On the 23 July 1942, England and Surrey cricketer, and England footballer, Andrew Ducat [1886-1942], died suddenly of a heart attack. aged 46, during a wartime cricket match at Lord’s between teams from Ducat’s unit of the Surrey Home Guard against another from Sussex.

The match was immediately abandoned as a mark of respect for Ducat. He is the only person to have died while playing in a match at Lord’s.

Ducat was born in Brixton, London, but grew up in Southend, and was one of an elite group to have represented their country in both sports.

He joined the ground staff at the Oval in 1906, and became a regular member of the county team. playing alongside Tom Hayward, Jack Hobbs and Ernest Hayes.

Standing 5’10” high, he was a powerful, forcing batsman, Ducat made 52 centuries for Surrey, including 306 not out in 280 minutes against Oxford University in 1919. In 1928, he made 994 runs in less than six weeks, including centuries in four successive matches.

He was also one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1920.

He played in only one Test match. The 3rd Test against Australia at Headingly, Leeds in 1921, where he make 3 and 2 runs. He was ‘doubly’ out in the first innings, when his bat disintegrated playing a ball bowled by Ted McDonald. The ball looped to slip where it was caught, and part of the broken bat hit the wicket ans dislodged a bail. He was given out caught rather than hit wicket.

Ducat also had a successful football career. He started out playing for non-league Southend United before joining First Division Woolwich Arsenal in 1905. He made his Arsenal debut on February 1905, in a 2–0 win against Blackburn Rovers, playing at centre forward.

During his time at Arsenal, he won three caps for England, his debut coming against Ireland in Belfast in February 1910. England won 6–1. On his second appearance for England, against Wales in March the same year, Ducat scored the only goal in a 1–0 win.

After retiring from cricket in 1931, Ducat became cricket coach at Eton College for five years. He was also a sports reporter for the Daily Sketch.

23 July, 2019