Charles Lee (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Charles Lee was an English
first-class cricket
er, who played two matches for Yorkshire
in 1952, one for the Minor Counties in 1953, and 268 matches for Derbyshire
between 1954 and 1964. He captained
Derbyshire in his last two seasons in the game, and scored over 12,000 runs for the club.
Lee was born in Eastwood, Rotherham
, Yorkshire
, England
, and became a schoolteacher after leaving the RAF
in 1947. He appeared for Yorkshire Second XI for a couple of seasons before making his debut against Scotland. He played his only County Championship
game for Yorkshire against Surrey
in August 1952, deputising for Len Hutton
, and was an instant success, opening the batting and scoring 74 and 14 as Yorkshire cruised to a nine wicket win.
Despite this bright start Lee was not retained by the county, and his county career might have ended there. He played in a match for the Minor Counties against the Australian tourists at Stoke on Trent in 1953 and, though he only scored 23, he was their sole source of resistance as they crumbled for 56 and 65 against Ray Lindwall
and Richie Benaud
. Derbyshire were impressed by his knock, and he joined the county for a ten year stint in which he played 268 matches and rose to the captaincy.
Lee's new start was initially impeded by a broken leg, suffered while playing football, but he soon established himself in the team in the 1954 season
and was awarded his cap in the 1956 season
. A canny right-hander, he made 1,000 runs for eight successive seasons, nudging the ball into the gaps without often dominating the bowling. He cut loose in the occasional run chase, hitting five sixes off Jim McConnon
at Swansea
in the 1958 season
and five more at Lord's
in the 1961 season
. In the 1963 season
, he became county captain but, with their fast bowler Les Jackson
in decline, he had little ammunition to work with. Derbyshire took the wooden spoon in his first season at the helm, but recovered to 12th in the 1964 season
under his genial leadership before he decided to return to teaching.
A right-handed batsman, Lee scored 12,129 runs in all matches, with eight centuries and a best of 150 for Derbyshire against Gloucestershire
and 147 against Nottinghamshire
. He averaged 26.59 and took 202 catches. He took 21 wickets at 34.33 with his occasional right arm medium pace, with a best of 2 for 9 against Surrey. He played in just two Gillette Cup matches, scoring 42 against Northamptonshire
.
Lee played cricket for Swinton C.C. and was captain of Rotherham C.C. in 1971. As a footballer, he was on Hull City
's books at one time.
Lee died in Leicester
at the age of 75.
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, who played two matches for Yorkshire
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....
in 1952, one for the Minor Counties in 1953, and 268 matches for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
between 1954 and 1964. He captained
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
Derbyshire in his last two seasons in the game, and scored over 12,000 runs for the club.
Lee was born in Eastwood, Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and became a schoolteacher after leaving the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1947. He appeared for Yorkshire Second XI for a couple of seasons before making his debut against Scotland. He played his only County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
game for Yorkshire against Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
in August 1952, deputising for Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
, and was an instant success, opening the batting and scoring 74 and 14 as Yorkshire cruised to a nine wicket win.
Despite this bright start Lee was not retained by the county, and his county career might have ended there. He played in a match for the Minor Counties against the Australian tourists at Stoke on Trent in 1953 and, though he only scored 23, he was their sole source of resistance as they crumbled for 56 and 65 against Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
and Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
. Derbyshire were impressed by his knock, and he joined the county for a ten year stint in which he played 268 matches and rose to the captaincy.
Lee's new start was initially impeded by a broken leg, suffered while playing football, but he soon established himself in the team in the 1954 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1954
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1954 represents cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for eighty-four years. It was their fiftieth season in the County Championship and they won eleven matches in the County Championship to finish in third place.-1954...
and was awarded his cap in the 1956 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1956
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1956 represents cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for eighty five years. It was their fifty-second season in the County Championship and they won seven matches and lost seven to finish twelfth in the County Championship.-1956...
. A canny right-hander, he made 1,000 runs for eight successive seasons, nudging the ball into the gaps without often dominating the bowling. He cut loose in the occasional run chase, hitting five sixes off Jim McConnon
Jim McConnon
Jim McConnon was an English cricketer, who played in two Tests in 1954 as an off-spin bowler. He played for Glamorgan from 1950 to 1961, albeit missing the 1956 season when he decided to play in the Lancashire League...
at Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
in the 1958 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1958
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1958 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing eighty-seven years. It was their fifty-fourth season in the County Championship and they won nine matches in the County Championship to finish fifth.-1958 season:Derbyshire...
and five more at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
in the 1961 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1961
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1961 represents cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ninety years. It was their fifty-seventh season in the County Championship and they won ten matches to finish seventh in the County Championship.-1961 season:Derbyshire played...
. In the 1963 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1963
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1963 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ninety-two years. It was their fifty-ninth season in the County Championship and they won two championship matches and lost fourteen to finish seventeenth in the County...
, he became county captain but, with their fast bowler Les Jackson
Les Jackson
Les Jackson was an English cricketer. A fast or fast-medium bowler renowned for his accurate bowling and particular hostility on uncovered wickets, he played county cricket for Derbyshire from 1947 to 1963, and was regularly at, or near the top of, the English bowling averages...
in decline, he had little ammunition to work with. Derbyshire took the wooden spoon in his first season at the helm, but recovered to 12th in the 1964 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1964
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1964 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ninety three years. It was their sixtieth season in the County Championship and they won five matches to finish twelfth in the County Championship...
under his genial leadership before he decided to return to teaching.
A right-handed batsman, Lee scored 12,129 runs in all matches, with eight centuries and a best of 150 for Derbyshire against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
and 147 against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
. He averaged 26.59 and took 202 catches. He took 21 wickets at 34.33 with his occasional right arm medium pace, with a best of 2 for 9 against Surrey. He played in just two Gillette Cup matches, scoring 42 against Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
.
Lee played cricket for Swinton C.C. and was captain of Rotherham C.C. in 1971. As a footballer, he was on Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
's books at one time.
Lee died in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
at the age of 75.