Ray Dovey

Raymond Randall Dovey (18 July 1920 – 27 December 1974), known as Ray Dovey, was an English cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club from 1938 to 1954.

Ray Dovey

Personal information
Full name	Raymond Randall Dovey
Born	18 July 1920 Chislehurst, Kent
Died	27 December 1974 (aged 54) Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off-break
Role	Bowler
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1938–1954	Kent
1955–1959	Dorset
FC debut	9 July 1938 Kent v Surrey
Last FC	25 August 1954 Kent v Pakistanis
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 263 Runs scored 3,481 Batting average 11.63 100s/50s 0/5 Top score 65* Balls bowled 55,405 Wickets 777 Bowling average 27.53 5 wickets in innings 25 10 wickets in match 2 Best bowling 8/23 Catches/stumpings 79/–
Source: CricInfo, 7 March 2018

Dovey was born in Chislehurst in Kent in 1920 and first played for Kent before the Second World War as an off-break bowler.[1][2] He made his debut for Kent's Second XI in 1936 before making his first-class cricket debut in 1938 against Surrey at Rectory Field, Blackheath. He played for Kent until 1954, making a total of 249 appearances for the Kent First XI either side of the war.[3] Dovey was awarded his county cap in 1946 and was used as a "stock bowler"[4] by Kent. He has been described as a "more than useful off-spinner"[5] who was "reliable".[1]

As well as spinning the ball he could also bowl effective medium-pace deliveries and turned the ball sharply, especially on damp pitches. Dovey took career best bowling figures of eight wickets for 23 runs on such a pitch in 1950 against Surrey,[1] taking 102 wickets for Kent during the season.[5]

Dovey toured India and Ceylon with a Commonwealth cricket team in 1950–51, playing in 10 first-class matches on the tour, and took a total of 777 first-class wickets in his career.[4] He played non-first-class matches for Glamorgan sides during the war and made his final first class appearance for Kent against the touring Pakistanis in August 1954.[3]

After retiring from first-class cricket Dovey coached cricket at Sherborne School in Dorset, playing Minor Counties Championship cricket for Dorset County Cricket Club from 1955 to 1959.[1][4] He made 57 Championship appearances for the county side[3] before returning to Kent to work at Tonbridge School where he was involved with developing young cricketers including Christopher Cowdrey.[1][6] Dovey died suddenly at Tunbridge Wells in Kent in December 1974 aged 54.[1]

References

1. Dovey, Raymond Randall, Obituaries before 1975, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1976. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
2. Ray Dovey, CricInfo. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
3. Ray Dovey, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
4. Obituary, The Times, 1975-01-07, p.14.
5. The History of Kent County Cricket Club – Part Six: The Post-War Years, Kent Cricket Heritage Trust. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
6. Cricket history at Tonbridge School, Tonbridge School. Retrieved 2018-03-07.

External links

Ray Dovey at ESPNcricinfo