James Gordon Leaf (18 October 1900–8 December 1972) was a British Army officer and English cricketer[1] who played first-class cricket for the British Army cricket team and played international matches for the Egypt national cricket team.[2]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Gordon Leaf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 October 1900 Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 8 December 1972 (aged 72) Osmaston, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1937 | Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Only First-class | 22 May 1937 Army v Oxford University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 26 April 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Biography edit
Born in Shipston-on-Stour in 1900,[2] James Leaf attended Harrow School, playing a match for them against Winchester College in 1918. From Harrow he went to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and on graduation was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the 15th Hussars on 24 December 1920.[3] The regiment merged with the 20th Hussars in 1922, Leaf continued as a second lieutenant in the new regiment, the 14th/20th Hussars,[4] until his promotion to lieutenant on 24 December 1922 when he transferred to the 15th/19th Hussars.[5] He played two matches for Egypt against the Free Foresters in 1927.[6] He resigned his commission on 20 October 1928,[7] but rejoined the army (and the 15th/19th) on 10 December 1930, with reduced seniority (from 29 August 1926).[8] He was promoted captain on 20 November 1934.[9]
He played his one first-class match for the Army against Oxford University in May 1937.[10] He was promoted major on 12 February 1940, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War.[11] Between 1942 and 1945, he played six matches for the Catterick Garrison cricket team against Durham.[6] He retired from the army on 18 October 1947.[12] He died in Osmaston in 1972.[2]
References edit
- ^ Cricinfo profile
- ^ a b c CricketArchive profile
- ^ "No. 32207". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 January 1921. p. 764.
- ^ "No. 32736". The London Gazette. 8 August 1922. p. 5865.
- ^ "No. 32781". The London Gazette. 29 December 1922. p. 9169.
- ^ a b Other matches played by James Leaf at CricketArchive
- ^ "No. 33431". The London Gazette. 19 October 1928. p. 6702.
- ^ "No. 33668". The London Gazette. 9 December 1930. p. 7890.
- ^ "No. 34109". The London Gazette. 30 November 1934. p. 7682.
- ^ First-class matches played by James Leaf at CricketArchive
- ^ "No. 34789". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 February 1940. p. 841.
- ^ "No. 38099". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 October 1947. p. 4869.