Ashley John Harvey-Walker (21 July 1944 – 28 April 1997) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire from 1971 to 1978.[1] He was shot dead in a Johannesburg bar.[2][3]
Ashley Harvey-Walker
Personal information
Full name
Ashley John Harvey-Walker
Born
(1944-07-21)21 July 1944 East Ham, London, England
Harvey-Walker was born in East Ham, London and educated at Strathallan School in Perthshire, where he was in the first XI for five years.[1][4] After school he joined Warwickshire in 1963 and played for the second XI team.[5] He moved to Derbyshire in 1967 where he also played in the second XI.[5] In the 1971 season he made his first team debut.[5] He became the first Derbyshire cricketer to score a century on his debut scoring an unbeaten 110 against Oxford University at Burton-on-Trent.[6][7]
CareerEdit
Harvey-Walker was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break and medium-pace bowler.[1] Early in his career he played purely as a top order batsman, though he struggled to hold down a regular place in a weak batting side.[1] His best season was in 1974 when he scored 727 runs at 25.96, and also scored 448 List 'A' runs.[8]
In June 1975, during a match between Derbyshire and Lancashire at Buxton, a highly unseasonal snowstorm took place.[9] To that date, it was the only first-class cricket match in history whereby, 'snow stopped play', in what was one of the hottest summers on record.[9] Shortly after the thaw set in, Harvey-Walker came out to bat and surprised square leg umpire Dickie Bird by asking him to look after his false teeth, wrapped in a handkerchief, because he wouldn't be in for long![9]
Not regarded as a regular bowler much beforehand, he was regularly employed when selected in the 1978 season, taking 10–82, including 7–35 in the second innings against Surrey on the notoriously uncertain wicket at Ilkeston.[2] Despite playing in the 1978 Benson & Hedges Cup Final he was not re-engaged at the end of the season in a general clearout by the County.[10]
Following his release from Derbyshire, he played for Undercliffe Cricket Club in the Bradford Cricket League and then emigrated to South Africa.[2][11] He was working as assistant groundsman at the Wanderers Stadium in Johnannesburg, and only a month before his death had helped to prepare the pitch for the Test against Australia.[2]
DeathEdit
On 28 April 1997, at the age of 52, Harvey-Walker was shot dead at a private club in the Berea neighbourhood of Johannesburg.[12] Apparently, a gunman walked into the bar, called out Harvey-Walker's name, and shot him when he responded.[3][13]
^"Club History". Undercliffe Cricket Club. 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
^"Cricket: Ashley Harvey Walker found shot dead". The Independent. 3 May 1997. ProQuest 312631660.
^"Death by Misadventure" by P Thorn & K.Bartlett. In ACS Journal 2006-8
August 31, 2023
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Ashley John Harvey Walker 21 July 1944 28 April 1997 was an English cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire from 1971 to 1978 1 He was shot dead in a Johannesburg bar 2 3 Ashley Harvey WalkerPersonal informationFull nameAshley John Harvey WalkerBorn 1944 07 21 21 July 1944East Ham London EnglandDied28 April 1997 1997 04 28 aged 52 Johannesburg Transvaal South AfricaBattingRight handedBowlingRight arm mediumRight arm offbreakRoleAll rounderDomestic team informationYearsTeam1971 1978DerbyshireFC debut23 June 1971 Derbyshire v Oxford Univ Last FC18 July 1978 Derbyshire v WorcestershireLA debut20 June 1971 Derbyshire v LancashireLast LA13 August 1978 Derbyshire v MiddlesexCareer statisticsCompetition First class List AMatches 81 91Runs scored 3 186 1 829Batting average 23 95 22 03100s 50s 3 19 0 8Top score 117 84Balls bowled 2 352 418Wickets 34 9Bowling average 33 82 34 225 wickets in innings 1 010 wickets in match 1 0Best bowling 7 35 4 37Catches stumpings 31 29 Source CricketArchive 28 April 2010 Contents 1 Hundred on debut 2 Career 3 Death 4 See also 5 ReferencesHundred on debut EditHarvey Walker was born in East Ham London and educated at Strathallan School in Perthshire where he was in the first XI for five years 1 4 After school he joined Warwickshire in 1963 and played for the second XI team 5 He moved to Derbyshire in 1967 where he also played in the second XI 5 In the 1971 season he made his first team debut 5 He became the first Derbyshire cricketer to score a century on his debut scoring an unbeaten 110 against Oxford University at Burton on Trent 6 7 Career EditHarvey Walker was a right handed batsman and a right arm off break and medium pace bowler 1 Early in his career he played purely as a top order batsman though he struggled to hold down a regular place in a weak batting side 1 His best season was in 1974 when he scored 727 runs at 25 96 and also scored 448 List A runs 8 In June 1975 during a match between Derbyshire and Lancashire at Buxton a highly unseasonal snowstorm took place 9 To that date it was the only first class cricket match in history whereby snow stopped play in what was one of the hottest summers on record 9 Shortly after the thaw set in Harvey Walker came out to bat and surprised square leg umpire Dickie Bird by asking him to look after his false teeth wrapped in a handkerchief because he wouldn t be in for long 9 Not regarded as a regular bowler much beforehand he was regularly employed when selected in the 1978 season taking 10 82 including 7 35 in the second innings against Surrey on the notoriously uncertain wicket at Ilkeston 2 Despite playing in the 1978 Benson amp Hedges Cup Final he was not re engaged at the end of the season in a general clearout by the County 10 Following his release from Derbyshire he played for Undercliffe Cricket Club in the Bradford Cricket League and then emigrated to South Africa 2 11 He was working as assistant groundsman at the Wanderers Stadium in Johnannesburg and only a month before his death had helped to prepare the pitch for the Test against Australia 2 Death EditOn 28 April 1997 at the age of 52 Harvey Walker was shot dead at a private club in the Berea neighbourhood of Johannesburg 12 Apparently a gunman walked into the bar called out Harvey Walker s name and shot him when he responded 3 13 See also EditList of cricketers who were murderedReferences Edit a b c d Ashley Harvey Walker CricketArchive 2003 Retrieved 16 November 2006 a b c d Ashley Harvey Walker Profile in Wisden Cricketers Almanack ESPNcricinfo 2013 Retrieved 24 October 2013 a b Wisden Obituaries in 1997 ESPNcricinfo 1998 Retrieved 24 October 2013 International Cricketers PDF Strathallan School September 2013 Archived from the original PDF on 29 October 2013 Retrieved 24 October 2013 a b c Teams Ashley Harvey Walker played for CricketArchive 2003 Retrieved 16 November 2006 Derbyshire vs Oxford University 23 25 June 1971 CricketArchive 2003 Archived from the original on 1 October 2007 Retrieved 16 November 2006 Hundred in first match for Derbyshire CricketArchive 2003 Retrieved 16 November 2006 Death of a groundsman the strange case of Ashley Harvey Walker www countycricketnews co uk 26 July 2011 Archived from the original on 29 October 2013 Retrieved 24 October 2013 a b c Bird still foxed by day snow stopped play The Daily Telegraph 22 June 2005 Retrieved 16 November 2006 1979 Derbyshire Yearbook Club History Undercliffe Cricket Club 2013 Retrieved 29 October 2013 Cricket Ashley Harvey Walker found shot dead The Independent 3 May 1997 ProQuest 312631660 Death by Misadventure by P Thorn amp K Bartlett In ACS Journal 2006 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ashley Harvey Walker amp oldid 1157075818, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
