Barrie Leadbeater
Encyclopedia
Barrie Leadbeater is a retired English
first-class cricket
er and umpire
.
Leadbeater played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
as a middle-order batsman from 1966 to 1979, although he preferred to open the innings. His promise went largely unfulfilled; his average of 25.34 in 147 first-class matches (the norm for a county cricketer of the period was around 30.00), scoring just one century. The highlight of his playing career was a man-of-the-match winning 76 in the 1969 Gillette Cup Final, a match in which he was not expected to play. Leadbeater broke a finger in the County Championship game the day before, and would have been omitted had Geoffrey Boycott
not suffered a worse injury. Leadbeater said:
(amongst others) as a future Test match
cricketer. However, batting lower down the order and a shin injury in 1970 meant that Leadbeater failed to score enough runs to impress the selectors.
Leadbeater was to receive a benefit season
from Yorkshire, but was released from the county the season before. This came as a surprise to Leadbeater, who had agreed to become the Second XI captain earlier in the season. This responsibility then went to Colin Johnson
. Leadbeater was released from the county, finding out whilst in the local golf club.
After being released from Yorkshire in 1983, Leadbeater immediately became a well-respected umpire on the first-class English circuit, umpiring four One Day Internationals during the 1983 Cricket World Cup
. Leadbeater was the third umpire in two Test matches, in 1993 and 2000. He umpired one further ODI — seventeen years later at Trent Bridge
in 2000.
He retired from first-class umpiring at the mandatory age of 65 in September 2008, his final game being the match between his beloved Yorkshire and Somerset at North Marine Road
, Scarborough. He received a guard of honour
from the players at the start of the final day's play.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er and umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
.
Leadbeater played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
as a middle-order batsman from 1966 to 1979, although he preferred to open the innings. His promise went largely unfulfilled; his average of 25.34 in 147 first-class matches (the norm for a county cricketer of the period was around 30.00), scoring just one century. The highlight of his playing career was a man-of-the-match winning 76 in the 1969 Gillette Cup Final, a match in which he was not expected to play. Leadbeater broke a finger in the County Championship game the day before, and would have been omitted had Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott OBE is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's most successful opening batsmen...
not suffered a worse injury. Leadbeater said:
"I almost forgot about the fact that I had a broken finger. Then when it came to lunchtime, I was changing my clothing because of perspiration, and ate my lunch in a jockstrap and left batting glove! I couldn’t get the glove off because my finger had swollen."Leadbeater posted a top score of 90 in 106 one day games. Leadbeater was touted by Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
(amongst others) as a future Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
cricketer. However, batting lower down the order and a shin injury in 1970 meant that Leadbeater failed to score enough runs to impress the selectors.
Benefit (sports)
A benefit or testimonial is a match or season of activities granted by a sporting body to a loyal sportsman to boost their income before retirement. Often this is in the form of a match for which all the ticket proceeds are given to the player in question.There have been occasions when a...
from Yorkshire, but was released from the county the season before. This came as a surprise to Leadbeater, who had agreed to become the Second XI captain earlier in the season. This responsibility then went to Colin Johnson
Colin Johnson (cricketer)
Colin Johnson is an English first-class cricketer, who played 100 matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1969 and 1979....
. Leadbeater was released from the county, finding out whilst in the local golf club.
After being released from Yorkshire in 1983, Leadbeater immediately became a well-respected umpire on the first-class English circuit, umpiring four One Day Internationals during the 1983 Cricket World Cup
1983 Cricket World Cup
The 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup was the third edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament. It was held from 9 June to 25 June 1983 in England and was won by India. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each...
. Leadbeater was the third umpire in two Test matches, in 1993 and 2000. He umpired one further ODI — seventeen years later at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
in 2000.
He retired from first-class umpiring at the mandatory age of 65 in September 2008, his final game being the match between his beloved Yorkshire and Somerset at North Marine Road
North Marine Road
North Marine Road Ground, formerly known as Queen's, is a cricket ground in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Scarborough Cricket Club which hosts the Scarborough Cricket Festival and the Yorkshire County Cricket Club plays a series of fixtures in the second half of the...
, Scarborough. He received a guard of honour
Guard of honour
A guard of honour is a ceremonial event practice in military and sports as a mark of respect.-Military:In the military a guard of honour is a ceremonial practice to honour visiting foreign dignitaries, or the fallen in war, or a ceremony for public figures who have died.The commander is three paces...
from the players at the start of the final day's play.