Thomas Hart (civil servant)

{{Short description|Scotland dual-international rugby union player & cricketer}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Thomas Hart

| country = Scotland

| fullname = Thomas Mure Hart

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1909|3|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|1|16|1909|3|1|df=yes}}

| death_place = Hampshire

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium

| role = All-rounder

| club1 = {{cr|Scotland}}

| year1 = 1933–1934

| clubnumber1 =

| club2 = Oxford University

| year2 = 1931–1932

| type1 = First-class

| debutdate1 = 20 June

| debutyear1 = 1931

| debutfor1 = Oxford University

| debutagainst1 = Army

| lastdate1 = 27 July

| lastyear1 = 1934

| lastfor1 = Scotland

| lastagainst1 = Australia

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 12

| runs1 = 318

| bat avg1 = 19.87

| 100s/50s1 = 0/1

| top score1 = 57

| deliveries1 = 1160

| wickets1 = 9

| bowl avg1 = 51.66

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/26

| catches/stumpings1 = 5/0

| date = 4 December

| year = 2008

| source = http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/27/27027/27027.html CricketArchive

}}

Thomas Mure Hart, CMG (1 March 1909 – 16 January 2001) was a Scottish cricketer and rugby union player.{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/25227.html |title=Thomas Hart |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=2010 |access-date=3 February 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.co.uk/scotland/rugby/player/3763.html |title=Thomas Hart |publisher=ESPNscrum |date=2010 |access-date=3 February 2010}} He played twice for the Scotland national rugby union team and twice for the Scotland national cricket team as a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/27/27027/27027.html |title=Thomas Hart |publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010 |access-date=3 February 2010}} Hart served as the Financial Secretary to Singapore between 1954 and 1959.

Biography

Born in Glasgow in 1909, Hart was educated at Glasgow Academy, Strathallan School, Glasgow University and Brasenose College, Oxford. In 1930, he played twice for Scotland in the Five Nations against Wales and Ireland at centre. Scotland beating Wales 12–9 at Murrayfield on 1 February and losing 14–11 to Ireland at Murrayfield on 22 February. In 1931 he played two games for Leicester Tigers.{{cite book|last1=Farmer|first1=Stuart|last2=Hands|first2=David|title=Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club|publisher=The Rugby Development Foundation|isbn=978-0-9930213-0-5|year = 2014 | page = 102}}

Whilst attending Oxford University, Hart played for the university cricket team, playing ten first-class matches in 1931 and 1932, gaining his blue in both years.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/27/27027/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-class matches played by Thomas Hart |publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010 |access-date=3 February 2013}} He made his debut for Scotland in 1933, playing against Ireland.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CESCOTLAND/ZONESTATISTICS/ScotlandAll.html |title=Thomas Mure Hart |publisher=Cricket Europe |date=2010 |access-date=3 February 2010}} He played a second match against Australia the following year. Both matches were first-class.

Hart entered the Colonial Service in 1933 and was seconded to the Colonial Office between 1933 and 1936.{{cite web |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U19316/HART_Thomas_Mure?index=21&results=QuicksearchResults&query=0 |title=Thomas Mure Hart |publisher=Who's Who (UK) |date=2013 |access-date=10 November 2013}} He joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1936. Hart played two matches for the Malaya cricket team, drawing with Sir Julien Cahn's XI in 1937 and losing to the Ceylonese cricket team in 1938. He also played three matches for the Federated Malay States against the Straits Settlements between 1937 and 1939.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/27/27027/Miscellaneous_Matches.html |title=Other matches played by Thomas Hart |publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010 |access-date=10 November 2013}} During the Second World War he was captured in Malaya and served as a civilian detainee.