Allanson Mervyn Henry Kelaart (7 May 1908 – 2 February 1968) was a Ceylonese cricketer who played first-class cricket between 1932 and 1940. He scored Ceylon's first international century.

Mervyn Kelaart
Personal information
Full name
Allanson Mervyn Henry Kelaart
Born(1908-05-07)7 May 1908
Colombo, Ceylon
Died2 February 1968(1968-02-02) (aged 59)
Melbourne, Australia
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium-pace
RelationsEd Kelaart (brother)
Ernie Kelaart (nephew)
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 10
Runs scored 407
Batting average 20.35
100s/50s 1/1
Top score 101
Balls bowled 1479
Wickets 16
Bowling average 38.12
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 4/70
Catches/stumpings 8/–
Source: Cricinfo, 26 September 2017

Mervyn Kelaart was a left-handed batsman who was particularly proficient at cutting and leg-glancing, and a right-arm medium-pace bowler.[1] At St. Joseph's College, Colombo, he headed both the batting and bowling averages.[2] On Ceylon's first tour, to India in 1932-33, batting at number three he scored a century in the first of the two matches against India, 101 out of Ceylon's total of 287. His brother Ed was Ceylon's captain in the match.[3] Mervyn also toured India in 1940-41.

Kelaart married Neliya Foenander in Colombo in June 1933. They had two daughters and two sons. In 1957 they moved to England, and in 1964 they moved to Australia.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ I. M. Mansukhani, "Ceylon Tour in India", The Cricketer, Spring Annual, 1933, p. 74–75.
  2. ^ Wisden 1969, p. 982.
  3. ^ "India v Ceylon, Lahore 1932-33". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Sri Lanka Burgher Family Genealogy: PEREIRA Family #1215". Rootsweb. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  5. ^ Ludovici, Lorenz (1 January 1991). "A Quest for Cousins" (PDF). The Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
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