David Capel is pictured above during his fine Test match debut innings of 53 against Pakistan
at Headingley, Leeds in July 1987.
In 2018 David underwent surgery after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
He died from complications with the disease on 2nd. September 2020 aged 57.
|
Date |
Test |
Venue |
Opp. |
1st Inns |
2nd Inns |
Batting |
Ct |
Result |
|
02/07/87 |
3 |
Leeds |
Pak |
18-1-64-0 |
dnb |
53 & 28 |
0 |
Lost |
|
25/11/87 |
1 |
Lahore |
Pak |
3-0-28-0 |
dnb |
0 & 0 |
0 |
Lost |
|
07/12/87 |
2 |
Faisalabad |
Pak |
7-1-23-0 |
dnb |
1 & 2 |
0 |
Draw |
|
16/12/87 |
3 |
Karachi |
Pak |
3-0-8-1 |
dnb |
98 & 24 |
0 |
Draw |
|
29/01/88 |
1 |
Sydney |
Aus |
6-3-13-2 |
17-4-38-1 |
21 & dnb |
0 |
Draw |
|
12/02/88 |
1 |
Christchurch |
NZ |
10-2-32-0 |
13-5-16-0 |
11 & 0 |
1 |
Draw |
|
25/02/88 |
2 |
Auckland |
NZ |
26.2-4-57-2 |
21-4-40-1 |
5 & dnb |
2 |
Draw |
|
03/03/88 |
3 |
Wellington |
NZ |
39-7-129-2 |
dnb |
dnb & dnb |
0 |
Draw |
|
30/06/88 |
3 |
Manchester |
WI |
12-2-38-1 |
dnb |
1 & 0 |
1 |
Lost |
|
04/08/88 |
5 |
The Oval |
WI |
7-0-21-0 |
3-0-20-0 |
16 & 12 |
0 |
Lost |
|
24/08/89 |
6 |
The Oval |
Aus |
16-2-66-1 |
8-0-35-1 |
4 & 17 |
0 |
Draw |
|
24/02/90 |
1 |
Kingston |
WI |
13-4-31-2 |
15-1-50-0 |
5 & dnb |
1 |
Won |
|
23/03/90 |
3 |
Port-of-Spain |
WI |
15-2-53-1 |
13-3-30-0 |
40 & 17* |
0 |
Draw |
|
05/04/90 |
4 |
Bridgetown |
WI |
24-5-88-3 |
16-1-66-1 |
2 & 6 |
1 |
Lost |
|
12/04/90 |
5 |
St. John's |
WI |
28-1-118-2 |
dnb |
10 & 1 |
0 |
Lost |
Summary of all matches
| M |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
100s |
50s |
W |
BB |
Ave |
5w |
Ct |
| 15 |
374 |
98 |
15.58 |
0 |
2 |
21 |
3-88 |
50.67 |
0 |
6 |
Photo 13th. August 1986. © George Herringshaw.
|
David Capel's finest hour came in his Test swansong, when his hitherto
disregarded seam bowling played an important part in England's
renaissance in the West Indies under Graham Gooch. In retrospect a
1989-90 series in the Caribbean looked a routine win for the West
Indies, but England, still reeling from the 'blackwashes' of the 1980s,
turned the tables on the West Indies at the start of the tour and played
such scintillating cricket they looked as if they might win the series.
Gooch used the West Indies tactics against them, picking four fast
bowlers: not fast in the West Indies sense, apart from Devon Malcolm,
but accurate and dangerous. Capel was the fourth man, banging the ball
down straight and on a length with menace and aggression, making sure
there was no relief for the batsmen.
He did not come out with
outstanding figures, 2-31 in Kingston when England won, 3-88 in
Barbados, but he was a vital cog in the machine, scoring 40 in Trinidad
as well. Up until then Capel had coped better as a batsman in Test
cricket, although selectors had come up with no consistent plan for his
development. He was even out of the team after top-scoring with 53 on
his debut against Pakistan in 1987. In Pakistan that winter he made 98
at Karachi as Abdul Qadir and his leg-spin toyed with the other batsmen.
In the Bi-centennial Test in Australia he scored 21 and took 2-13
before being given the new ball in the second innings. He disposed of
Dean Jones, but Australia made a big score and drew the match. He played
just one Test against each of New Zealand, West Indies and Australia in
the ensuing series, never settled and never a success, until Gooch gave
him the chance of his finest hour. (Bob Harragan)
|