Keith Bancroft
Claude Keith Bancroft (30 October 1885 in Fontabelle, St Michael, Barbados – 12 January 1919 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) was a West Indian cricketer who toured with the second West Indian touring side to England in 1906 as their wicket-keeper.
 Keith Bancroft in 1906 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Claude Keith Bancroft | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 30 October 1885 Fontabelle, Saint Michael, Barbados | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 12 January 1919 (aged 33) Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Kenneth Bancroft (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1904/05 | Barbados | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 25 September 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In 1904–05 he played for Barbados against Lord Brackley's team and then for the combined West Indies team in Barbados.
He was chosen as the wicket-keeper for the 1906 tour to England. Before the tour he was described as "the wicket-leeper of the team, and will be of immense value to his side. Is at present studying at Cambridge, having won the last Barbados Scholarship"[1] and "he is in residence at Cambridge as the team arrives in England. A wicketkeeper who is said to be very alert with the gloves. He kept well against Lord Brackley's XI and is also a steady bat".[2] He played in 11 of the 13 first class matches during the tour, scoring 53 against Kent in 90 minutes. He had dislocated a finger in the match against Surrey.
In 1907 and 1908 he played in trial matches at Cambridge but never played in a first class match for the University, indeed he didn't play any first class cricket after the 1906 tour.
After his first-class career was over, he did play two matches for the Federated Malay States against the Straits Settlements in 1911.
His brother Kenneth also played for Barbados in 1904–05.
References
- Cricket – A Weekly Record of the Game, 1906 page 178
- The West Indian Tour of England 1906 by Gerry Wolstenholme, page 7