George Shepstone

George Harold Shepstone (9 April 1876 – 3 July 1940) was a South African cricketer who played in two Test matches in 1896 and 1899. He played first-class cricket for Transvaal from 1897–98 to 1904–05.^[1]

Shepstone was born in Pietermaritzburg and educated in England at Repton School, where he played in the First XI in 1892 and 1893.^[2][3]

Shepstone was an all-rounder – a right-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler – who made his first-class and Test debuts in the same match, for South Africa against England in 1895–96. Playing in only the second of the three-Test series, he scored 21 and 9 batting in the middle order, and took no wickets.^[4]

Shepstone was one of only two century-makers in the Currie Cup in 1897–98, with 104 for Transvaal against Griqualand West.^[5] Opening the Transvaal bowling with Jimmy Sinclair, he also took 14 wickets in the competition, including 5 for 77 and 4 for 34 against Natal.^[6]

When England next toured South Africa in 1898–99, Shepstone played in the First Test, but was unsuccessful and South Africa lost. He was not selected for the Test team again.^[7]

Shepstone played in the Transvaal teams that won the Currie Cup in 1902–03 and 1903–04.^[1] In the Currie Cup match against Border in April 1903, he took 5 for 22 and, bowling throughout the second innings in partnership with Johannes Kotze, 5 for 17.^[8] He toured England in 1904 with the South African team, when no Tests were played, but owing to illness he played in only six of the 22 first-class matches.^[9][2]

Shepstone married Ellen Hilda Chambers, a divorcee, in Johannesburg in August 1907.^[10] In July 1940, suffering from bowel cancer, he shot himself in the head, and died in hospital in Germiston, aged 64.^[11]

• George Shepstone at ESPNcricinfo