Kenneth Charles Myburgh Hands (22 March 1892 – 18 November 1954) was a South African cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1912 to 1931.

Kenneth Hands
Personal information
Full name
Kenneth Charles Myburgh Hands
Born(1892-03-22)22 March 1892
Stellenbosch, Cape Colony
Died18 November 1954(1954-11-18) (aged 62)
Paris, France
BattingRight-handed
Relations
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1912Oxford University
1921/22–1930/31Western Province
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 31
Runs scored 1,543
Batting average 29.11
100s/50s 3/4
Top score 171 not out
Balls bowled 891
Wickets 17
Bowling average 33.41
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 4/25
Catches/stumpings 12/–
Source: Cricinfo, 29 October 2017

Kenneth Hands was born in Stellenbosch, Cape Colony in 1892, son of Sir Harry Hands KBE and Lady Aletta Hands (née Myburgh) OBE. He was educated at Diocesan College before becoming a Rhodes Scholar, like his elder brothers Reginald and Philip. Also like his brothers he gained a rugby blue.[1] He became a Rhodes Scholar in 1910 and went up to Oxford. He studied engineering and practised as a civil engineer before switching to accounting and joining his father's firm of accountants, Hands & Shore, in Cape Town.[2]

In the First World War he served with distinction as a lieutenant with the Royal Engineers and was mentioned in dispatches.[3][2]

Hands played regularly for Western Province from 1921 to 1931. His highest score was 171 not out, out of a team total of 319 for 8 declared in the second innings against Natal in 1925–26, when he also top-scored in Western Province's first innings with 42.[4] He also followed his brothers into the national team, but unlike them he did not play Test cricket. His one match for South Africa was against S. B. Joel's English team in 1924–25, when in the third match of the series he failed with the bat, although his 17 in the first innings was the second-highest score.[5]

He died on 18 November 1954, in Paris.[2]

References

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  1. ^ The Cricketer, Spring Annual, 1955, p. 93.
  2. ^ a b c Schulze, Heinrich (1999). South Africa's Cricketing Lawyers. [South Africa]: Halfway House. pp. 106–109. ISBN 9780620250498.
  3. ^ "Lieutenant Kenneth Charles Myburgh HANDS Royal Engineers". National Archives. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Western Province v Natal 1925-26". CricketArchive. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  5. ^ "South Africa v S. B. Joel's XI (third match) 1924-25". CricketArchive. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
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