Name George Knight Role Cricket Player | Died August 25, 1867 | |
George Thomas ("GT") Knight (22 November 1795 at Goodnestone Park, Kent – 25 August 1867 at Moorfields, Hereford) was a famous English amateur cricketer. He was a prominent member of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) who played a significant part in the introduction and legalisation of roundarm bowling, which he supported, between 1825 and 1835.
He was the second son of Jane Austen's brother Edward Austen Knight, who had added the additional surname of Knight in 1812 when he inherited the Chawton House estate from Thomas Knight. Knight's brothers, Edward, Henry and Brook, grandsons Edward and Lewis D'Aeth, and nephews Philip, William and Gerald Portal all played first-class cricket.
Knight's playing career spanned the 1820 to 1837 seasons. He made 23 known appearances in important matches as a right-arm fast roundarm bowler and a late order right-handed batsman. He was an occasional wicketkeeper.
His career record is incomplete but he is credited with 22 wickets and a best performance of 4 in one innings. He scored 282 runs with a highest score of 36. He took 5 catches and made 6 stumpings.
He married Countess Nelson, born Hilaire Barlow, daughter of Admiral Sir Robert Barlow and the widow of William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson. He had no children.