View source for Cuan McCarthy

{{Short description|South African cricketer (1929–2000)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name              = Cuan McCarthy
| image             = Cuan McCarthy02.jpg
| caption           =
| birth_date        = {{Birth date|1929|3|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place       = [[Pietermaritzburg]], [[KwaZulu-Natal|Natal]], South Africa
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2000|8|14|1929|3|24|df=y}}
| death_place       = [[Johannesburg]], [[Transvaal Province|Transvaal]], South Africa
|          heightft = 6
|        heightinch = 2
| batting           = Right-handed
| bowling           = Right-arm fast 
| columns           = 2
| column1           = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1          = 15
| runs1             = 28
| bat avg1          = 3.11
| 100s/50s1         = 0/0
| top score1        = 5
| deliveries1       = 3,499
| wickets1          = 36
| bowl avg1         = 41.94
| fivefor1          = 2
| tenfor1           = 0
| best bowling1     = 6/43
| catches/stumpings1= 6/–

| column2           = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches2          = 60 
| runs2             = 141
| bat avg2          = 4.27
| 100s/50s2         = 0/0
| top score2        = 23*
| deliveries2       = 11,818
| wickets2          = 176
| bowl avg2         = 25.85
| fivefor2          = 8
| tenfor2           = 1
| best bowling2     = 8/36
| catches/stumpings2= 23/–

| international     = true
| country           = South Africa

| testdebutagainst  = England
| testdebutdate     = 16 December
| testdebutyear     = 1948
| lasttestdate      = 16 August
| lasttestagainst   = England
| lasttestyear      = 1951
| source            = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/46196.html Cricinfo
| date              = 19 November
| year              = 2022
}}
'''Cuan Neil McCarthy''' (24 March 1929 – 14 August 2000) was a South African [[cricket]]er who played in fifteen [[Test cricket|Test matches]] from 1948 to 1951.

==Life and career==
One of five children born to Victor and [[Phyllis McCarthy]], Cuan McCarthy grew up on "Glenaholm", a citrus and poultry farm just out of Pietermaritzburg, where his mother bred a famous line of [[Rhodesian Ridgeback]] dogs (Glenaholm Kennel). He had Irish ancestry, and received his secondary education at [[Maritzburg College]].

Cuan McCarthy was included in the national side for the first time at the age of 19. Six feet two inches (1.88m) tall,<ref>[[Louis Duffus]], "The South Africans", ''[[The Cricketer]]'', Spring Annual 1951, pp. 5–9.</ref> and a bowler of genuine pace who could command a deadly off-cutter,<ref>Wright, Graeme (editor); ''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack]]'', 138th edition (2001); p. 1594; {{ISBN|0-947766-63-4}}</ref> he opened the bowling for South Africa in his 15 Tests, spanning 1948 to 1951. He was no batsman and stands as one of the few cricketers to have taken more wickets than the number of runs scored: up to the end of 1951 his highest score in forty-five first-class games was only seven. On a pitch freshened by a sharp shower<ref>Giller, Norman; "[[Alec Bedser|Bedser]] and [[Cliff Gladwin|Gladwin]] scurry to thrilling last-ball victory"; in ''The World's Greatest Cricket Matches''; pp. 17-19. {{ISBN|0-7064-3895-7}}</ref> he produced his best bowling figures in his debut Test against the touring England team on his home turf at [[Kingsmead Cricket Ground|Kingsmead]], taking six wickets for 43 runs in the second innings.<ref name="espncricinfo">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62695.html |title=1st Test: South Africa v England at Durban, Dec 16-20, 1948 |accessdate=2011-12-13|work=espncricinfo}}</ref> In later games it was thought that he too often pitched short when he would have been deadly bowling to a much fuller length. This tendency was seen at its worst in the 1951 tour of England, especially on an extremely difficult pitch at [[Old Trafford]].<ref>Preston, Norman (editor); ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', 89th edition (1952); p. 210</ref>

The following year, McCarthy moved to [[Pembroke College, Cambridge]],<ref>{{cite newspaper The Times |issue=52320 |date=24 May 1952 |page=4 |title=Cricket}}</ref> and was viewed as a valuable acquisition by the cricketing press. He bowled extremely well in taking forty-four wickets for the university at an average cost of little over seventeen each,<ref>Preston, Norman (editor); ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', 90th edition (1953); pp.642-643</ref> but a controversy arose when at Worcester McCarthy became the first bowler to be no-balled for throwing in English first-class cricket since 1908. He was still allowed to bowl for the rest of the match, and was thought so good that he played for the Gentlemen at Lord's and Scarborough, without meeting with pronounced success.

Although at this point McCarthy was established as a major bowling force, it turned out that he was never to be seen again in first-class cricket. After being at Cambridge in 1952, McCarthy stayed on in Britain<ref>Webber, Roy; ''The Playfair Book of Test Cricket, Volume II''; p. 23. Published June 1953 by Welbecson Press Limited.</ref> but was still thought a candidate for the 1952/1953 tour of Australia. However, he was not chosen and his only later cricket was in the [[Minor Counties Championship]] for Dorset, where he settled in subsequent years before returning to South Africa as a farmer.<ref>Wright; ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'' (2001); p. 1594</ref>

==Personal life==
He married Margaret Gillian Trotter in January 1954. The couple had three children. In 1972 he married Valerie Parham from [[Rhodesia]] and they had a son.

{{Gallery
| title = Pictures
|File:Cuan and Gillian McCarthy (1954).jpg|Cuan McCarthy and wife Gillian 1954
|File:Cuan McCarthy01.jpg|Cuan McCarthy in later life
}}

==See also==
* [[List of South Africa cricketers who have taken five-wicket hauls on Test debut]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120206010247/http://www.tssonnet.com/tss2848/stories/20051126000204800.htm Great Test Matches]}}
*[http://www.maritzburgcollege.org.za/ Maritzburg College]
*{{cricinfo|id=46196}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Cuan}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of Maritzburg College]]
[[Category:Alumni of Pembroke College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:South Africa Test cricketers]]
[[Category:South African cricketers]]
[[Category:Cambridge University cricketers]]
[[Category:South African Universities cricketers]]
[[Category:Dorset cricketers]]
[[Category:South African expatriate cricketers in England]]
[[Category:Gentlemen cricketers]]
[[Category:KwaZulu-Natal cricketers]]
[[Category:Commonwealth XI cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers who have taken five wickets on Test debut]]
[[Category:T. N. Pearce's XI cricketers]]


{{SouthAfrica-cricket-bio-stub}}