Geoff Chubb

Geoffrey Walter Ashton Chubb (12 April 1911 – 28 August 1982) was a South African cricketer who played five Test matches for South Africa on the tour of England in 1951 aged 40.

Geoff Chubb

Personal information
Born	(1911-04-12)12 April 1911 East London, Cape Province
Died	28 August 1982(1982-08-28) (aged 71) East London, Cape Province
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium-fast
International information
National side	South Africa
Test debut	7 June 1951 v England
Last Test	16 August 1951 v England
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 5 49 Runs scored 63 835 Batting average 10.50 18.15 100s/50s 0/0 0/5 Top score 15* 71* Balls bowled 1,425 9,423 Wickets 21 160 Bowling average 27.47 23.91 5 wickets in innings 2 7 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 6/51 7/54 Catches/stumpings 0/– 12/–
Source: Cricinfo, 1 February 2020

He first played first-class cricket in 1931–32 as an opening batsman for Border, making 64 on debut[1] and playing five matches that season. He played twice for Transvaal in 1936–37 and once in 1939–40, batting in the middle order and opening the bowling. In his one match in 1939–40 he took 4 for 24 and 4 for 43 and scored 71 not out in an innings victory over Eastern Province.[2]

After World War II, during which he spent three years as a prisoner of war,[3] he resumed playing for Transvaal, enjoying reasonable success as a bowler between 1945–46 and 1948–49. He played no first-class matches in 1949–50, but returned in 1950–51 and displayed the best form of his career, taking 33 wickets at 14.66[4] and helping Transvaal to victory in the Currie Cup. He began the season with 5 for 35 and 2 for 27 in an innings victory over Rhodesia, and also took 5 for 34 and 2 for 66 against Western Province and his best figures of 7 for 54 and 2 for 10 against Natal.[5]

On the 1951 tour of England he bowled more overs and took more wickets than anyone else: 809.4 overs, and 76 wickets at 26.38.[6] Opening the bowling with Cuan McCarthy, he headed South Africa's Test bowling averages, taking 21 wickets at an average of 27.47, but couldn't prevent England taking the series 3–1. His best figures were 6 for 51 in the first innings of the Third Test; he also took 5 for 77 in the first innings of the Second Test. On the second day of the Fifth Test he bowled unchanged from 11.50 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.[7] Wisden commented that he "went through the tour always willing to keep an end going as long as the captain desired ... His was an exceptional debut in the world of Test cricket."[8] Outside the Tests he took 5 for 21 against Glamorgan in May, and also 5 for 21 against Somerset in August.

He retired following the series, becoming a national selector and serving two terms as President of the South African Cricket Association.

Unusually for an opening bowler, he wore spectacles while playing.[3]