| Basil Helfrich | |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Fullname: | Basil Arthur Helfrich |
| Birth Date: | 30 March 1919 |
| Birth Place: | South Africa |
| Death Place: | Kimberley, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Family: | Dudley Helfrich (brother) Cyril Helfrich (brother) Kenneth Helfrich (brother) |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Club1: | Griqualand West |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 13 |
| Runs1: | 626 |
| Bat Avg1: | 27.21 |
| 100S/50S1: | 1/4 |
| Top Score1: | 109 |
| Deliveries1: | 609 |
| Wickets1: | 14 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 23.57 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 3/31 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 9/– |
| Date: | 3 July 2017 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/45611.html Cricinfo |
Basil Arthur Helfrich (30 March 1919 – 6 March 1938) was a South African cricketer who showed great promise as a teenager but died at the age of 18. He was one of four brothers who played first-class cricket in South Africa.
Basil Helfrich lived in Kimberley, where he made his first-class debut in March 1935 a few days before his 16th birthday, playing for Griqualand West in a victory over Western Province. Also in the Griqualand West team were John Waddington, who had made his debut earlier in the season a few days younger than Helfrich and would play for Griqualand West for another 24 years; Tony Harris, 18 years old, who would play Test cricket for South Africa after World War II; and Helfrich's elder brother Dudley, who had made his debut five seasons earlier at the age of 17.[1]
As he was still at school, he played only home matches in his first two seasons. In 1935–36 he top-scored with 66 in the match against Orange Free State, and then top-scored in both innings of the match against the touring Australians, making 64 and 59 when none of his team-mates were able to reach 25.[2] In the second innings he was so severe on the bowling of Bill O'Reilly that O'Reilly was taken out of the attack.[3] The Australian batsman Jack Fingleton thought Helfrich "was bound to become an international",[4] as did the South African sports journalist Louis Duffus.[5]
He played the full seasons of 1936–37 and 1937–38. In 1936–37 he made his only century, 109 against Transvaal,[6] and appeared for a strong South African team in a first-class match against City of Johannesburg.[7] His batting form fell away in 1937–38. During the season, just after scoring 120 not out in 80 minutes in a club match in Kimberley, he was struck down with enteric fever, and died a few weeks later, just short of his 19th birthday.[5] Griqualand West's match against North-Eastern Transvaal was abandoned after the second day's play when news came of his death.[8]
Besides his batting he was a brilliant fieldsman and useful slow bowler. He also excelled at Rugby union and swimming.[5]