Thomas Alfred Ward, the South African wicketkeeper, was accidentally electrocuted when working at the West Springs Gold Mine on February 16. He came to England in 1912 and 1924 and, if not so brilliant as Halliwell and Sherwell who preceded him, or Cameron, he maintained a high standard of excellence. During that period he kept wicket in 23 Test matches, the first being at Old Trafford against Australia in the triangular tournament, and was thoroughly reliable. A dogged batsman with strong defence, he scored in Test cricket 459 runs with an average of 13.90. Going in first, he made 64 at Johannesburg in February 1923, against the England side captained by F. T. Mann, and in 1924 at Old Trafford he again opened the innings well by scoring 50. When the Australian Imperial Forces team visited South Africa on the way home in 1919 Ward scored 62 not out at Johannesburg in the first of two representative games. He was in the Transvaal eleven from 1909 to 1927, and in all first class matches scored 1,651 runs with an average of 15.43.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

Footnote
When Jimmy Matthews achieved the unique feat in Test cricket of taking a hat-trick in each innings at Old Trafford in 1912, Ward was the third victim each time. He therefore made a pair on his Test debut.

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