Arthur Langton

Arthur Chudleigh Beaumont "Chud" Langton (2 March 1912 – 27 November 1942) was a South African cricketer who played in 15 Tests from 1935 to 1939.^[1] Jack Fingleton rated him amongst the best medium-paced bowlers he ever saw.

Arthur Langton

Langton c. 1935
Personal information
Full name	Arthur Chudleigh Beaumont Langton
Born	(1912-03-02)2 March 1912 Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa
Died	27 November 1942(1942-11-27) (aged 30) Maiduguri, Nigeria Protectorate
Nickname	Chud
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium Right-arm medium
International information
National side	South Africa
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class Matches 15 52 Runs scored 298 1218 Batting average 15.68 19.96 100s/50s 0/2 0/7 Top score 73* 73* Balls bowled 4199 11317 Wickets 40 193 Bowling average 45.67 25.74 5 wickets in innings 1 9 10 wickets in match 0 2 Best bowling 5/58 6/53 Catches/stumpings 8/- 41/-
Source: Cricinfo, 16 April 2018

Langton was educated at King Edward VII School, Johannesburg.^[2] A tall, red-headed all-rounder, he came to prominence on the tour of England in 1935, when he made his Test debut. In the Second Test at Lord's he took 2 for 58 and 4 for 31 and made 44 batting at number eight in the second innings, valuable contributions to South Africa's first-ever Test victory in England, and subsequently to their 1–0 series victory.^[3][4] In the "Timeless Test" in Durban in 1938–39, he bowled 91 eight-ball overs, including 56 with a strapped back during the second innings, placing him fifth on the all-time list of most balls bowled in a Test: 728.^[3]

He died in Nigeria Protectorate at the age of 30 while serving as a flight lieutenant with the South African Air Force in World War II, when his Lockheed B34 Ventura bomber spun and crashed on landing.^[5][3]