Gus Kempis

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Gus Kempis South Africa (RSA)

Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling type	Left-arm medium
	Tests	First-class
Matches	1	6
Runs scored	0	60
Batting average	0.00	6.00
100s/50s	0 / 0	0 / 0
Top score	0*	24
Balls bowled	168	1,248
Wickets	4	45
Bowling average	19.00	13.00
5 wickets in innings	0	4
10 wickets in match	0	2
Best bowling	3/53	7/33
Catches/stumpings	0 / 0	2 / 0
Test debut: 12 March 1889 Last Test: 12 March 1889 Source: Cricinfo

Gustav Adolph Kempis, was born in Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, South Africa on August 4, 1865, and died of a fever on Chiloane Island, Mozambique on May 19, 1890, aged just 24. But for his early death, South Africa could have had a supreme bowler for several more years as they moved into what became the origins of their first-class era. A left-arm medium pacer, he delivered the ball with great control of length and could break it either way off the pitch. After taking 13 wickets in just three non first-class bowling innings against R.G. Warton’s touring English side in 1888-89, he was selected for what became the very first Test match between the two countries, played at Port Elizabeth. He failed with the bat but took 3 for 53 and 1 for 23 as England won comfortably by 8 wickets. The following season, playing for Natal, Kempis took 41 wickets at an average of 12.42 apiece. These figures came from just five matches and included four hauls of more than 5 wickets in an innings and two of 10 wickets in a match: 7 for 35 (and 4 for 29) against Port Elizabeth, 7 for 44 against Kimberley, 7 for 33 (and 3 for 76) against Western Province and 5 for 20 against Cape Town Clubs. His death went unrecorded at the time and therefore no obituary appeared for him within Wisden.

[edit] References

World Cricketers - A Biographical Dictionary by Christopher Martin-Jenkins published by Oxford University Press (1996)
The Wisden Book of Test Cricket, Volume 1 (1877-1977) compiled and edited by Bill Frindall published by Headline Book Publishing (1995)
Who's Who of Cricketers by Philip Bailey, Philip Thorn & Peter Wynne-Thomas published by Hamlyn (1993)
www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players