Kevin Emery

{{short description|English cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Kevin Emery

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = Kevin St John Dennis Emery

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|2|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Swindon, Wiltshire, England

| heightft = 6

| heightinch = 3

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium

| club1 = Wiltshire

| year1 = 1978–1980

| club2 = Hampshire

| year2 = 1982–1984

| club3 = Wiltshire

| year3 = 1985–1993

| columns = 2

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 30

| runs1 = 45

| bat avg1 = 3.75

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = 18

| deliveries1 = 4,518

| wickets1 = 88

| bowl avg1 = 25.35

| fivefor1 = 3

| tenfor1 = 1

| best bowling1 = 6/51

| catches/stumpings1 = 3/–

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 21

| runs2 = 11

| bat avg2 = 3.20

| 100s/50s2 = –/–

| top score2 = 6*

| deliveries2 = 974

| wickets2 = 27

| bowl avg2 = 26.03

| fivefor2 = 1

| tenfor2 = –

| best bowling2 = 5/24

| catches/stumpings2 = 2/–

| date = 14 December

| year = 2009

| source = http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/12717.html Cricinfo

}}

Kevin St John Dennis Emery (born 28 February 1960) is an English former first-class cricketer.

Emery was born at Swindon in February 1960. He made his debut in minor counties cricket for Wiltshire against the Somerset Second XI in the 1978 Minor Counties Championship, later making eight appearances in the 1980 Minor Counties Championship.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6583/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Kevin Emery|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription}} Having graduated from the University of Bristol with an economics degree,{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004769/19820525/011/0011|title=Cricket|work=Bristol Evening Post|page=11|date=25 May 1982|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} he briefly trialled with Gloucestershire, while in 1981 he signed a summer contract with Worcestershire, but did not play for their first eleven. During this time, he earned an income by working as a bricklayer.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003126/19821009/507/0038|title=Emery takes bowler award|work=Wolverhampton Express and Star|page=38|date=9 October 1982|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}}

Emery then came to the attention of Hampshire, making his debut in first-class cricket for the county against Leicestershire at Southampton in the 1982 County Championship.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6583/First_Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Kevin Emery|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Making 24 first-class appearances in his debut season, Emery had success as a right-arm fast-medium bowler. He took 83 wickets at an average of 23.71, claiming three five wicket hauls and taking ten-wickets in a match once.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6583/f_Bowling_by_Season.html|title=First-Class Bowling in Each Season by Kevin Emery|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription}} His best innings figures came against Glamorgan at Portsmouth, with Emery taking 6 for 51, and ten wickets across the match.{{cite web|url=https://www.utilitabowl.com/cricket/news/born-on-this-day-28th-february/|title=Born On This Day: 28th February|website=www.utilitabowl.com|access-date=2 June 2024}} His 83 wickets was the most by taken by a bowler in their debut season since Derek Underwood in 1963.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004974/19920808/026/0026|title=Cricket special report|work=Western Daily Press|location=Bristol|page=26|date=8 August 1992|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} His success in 1982 saw him selected to playing for England B against the touring Pakistanis. In that same season, he made his debut in List A one-day cricket against Kent in the Benson & Hedges Cup, with him making nineteen one-day appearances in 1982.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6583/List_A_Matches.html|title=List A Matches played by Kevin Emery|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription}} In these, he took 27 wickets at an average of 24.25,{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6583/a_Bowling_by_Season.html|title=List A Bowling in Each Season by Kevin Emery|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription}} with one five wicket haul against Essex.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/42/42269.html|title=Essex v Hampshire, Benson and Hedges Cup 1982 (Group C)|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription}} There was speculation that he could be selected for England's winter tour of Australia and New Zealand following the 1982 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19820913/455/0018|title=Tack-up' boys await call|work=Liverpool Echo|page=18|date=13 September 1982|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} After the conclusion of the season, he was named Under-23 Bowler of the Year.

The following season, Emery struggled with injuries and had a dramatic reversal of form, with a loss of action in his run-up leading to a number of no-balls being bowled.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005474/19830608/031/0031|title=Cricket|work=Liverpool Daily Post|page=31|date=8 June 1983|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} In six first-class matches in 1983, he took five wickets at an expensive average of 52.40. That season he featured in a further one-day match against Essex in the Benson & Hedges Cup, before making his final appearance for Hampshire in the 1984 Benson & Hedges Cup against Gloucestershire. Emery was released at the end of the 1984 season, alongside bowlers Steve Malone and Mel Hussain.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004924/19840906/030/0030|title=Hampshire to release three|work=Liverpool Daily Post|page=30|date=6 September 1984|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} In 1986, he signed a one-year contract with Warwickshire,{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002139/19860422/027/0027|title=Warwicks bid for Emery|work=Birmingham Mail|page=27|date=22 April 1986|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} having rejected an approach from Somerset.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002139/19860423/032/0032|title=Warwicks sign up Emery|work=Birmingham Mail|page=32|date=23 April 1986|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} However, injury meant he did not play for the first eleven and was subsequently released alongside nine other players at the end of the 1986 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002487/19860903/385/0032|title=Warwicks nine axed|work=Sandwell Evening Mail|page=32|date=3 September 1986|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription|via=British Newspaper Archive}} He returned to playing minor counties cricket for Wiltshire, appearing in nine Minor Counties Championship matches from 1986 to 1988, in addition to playing two MCCA Knockout Trophy one-day matches in 1985 and 1993.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6583/Minor_Counties_Trophy_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Trophy Matches played by Kevin Emery|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2 June 2024|url-access=subscription}}