Augustine Kelly facts for kids

Augustine Patrick Kelly (born January 1, 1894 – died May 12, 1960) was a talented Irish cricketer. He was a batsman who hit the ball with his right hand and also played as a wicket-keeper, which means he stood behind the stumps to catch balls.

Augustine Kelly played for the Ireland cricket team 25 times between 1920 and 1930. This included 13 special matches called first-class games. He also played first-class cricket for his university team, Dublin University.

Augustine Kelly's Life Story

Augustine Kelly went to school at Ampleforth College and then studied at Trinity College Dublin. Before finishing his degree, he bravely served in the First World War. He was a Lieutenant (a type of officer) in the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force. At first, he was an observer, helping pilots, but he later became a pilot himself! For his bravery, he received a special award called the Military Cross.

After the war, in 1919, he went back to Dublin University to finish his studies. He later became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court.

His Cricket Journey Begins

The year after he left university, Augustine Kelly started playing for Ireland. His first game was a first-class match against Scotland in July. He played more matches against the Irish Military and Scotland in 1921. By 1923, he became a regular player for the Irish team.

Even while playing for Ireland, he still played some games for his university team. He played against the West Indies in 1923 and a first-class match against Essex in 1922. For Ireland, he played against Scotland and Wales in 1923. He also faced Scotland and the MCC in 1924.

Later Years in Cricket

Augustine Kelly continued to be a key player for the Irish team for the next six years. He played international games against Scotland, Wales, and the West Indies. He also played several matches against the MCC. His very last first-class match was in June 1930 against Scotland. His final game for Ireland was in August 1930, once again against the MCC.

How Well Did He Play?

In all the matches he played for Ireland, Augustine Kelly scored a total of 808 runs. His average score was 21.26 runs per game. He scored four half-centuries, which means he scored 50 runs or more four times in an innings. His highest score was 82 runs, which he made against Wales in August 1923.

As a wicket-keeper, he was very good at catching the ball. He took 28 catches and made 14 stumpings. He didn't bowl much, only throwing two overs in total. This happened in his second-to-last match for Ireland against a team called Julien Cahn's XI.