Denys Witherington

Denys March Witherington (25 July 1921 – 16 February 1944) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army soldier.

Denys Witherington
Personal information
Full nameDenys March Witherington
Born25 July 1921
Hendon, County Durham, England
Died16 February 1944(1944-02-16) (aged 22)
near Anzio, Lazio, Italy
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicket-keeper
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1939Cambridge University
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 4
Runs scored 147
Batting average 29.40
100s/50s –/1
Top score 52*
Catches/stumpings 5/1
Source: Cricinfo, 8 September 2020

Witherington was born at Hendon in Sunderland in July 1921, one of three sons of Arthur Simpson and Catherine Witherington. He was educated in Cambridge at The Leys School,[1] where he was a talented schoolboy cricketer who played in the Public School's match at Lord's.[2] After completing his education, Witherington remained in Cambridge where he attended Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge.[3] While studying at Cambridge, he played first-class cricket for Cambridge University in 1939, making four appearances.[4] Playing as a wicket-keeper, he scored 147 runs in his four matches at an average of 29.40 and a high score of 52 not out. Behind the stumps he also took five catches and made a single stumping.[5] After missing out on a blue in 1939,[2] his studies were interrupted by the onset of the Second World War.

During the war he served as a private with the North Lancashire Loyal Regiment, serving in the North African campaign and later the Italian campaign, where he was killed in action during a German counterattack in the Battle of Anzio in February 1944.[3][1] His brother, John, had been killed two years previously when his bomber was shot down over Germany.[2]

References
  1. "The promising Sunderland cricketer whose life was cut short". Sunderland Echo. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  2. "Wisden - Obituaries during the war, 1944". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  3. McCrery, Nigel (2011). The Coming Storm: Test and First-Class Cricketers Killed in World War Two. 2nd. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1526706980.
  4. "First-Class Matches played by Denys Witherington". CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. "First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Denys Witherington". CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
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