David Dempsey (cricketer)

{{Special draft pending|date=March 2024}}

{{short description|New Zealand cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = David Dempsey

| image =

| fullname = David Angus Dempsey

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|5|27|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand

| death_date =

| death_place =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium

| role =

| club1 = Canterbury

| year1 = {{nowrap|1979/80–1987/88}}

| columns = 2

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 32

| runs1 = 1,517

| bat avg1 = 25.28

| 100s/50s1 = 4/1

| top score1 = 131

| deliveries1 = 537

| wickets1 = 5

| bowl avg1 = 57.20

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/67

| catches/stumpings1 = 18/–

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 25

| runs2 = 642

| bat avg2 = 26.75

| 100s/50s2 = 1/5

| top score2 = 104

| deliveries2 = 416

| wickets2 = 11

| bowl avg2 = 24.36

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 3/37

| catches/stumpings2 = 11/–

| date = 17 April 2024

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/36881.html Cricinfo

}}

David Angus Dempsey (born 27 May 1955) is a former New Zealand cricketer. He played in 32 first-class and 25 List A matches for Canterbury from 1979 to 1988.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/36881.html |title=David Dempsey |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=15 October 2020}}

Dempsey was born in Christchurch and attended Christchurch Boys' High School.{{cite journal |title=Dempsey the latest crowd-pleaser|journal=Press |date=24 January 1981 |page=22 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19810124.2.135.1}} He was a hard-hitting right-handed opening batsman and occasional medium-pace bowler. In a senior club match in Christchurch in December 1977, he scored 174 in 112 minutes.{{cite journal |title=Dempsey scores fastest century of season |journal=Press |date=12 December 1977 |page=19 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19771212.2.91}}

Dempsey was the highest scorer in the national one-day Shell Cup competition in 1980–81, with 252 runs at an average of 42.00;{{cite web |title=Batting and Fielding in Shell Cup 1980/81 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/2/Shell_Cup_1980-81/Batting_by_Average.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=17 April 2024}} he also made the competition's highest score, 104 off 89 balls, against Northern Districts, winning the man of the match award.{{cite journal |title=Dempsey leads Canterbury to one-day victory |journal=Press |date=5 January 1981 |page=4 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19810105.2.115}}{{cite web |title=Northern Districts v Canterbury 1980/81 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/40/40857.html|website=CricketArchive |access-date=17 April 2024}}

1980–81 was also Dempsey's most successful season in first-class cricket, with 503 runs at an average of 35.92;{{cite web |title=First-Class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by David Dempsey|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/21/21763/f_Batting_by_Season.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=17 April 2024}} he also made his own highest score, against Otago in the Shell Trophy, when he and Barry Hadlee opened the match with a partnership of 218 before Dempsey was out for 131.{{cite web |title=Canterbury v Otago 1980/81 |url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1980-81/NZ_LOCAL/SHLTR/CANT_OTAGO_SHLTR_18-20JAN1981.html|website=Cricinfo |access-date=17 April 2024}} In the match against Wellington, when Canterbury needed 273 to win in 220 minutes, he scored a century off 89 balls, finished with 121, and Canterbury won with time to spare.{{cite journal |title=Spectacular batting by Canterbury produces eight-wicket victory |journal=Press |date=15 January 1981 |page=24 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19810115.2.109}}

Dempsey lost form in 1981–82, and after being dropped from the Canterbury team he publicly expressed his displeasure with the selectors. He was not included in the initial Canterbury squad for the 1982–83 season.{{cite journal |title=David Dempsey omitted from cricket squad |journal=Press |date=24 August 1982 |page=44 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19820825.2.160}} After some years of little first-class cricket, he was selected to captain Canterbury for the 1987–88 season.{{cite journal |title=Canterbury's cricketers on trial |journal=Press |date=21 November 1987 |page=96 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19871121.2.187}} His form during the season was moderate, but in the last match he finished his first-class career with 121 from 187 balls against Otago.{{cite web |title=Otago v Canterbury 1987/88 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/49/49603.html|website=CricketArchive |access-date=18 April 2024}}