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Rupert Francis Kettle (16 February 1915 – 11 December 1985) was an English cricketer who played three matches of first-class cricket in India between 1944 and 1951. He was the first captain and the first century-maker for Assam.

Life and career

Born in Worcester, Rupert Kettle served in the Gloucestershire Regiment in the Second World War. While stationed in India in 1944 he played a first-class match, staged in aid of the Red Cross Fund, for a Services XI that included several English first-class cricketers and three Test cricketers.

He spent several years in Assam after the war, working as a tea broker. He captained Assam's cricket team in their debut season in the Ranji Trophy in 1948-49, when they played one match, losing by an innings to United Provinces. In his second and final match for Assam, which was Assam's third first-class match, two seasons later, he scored Assam's first first-class century. Going to the wicket in the first innings with the score at 15 for 6, he made 106 not out in a team total of 175, adding 79 in a last-wicket partnership. Assam nevertheless lost by an innings again.

References

1. "Gloster R." (PDF). London Gazette. 1 April 1941. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
2. "Services XI v Bengal Governor's XI 1944-45". Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
3. "UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960". Ancestry. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
4. "Assam v United Provinces 1948-49". Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
5. "Uttar Pradesh v Assam 1950-51". Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 July 2018.

External links

• Rupert Kettle at ESPNcricinfo
• Rupert Kettle at CricketArchive (subscription required)

• 1915 births
• 1985 deaths
• British Army personnel of World War II
• English cricketers
• Cricketers from Worcester, England
• Assam cricketers
• British sportspeople in British India
• English expatriates in India