Dudley Francis Eugene Cockle BEM (30 August 1907 – 27 March 1986) was an English first-class cricketer and Royal Air Force airman. Cockle served as a non-commissioned officer between 1930–49, as well as playing first-class cricket while serving in British India.

Dudley Cockle
Personal information
Full name
Dudley Francis Eugene Cockle
Born30 August 1907
Wilton, Wiltshire, England
Died27 March 1986(1986-03-27) (aged 78)
Ludlow, Shropshire, England
BattingUnknown
BowlingUnknown
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1937–1949Wiltshire
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 1
Runs scored 37
Batting average 18.50
100s/50s –/–
Top score 25
Balls bowled 174
Wickets 2
Bowling average 49.50
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling 2/99
Catches/stumpings 1/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 30 June 2019

Life and military career edit

Cockle was born in August 1907 at Wilton, Wiltshire. He was educated at Bishop Wordsworth's School, before attending the Royal Air Force College Cranwell.[1] After graduating he entered into the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a non-commissioned officer. While serving in British India made a single first-class appearance for the British Indian Army cricket team against Northern India in the 1934–35 Ranji Trophy at Lahore.[2] Batting twice in the match, he was dismissed for 12 runs in the Army first-innings by Amir Elahi, while in their second-innings he was dismissed for 25 runs by the same bowler. He took two wickets Northern India first-innings, dismissing Ahmed Raza to break a 304-run partnership between Raza and George Abell, with his second wicket of the innings being Charles Kindersley, leaving Cockle with innings figures of 2 for 99.[3] Returning to England, he made his debut in minor counties cricket for Wiltshire in the 1937 Minor Counties Championship, with Cockle appearing fourteen times before the Second World War.[4]

Serving in the war, Cockle held the rank of flight sergeant by its conclusion. He was decorated with the British Empire Medal in the 1946 New Year Honours.[5] He resumed playing minor counties cricket for Wiltshire after the war, making a further eighteen appearances up to 1949.[4] Besides playing cricket, Cockle also played football, rugby union and field hockey for the RAF.[1] After retiring from the RAF in 1949, he went on to coach cricket at King Edward's School, Birmingham between 1949–72.[1] He died at Ludlow in March 1986.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Player profile: Dudley Cockle". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  2. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Dudley Cockle". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Northern India v Army, 1934/35 Ranji Trophy". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Dudley Cockle". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  5. ^ "No. 37407". The London Gazette. 28 December 1945. p. 68.

External links edit