Full name Rupert Paul Tang Choon Name Rupert Choon Batting style Right-hand batsman Role Cricket Player | Bowling style Right-arm leg-spin Died September 5, 1985 | |
Born 31 May 1914 ( 1914-05-31 ) Sangre Grande, Trinidad | ||
Rupert Paul Tang Choon (31 May 1914 – 5 September 1985) was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Trinidad from 1934 to 1955.
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All-rounder, 1934-35 to 1942-43
Tang Choon played the first part of his career as a leg-spinning all-rounder. In his fourth first-class match, against Barbados in the Inter-Colonial Tournament in 1935-36, he made 72 and 2 batting at number eight, and took 6 for 123 and 3 for 131 in a 36-run victory for Trinidad. In 1938, for R.S. Grant's XI against British Guiana, he took 3 for 13 and 5 for 81 to help his side to an innings victory. His highest score in this period was 83, batting at number seven against Barbados in 1940-41.
He "came near to being chosen to tour England with the 1939 West Indian side" but the leg-spinners Bertie Clarke and John Cameron were preferred.
He played for North Trinidad in the Beaumont Cup from 1934-35 to 1951-52, in the days before the matches had first-class status. In 1934-35 he took 8 for 32.
Batsman, 1943-44 to 1954-55
Tang Choon seldom bowled after the 1942-43 season, taking only one wicket during the rest of his career. His batting improved, however. In his two matches in 1944-45 he scored his first century, 132, 40 and 83. Against MCC in 1947-48, batting now at number five, he scored 103, adding 244 for the fourth wicket in three and a half hours with Gerry Gomez. "A neat, lithe batsman, Tang Choon gave a truly brilliant display," noted Wisden. However, he scored only 7 and 17 in Trinidad's second match against MCC shortly afterwards.
He captained Trinidad in both their matches in 1951-52. He scored 104 and 47 not out against British Guiana in 1953-54, his third and last century. He played his last first-class match in 1954-55 against the Australians when he was 40 years old.