Cuan McCarthy

Cuan Niel McCarthy was a former South African cricketer who played 15 test matches for his country from 1948 till 1951. McCarthy was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal in South Africa and was one among 5 children of Victor McCarthy and his wife Phyllis McCarthy.

McCarthy was born poor and grew up at a farm owned by his parents where his mother breed a popular line of Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs. While growing up, McCarthy attended the Maritzburg College.

McCarthy was selected to play for his national side at the age of 19 as a pace bowler. While playing for South Africa for his 15 tests, McCarthy opened the bowling attack for his team. Known for his bowling tactics, McCarthy was not a good batsman and is one of those bowlers that have taken more wickets than the runs they have scored.

McCarthy was able to produce his best bowling on a pitch that was freshened up by a light shower. He was able to set a mark for himself in his very first test match at a home ground in Kingsmead against the visiting English team. A test match held at the Old Trafford proved out to be the most difficult one in his career for the pitch was an extremely dry and difficult to bowl on.

In 1952, McCarthy joined the Cambridge University and was having a successful round playing for the university but things started to change after a controversy that engulfed him in the same season. McCarthy became the first ever bowler to have been no-balled and called for throwing since 1908. This gave a huge blow to his cricketing career and he was never seen in a first-class match afterwards. He played a few matches for Dorset at the Minor Countries Championships but retires altogether soon after and returned to his farm.

McCarthy’s test cricket career saw him bowl at an average of 41.94 runs per over with the best bowling figures at 6 wickets for 43 runs. He played 60 first-class matches and bowled at an average of 25.85 with the best figures of 8 wickets for 36 runs.

Career Highlights

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