David Townsend

Who was David Townsend?

David Charles Humphrey Townsend was an English cricketer who played in three Tests in 1935.

Born in Norton, County Durham, David Townsend was a right-handed batsman, sometimes used as an opener, who holds the record of being the last cricketer to have played Test cricket for England without playing for one of the first-class English counties. Townsend's first-class cricket was principally for Oxford University and he won his Blue in the University match in 1933 and 1934. But his other cricket was mainly for Durham, which was at that time one of the Minor Counties.

After two good university seasons, Townsend was picked for a rather makeshift MCC side that toured the West Indies in 1934-35 under Bob Wyatt. He opened in three of the four Tests but was not a success, and the series as a whole was won by the West Indian cricket team, the side's first series victory. Townsend played little first-class cricket after this tour, though his final match was not until 1948.

Townsend was the son of Charles Townsend, also an England Test player, and his own son, Jonathan, played first-class cricket for Oxford University in the 1960s. David Townsend died at age 84 in Norton, County Durham.