George Benjamin Street (6 December 1889 – 24 April 1924) was an English cricketer who played in one Test in 1923. For his domestic side Sussex he was their regular wicket-keeper from 1912, when he succeeded Harry Butt, until his death.

Cricket career

Born in Charlwood, Surrey, Street made his first-class debut in 1909 against Cambridge University scoring 4 not out, batting at 10, and taking two catches.^[1] He played five university matches in three seasons before he made his County Championship debut against Somerset in 1912.^[2]

Street scored his maiden half-century against Gloucestershire later that season, batting at 10 he made 72 in a ninth wicket stand of 131 with Percy Fender.^[3] This was Street's only fifty in eighty pre-war first-class matches.^[4]

In 1921 Street scored his maiden century with an innings of 109 against Essex, sharing in a 141 run partnership with Vallance Jupp.^[5] Street scored two fifties to finish the 1921 season with 617 runs at an average 21.27, the highest average of his career.^[4]

Having previously been a lower-order batsman, Street was given the chance to open the innings for much of the 1922 season. This opportunity enabled him to amass his highest seasonal aggregate of 986 runs; he also took 81 dismissals.^[4]

Although not originally in the squad for the tour of South Africa in 1922-23, he was summoned when Walter Livsey broke a finger against North Eastern Districts.^[6] Livsey's deputy George Brown played in the first two Tests of the series before Street got his chance in the Third Test at Durban. He scored 4 in the first innings and 7 not out in the second innings (when chosen to open), he took one stumping off the bowling of county teammate Jupp.^[7] Brown was preferred for the final two Tests.

Street took a county record 95 dismissals in the 1923 season,^[8] and according to his Wisden obituary "he was at his best".^[9] However this would be his final season.

Death

In April 1924 Street was killed in a road accident. According to Wisden, "He was riding a motor-cycle and, in endeavouring to avoid a lorry at a cross-roads, crashed into a wall and died immediately."^[9] Street was riding on the main road from Hove where he had attended a boys' football match. A brewery firm's lorry had come toward a junction, sounding its horn continuously. Street, who was driving "too fast", "reached the cross-roads, swerved, accelerated the speed and dashed into a wall". He fractured his skull. The lorry was stationary when Street passed it, and Street had more than half of the road to himself. An inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.^[10]

References

External links

• George Street at ESPNcricinfo
• George Street at CricketArchive (subscription required)