Raymond Randall Dovey (18 July 1920 – 27 December 1974), known as Ray Dovey, was an English cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club from 1938 to 1954.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Raymond Randall Dovey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1920-07-18)18 July 1920 Chislehurst, Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 27 December 1974(1974-12-27) (aged 54) Tunbridge Wells, Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off-break | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1938–1954 | Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1955–1959 | Dorset | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FC debut | 9 July 1938 Kent v Surrey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last FC | 25 August 1954 Kent v Pakistanis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricInfo, 7 March 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dovey was born in Chislehurst in Kent in 1920 and first played for Kent before the Second World War as an off-break bowler.[1][2][3] He made his debut for Kent's Second XI in 1936 before making his first-class cricket debut in 1938 against Surrey at Rectory Field, Blackheath. He played for Kent until 1954, making a total of 249 appearances for the Kent First XI either side of the war.[4] Dovey was awarded his county cap in 1946 and was used as a "stock bowler"[5] by Kent. He has been described as a "more than useful off-spinner"[6] who was "reliable".[2]
As well as spinning the ball he could also bowl effective medium-pace deliveries and turned the ball sharply, especially on damp pitches. Dovey took career best bowling figures of eight wickets for 23 runs on such a pitch in 1950 against Surrey,[2] taking 102 wickets for Kent during the season.[6]
Dovey toured India and Ceylon with a Commonwealth cricket team in 1950–51, playing in 10 first-class matches on the tour, and took a total of 777 first-class wickets in his career.[5] He played non-first-class matches for Glamorgan sides during the war and made his final first class appearance for Kent against the touring Pakistanis in August 1954.[4]
After retiring from first-class cricket Dovey coached cricket at Sherborne School in Dorset, playing Minor Counties Championship cricket for Dorset County Cricket Club from 1955 to 1959.[2][5] He made 57 Championship appearances for the county side[4] before returning to Kent to work at Tonbridge School where he was involved with developing young cricketers including Christopher Cowdrey.[2][7] Dovey died suddenly at Tunbridge Wells in Kent in December 1974 aged 54.[2]
Ray Dovey at ESPNcricinfo