Mike Burton (cricketer)

Michael St John Whitehead Burton (born 14 February 1944) is a Zimbabwean former first-class cricketer.

Mike Burton
Personal information
Full name
Michael St John Whitehead Burton
Born (1944-02-14) 14 February 1944 (age 80)
Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1964/65–1967/68Eastern Province
1969–1971Oxford University
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 37
Runs scored 821
Batting average 15.20
100s/50s –/2
Top score 84
Balls bowled 7,308
Wickets 77
Bowling average 43.07
5 wickets in innings 2
10 wickets in match
Best bowling 5/69
Catches/stumpings 15/–
Source: Cricinfo, 23 May 2020

Burton was born in February 1944 at Bulawayo, in what was then a part of Southern Rhodesia. He was educated at Umtali Boys' High School.[1] Burton was selected to represent a South African Schools XI in cricket, before gaining first-class experience with Eastern Province.[2] He debuted for Eastern Province against the touring Marylebone Cricket Club at Port Elizabeth in 1964. He played first-class cricket intermittently for Eastern Province until November 1967, making five appearances.[3] He took 7 wickets for Eastern Province with his off break bowling, in addition to scoring 102 runs.[4][5]

Burton went up to Mansfield College at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in 1968. While studying at Oxford, he played first-class cricket for Oxford University, making his varsity debut against Lancashire at Oxford in 1969. He played first-class cricket for Oxford until 1971, making 31 appearances.[3] Burton took 70 wickets for Oxford at an average of 40.24. He took a five wicket haul on two occasions, with best figures of 5 for 96,[4] which came against Nottinghamshire in 1970.[6] As a batsman, he scored 719 runs at a batting average of 15.63 and with a high score of 84.[5] In addition to playing first-class cricket for Oxford, Burton also appeared in a single match for a combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities team against the touring West Indians in 1969.[3] He captained Oxford in 1969–70, the first Rhodes Scholar to do so.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Player profile: Mike Burton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  2. ^ Murray, Bruce; Parry, Richard; Winch, Jonty (2018). Cricket and Society in South Africa, 1910–1971: From Union to Isolation. Springer. p. 157. ISBN 978-3319936086.
  3. ^ a b c "First-Class Matches played by Mike Burton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b "First-class Bowling For Each Team by Mike Burton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Mike Burton". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Oxford University v Nottinghamshire, 1970". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Mansfield College Magazine". Mansfield College, Oxford. p. 24. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
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