for the Test team again.[7]
Shepstone played in the Transvaal teams that won the Currie Cup in 1902–03 and 1903–04.[1] In the Currie Cup match against Border in April 1903, he took 5 for 22 and, bowling throughout the second innings in partnership with Johannes Kotze, 5 for 17.[8] He toured England in 1904 with the South African team, when no Tests were played, but owing to illness he played in only six of the 22 first-class matches.[9][2]
Personal life
editShepstone married Ellen Hilda Chambers, a divorcee, in Johannesburg in August 1907.[10] In July 1940, suffering from bowel cancer, he shot himself in the head, and died in hospital in Germiston, aged 64.[11]
References
edit- 1 2 "First-Class Matches played by George Shepstone". CricketArchive. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- 1 2 "George Shepstone". Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ↑ "Miscellaneous Matches played by George Shepstone". CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ↑ "South Africa vs England, 2nd Test at Johannesburg, Mar 02 1896". Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ↑ "Transvaal v Griqualand West 1897-98". CricketArchive. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ↑ "Natal v Transvaal 1897-98". CricketArchive. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ↑ "South Africa vs England, 1st Test at Johannesburg, Feb 14 1899". Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ↑ "Border v Transvaal 1902-03". CricketArchive. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
- ↑ "The Averages of the South African Team". Cricket: 416. 15 September 1904.
- ↑ "Johannesburg. Marriage Certificates". Family Search. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ↑ "Germiston. Death Certificates". Family Search. Retrieved 7 October 2024.