Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football, Golf & Sporting Memorabilia
To be held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
21st, 22nd & 23rd March 2025
Lot 346
Estimate: £1500/2500
David Denton. Yorkshire & England 1894-1920. Stuart Surridge ‘Rapid Driver’ cricket bat used by Denton in the 1905 cricket season scoring over 2405 runs, becoming one of Wisden’s ‘Five Cricketers of the Year’ [Wisden 1906], and making 52 and 153 not out against the Australians at Bradford in June 1905. The bat is inscribed clearly in black ink in Denton’s hand ‘Scored over 2000 runs with this bat including 52 and 153 not out versus Australians at Bradford June 5,6 & 7th 1905’. Additionally inscribed ‘Highest score against the Australians 1905 tour’ and signed by him. The bat in good original condition has an old split to the edge which has been bound with tape
The 1905 tour match against the Australians was drawn, Yorkshire batted first and made 324 all out, Rhodes top scoring with 70 and Cotter taking three wickets. The Australians in reply making only 208 with Ringrose taking nine wickets for 76 runs. In the Yorkshire second innings they made 266-4 declared, Denton 153 not out and the match finished in a draw with Australia finishing on 187-4
David Denton (1874-1950) was a very effective, attacking right hand batsman whose attacking play, although risky, bought over 36,000 runs in first class cricket. His nickname of ‘Lucky’ came from his habit of surviving the numerous chances that his attacking batting style created for the opposition. He was a great hero of Yorkshire cricket between 1894 and 1920 and played eleven Tests for England. He scored 1000 runs in a season twenty one times in that period. His fine wristy stroke play ensured that all runs were scored quickly. He was also one of the finest deep fielders in England of his period. In 1905, Denton had a fantastic year, scoring 2,405 runs earning himself Wisden Cricketer of the Year recognition in Wisden 1906. In July 1905, he was chosen to play against Australia at Headingley at Leeds, but he failed to make the most of his opportunity and was dismissed for 0 and 12, being dropped from the team immediately thereafter. He was recalled for the tour to South Africa that winter, and played in all five Tests. He made just one fifty in ten innings, and was again dropped from the side, but nevertheless played five more Test matches for England on a second and final tour of South Africa, in 1909/10. In the third Test at Johannesburg he made 104 at about a run a minute, but in no other innings did he even pass 30, and his England career came to a permanent end. Yorkshire won the County Championship on nine occasions during his player career and were in the top four for twenty one years of the twenty three years in which he played.
David Denton (1874-1950) was a very effective, attacking right hand batsman whose attacking play, although risky, bought over 36,000 runs in first class cricket. His nickname of ‘Lucky’ came from his habit of surviving the numerous chances that his attacking batting style created for the opposition. He was a great hero of Yorkshire cricket between 1894 and 1920 and played eleven Tests for England. He scored 1000 runs in a season twenty one times in that period. His fine wristy stroke play ensured that all runs were scored quickly. He was also one of the finest deep fielders in England of his period. In 1905, Denton had a fantastic year, scoring 2,405 runs earning himself Wisden Cricketer of the Year recognition in Wisden 1906. In July 1905, he was chosen to play against Australia at Headingley at Leeds, but he failed to make the most of his opportunity and was dismissed for 0 and 12, being dropped from the team immediately thereafter. He was recalled for the tour to South Africa that winter, and played in all five Tests. He made just one fifty in ten innings, and was again dropped from the side, but nevertheless played five more Test matches for England on a second and final tour of South Africa, in 1909/10. In the third Test at Johannesburg he made 104 at about a run a minute, but in no other innings did he even pass 30, and his England career came to a permanent end. Yorkshire won the County Championship on nine occasions during his player career and were in the top four for twenty one years of the twenty three years in which he played.