George McCanlis (3 December 1847 – 18 October 1937) was an English soldier and cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent between 1873 and 1878.[1] He was born at the garrison of Landguard Fort in Suffolk where his father was serving in the British Army.[2]

George McCanlis
Personal information
Full name
George McCanlis
Born(1846-12-03)3 December 1846
Landguard Fort, Suffolk
Died8 October 1937(1937-10-08) (aged 90)
Upper Norwood, London
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
RelationsWilliam McCanlis (brother)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1869–1875Royal Artillery
1873–1878Kent
FC debut18 August 1873 Kent v Surrey
Last FC29 July 1878 Kent v Surrey
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 17
Runs scored 364
Batting average 12.55
100s/50s 0/1
Top score 60
Balls bowled 300
Wickets 3
Bowling average 39.00
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 1/9
Catches/stumpings 8/–
Source: CricInfo, 19 December 2018

Like his brother William, who also played for Kent and later became influential in the development of young cricketers through the Tonbridge Nursery, George McCanlis was a right-handed batsman sometimes used as an opener and an occasional right-arm bowler. He played in 17 first-class matches for Kent, heading the county's batting averages in 1873.[3] His best innings came on his debut, a score of 60 when he and his brother made 99 of the 107 runs that came from the bat in Kent's first innings against Surrey at The Oval.[4] In the same match he took a wicket with his first ball in first-class cricket. He is one of only three Kent players to have done so and the first to achieve the feat.[1][5][6]

McCanlis served in the Royal Artillery (RA), probably reaching the rank of Bombardier. His father had served in the RA and his brother also did so. He played cricket for the Royal Artillery Cricket Club (RACC), including in matches against the Royal Engineers. The RACC was largely an officers club at the time, although enlisted me such as the McCanlis brothers were allowed to play if they were considered good enough. Along with his brother and Victor Barton he is one of only three enlisted gunners to have played first-class cricket whilst serving in the RA.[7]

McCanlis died at Upper Norwood in London in October 1873 aged 89.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "George McCanlis". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b George McCanlis, CricInfo. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  3. ^ Marsham G (1907) A short history of Kent County Cricket Club, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1907. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  4. ^ McCanlis, Capt. William, Obituaries in 1925, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1926. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  5. ^ 'Bowling records' in Kent County Cricket Club Annual 2017, pp.197–205. Canterbury: Kent County Cricket Club.
  6. ^ Carlaw D (2020) Kent County Cricketers A to Z. Part One: 1806–1914 (revised edition), pp. 342–343. (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 7 August 2022.)
  7. ^ Club History Archived 10 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Royal Artillery Cricket Club. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
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