| Rupert Tang Choon | |
| Fullname: | Rupert Paul Tang Choon |
| Birth Date: | 31 May 1914 |
| Birth Place: | Sangre Grande, Trinidad |
| Death Place: | Sangre Grande, Trinidad |
| Country: | West Indies |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Right-arm leg-spin |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 52 |
| Runs1: | 2,656 |
| Bat Avg1: | 34.05 |
| 100S/50S1: | 3/17 |
| Top Score1: | 132 |
| Deliveries1: | 3,835 |
| Wickets1: | 59 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 36.01 |
| Fivefor1: | 2 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 6/123 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 52/ - |
| Source: | https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/24/24213/24213.html CricketArchive |
| Date: | 25 August |
| Year: | 2014 |
Rupert Paul Tang Choon (31 May 1914 – 5 September 1985) was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Trinidad from 1934 to 1955.
Tang Choon played the first part of his career as a leg-spinning all-rounder. In his fourth first-class match, against Barbados in the Inter-Colonial Tournament in 1935-36, he made 72 and 2 batting at number eight, and took 6 for 123 and 3 for 131 in a 36-run victory for Trinidad.[1] In 1938, for R.S. Grant's XI against British Guiana, he took 3 for 13 and 5 for 81 to help his side to an innings victory.[2] His highest score in this period was 83, batting at number seven against Barbados in 1940-41.[3]
He "came near to being chosen to tour England with the 1939 West Indian side"[4] but the leg-spinners Bertie Clarke and John Cameron were preferred.
He played for North Trinidad in the Beaumont Cup from 1934-35 to 1951-52, in the days before the matches had first-class status. In the 1934-35 match he took 8 for 32.[5]
Tang Choon seldom bowled after the 1942-43 season, taking only one wicket during the rest of his first-class career.[6] His batting improved, however. In his two matches in 1944-45 he scored his first century, 132,[7] 40 and 83. Against MCC in 1947-48, batting now at number five, he scored 103, adding 244 for the fourth wicket in three and a half hours with Gerry Gomez. "A neat, lithe batsman, Tang Choon gave a truly brilliant display," noted Wisden. However, he scored only 7 and 17 in Trinidad's second match against MCC shortly afterwards.[8]
He captained Trinidad in both their matches in 1951-52. He scored 104 and 47 not out against British Guiana in 1953-54, his third and last century.[9] He played his last first-class match in 1954-55 against the Australians when he was 40 years old.[10]