David Laurence Acfield (born 24 July 1947) is an English former first-class cricketer[1] who was also a champion fencer.
David Acfield | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 24 July 1947 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cricket information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off-break | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1972 | Cambridge University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1986 | Essex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 25 June 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fencing career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United Kingdom, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Fencing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hand | Right | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1972 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Cricket career edit
He was part of the successful Essex County Cricket Club team of the late 1970s and early 1980s and formed a noted county spin partnership with Ray East. He was a right-arm off break bowler and right-handed tail-end batsman. He played for Cambridge University from 1966 to 1968 and Essex from 1966 to 1986. He also appeared for MCC in 1973–74 and 1974. He was awarded his Essex cap in 1970 and had his Essex benefit season in 1981.
He took 10 wickets in a match 4 times and 5 wickets in an innings 34 times. His best first-class figures, 8 for 55, came against Kent. Acfield was no batsman, failing to score a first-class fifty in 417 innings. His best score, 42, came against Leicestershire. His lack of batting ability, and strong competition from the likes of Fred Titmus and John Emburey, tolled against his chances of Test selection, although he was on the 'long list' for inclusion in the English team that toured West Indies in 1973.
After retiring he remained in the game and served on the ECB's management committee.[2][3]
Fencing career edit
Acfield was also an Olympic fencer, taking part in the 1968 and 1972 Games.[4][5]
He represented England and won a gold medal in the team sabre at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.[6][7][8]
Acfield was a four times British fencing champion, winning the sabre title at the British Fencing Championships for four years in a row, 1969–1972, during which period he was the leading sabre fencer in the country.[9] He retired from fencing after the 1972 Olympics, preferring to devote himself to cricket as a professional, having previously retained his amateur status to protect his Olympic qualification.[10][11]
Personal life edit
Acfield attended Brentwood School, and graduated in history from Christ's College, Cambridge. For many years, during his cricket career, he taught history and took nets in winter at Rainsford Comprehensive School, later renamed St Peter's College, Chelmsford.
After his retirement from athletics, Acfield served as an administrator for the England and Wales Cricket Board and later as the president of the Essex County Cricket Club.[12]
References edit
- ^ David Acfield, CricInfo. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ Wilde, Simon (18 March 2012). "Best & Worst; David Acfield Essex spinner and Olympic fencer". The Sunday Times.
- ^ Acfield steps down, BBC Sport, 30 July 2001. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "David Acfield Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
- ^ "Olympians Who Played First-Class Cricket". Olympedia. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ The Sword magazine, 1966 and 1970"1970 Athletes". Team England.
- ^ "Edinburgh, 1970 Team". Team England.
- ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
- ^ "British Champions" (PDF). British Fencing. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ "Whatever happened to... David Acfield". The Cricketer. 1 September 2021. pp. 98–99.
- ^ "David Laurence Acfield". Olympics.com. International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ "David Acfield". Olympedia. OLYMadMen. Retrieved 7 October 2022.