Ken McEwan
Kenneth Scott McEwan (born 16 July 1952 at
A right-handed middle-order batsman, McEwan's cricket career coincided almost exactly with the period in which
It proved a good signing: McEwan scored just over 1,000 runs in his first season at an average of 30 runs per innings, and for the next 11 seasons comfortably exceeded those figures in every year. In 1977, he scored centuries in four consecutive first-class innings and the following year he was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 1978 edition of the almanack.[1] His best season was 1983 when, with 2,051 runs at an average of 68.36, he headed the national runs tally in the season.[2]
With McEwan as its leading batsman, Essex achieved the first successes in its history, winning the
Though unable to play
In all cricket, McEwan scored 26,628 runs at an average of more than 41 runs per innings. His career total of 74 centuries is second only to John Langridge's 76 among players who never played Test cricket. He was also an occasional wicket-keeper and a fine close fielder.
Notable innings
Whilst on Sussex's books, in 1972 McEwan played Worthing Evening Cricket League for Greystoke and in scoring 126* against Lyles, an innings which included seven 6s and thirteen 4s, he secured not only the first century in Division 1 but also the highest league score which still stood as at 1988.[3] He also turned out that year for Worthing in the Sussex Invitation Cricket League.
While at Eastern Province, in the first innings of the Currie Cup final of the 1988/89 season against Transvaal, McEwan made 191 in a 337-run third wicket partnership with Philip Amm (214) to set up Eastern Province's historic victory by an innings and 103 runs: it was Eastern Province's first Currie Cup, and the first time since 1890/91 that any team other than Transvaal, Natal or Western Province had won the cup.
References
- ^ a b Cricketer of the Year 1978: Ken McEwan
- ^ 1983 County Championship most runs
- ^ Worthing Cricket Association: A History of 37 Seasons from 1952 to 1988 by Laurie Claydon (Competitions Secretary)