George Abell (civil servant and cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Sir George Edmond Brackenbury Abell, KCIE
, OBE (22 June 1904 – 11 January 1989) was an English civil servant and cricketer. Although his civil service career was the more significant, he was an excellent all-round sportsman, who won Blues
for Oxford at cricket, rugby union
and hockey
as well as playing county cricket
for Worcestershire
. He was born in Worcester
, and died at the age of 84 in Ramsbury
, Wiltshire.
, serving as Private Secretary
to the last two viceroys: Lord Wavell
and Lord Mountbatten
. In 1943, he was appointed an OBE and was appointed a CIE in 1945. In 1947, shortly before Indian independence, he was knighted with the KCIE. He later returned to the United Kingdom
and became First Civil Service Commissioner
, and later still was a director of the Bank of England
.
against Essex
at Worcester
in August 1923; he had a quiet match, claiming no dismissals and scoring 1 and 6 not out
. Indeed, in three further appearances that season he appeared on the scorecard only once as a fielder: when he caught Gloucestershire
captain Philip Williams off the bowling of Fred Root
. Abell scored 50 in the second innings of this game, the only half-century he would make for nearly two years.
The 1924 season saw Abell play 12 first-class matches: seven for Oxford University
and five for Worcestershire. His batting produced nothing of note (his highest score that season was just 23*
) but he held 12 catches and made two stumpings. The following year, however, he passed 500 runs for the only time in his career, this total including 124 for Worcestershire against Sussex
. He also claimed 17 dismissals. From 1926 until 1928 he performed poorly with the bat, 50 being his highest score in 31 innings, but he continued to pick up victims behind the stumps.
From 1928–29 to 1934–35 he played all his first-class cricket in India
for a variety of sides, including Europeans
, the Punjab Governor's XI — for whom he made 92 and 116 against Muslims
in March 1929 — and even on one occasion for India itself, against Ceylon.
However, the undoubted highlight of his career was the 210 he scored for Northern India against Army
in the first Ranji Trophy
in 1934–35, the first double century made in the competition.
Northern India reached the final for the only time that season; Abell captained them against Bombay but Vajifdar's second-innings 8–30 for Bombay ensured a heavy defeat for Northern India.
Abell returned to play in England during the second half of the 1935 season, and he also had a few matches in 1939. (His civil service commitments precluded more frequent appearances.) Most of these games were for Worcestershire, for whom he acted as captain three times in 1939, but he also turned out for MCC
on a handful of occasions. His final first-class game of all was at Lahore
, as captain of Northern India against Southern Punjab in the 1941–42 Ranji Trophy. He made one stumping, held two catches and scored 11 and 2 as Northern India ran out 74-run winners.
Two of Abell's sons, John and Timothy, had very brief first-class careers. His brother-in-law
Claude Ashton
had had a much more substantial career with Essex and Cambridge
, while his uncle Ted Sale turned out a few times for Europeans.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, OBE (22 June 1904 – 11 January 1989) was an English civil servant and cricketer. Although his civil service career was the more significant, he was an excellent all-round sportsman, who won Blues
University Sporting Blue
A Blue is an award earned by sportsmen and women at a university and some schools for competition at the highest level. The awarding of Blues began at Oxford and Cambridge Universities...
for Oxford at cricket, rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
as well as playing county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
. He was born in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, and died at the age of 84 in Ramsbury
Ramsbury
Ramsbury is a village in Ramsbury and Axford civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. The village is in the Kennet Valley near the Berkshire boundary. The nearest towns are Hungerford about east and Marlborough about west. The much larger town of Swindon is about to the north.The civil...
, Wiltshire.
Civil service career
In 1928, Abell entered the Indian Civil Service. He later held an important place in the Indian Civil Service in the years prior to independenceIndian Independence Act 1947
The Indian Independence Act 1947 was as an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan...
, serving as Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to the last two viceroys: Lord Wavell
Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during the Second World War. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army...
and Lord Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
. In 1943, he was appointed an OBE and was appointed a CIE in 1945. In 1947, shortly before Indian independence, he was knighted with the KCIE. He later returned to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and became First Civil Service Commissioner
First Civil Service Commissioner
The First Civil Service Commissioner heads the Office of Civil Service Commissioners, which ensures that the Civil Service in the United Kingdom is effective and impartial and that appointments are made on merit, and hears appeals under the Civil Service Code....
, and later still was a director of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
.
Cricketing career
Abell's first-class debut came for WorcestershireWorcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex 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 Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
at Worcester
New Road, Worcester
New Road, Worcester, England, has been the home cricket ground of Worcestershire County Cricket Club since 1896. Immediately to the northwest is a road called New Road, part of the A44, hence the name.- Overview :...
in August 1923; he had a quiet match, claiming no dismissals and scoring 1 and 6 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
. Indeed, in three further appearances that season he appeared on the scorecard only once as a fielder: when he caught 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....
captain Philip Williams off the bowling of Fred Root
Fred Root
Charles Frederick Root was an English cricketer who played for England in 1926 and for Derbyshire between 1910 to 1920 and for Worcestershire between 1921 and 1932.- Early career :...
. Abell scored 50 in the second innings of this game, the only half-century he would make for nearly two years.
The 1924 season saw Abell play 12 first-class matches: seven for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
and five for Worcestershire. His batting produced nothing of note (his highest score that season was just 23*
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
) but he held 12 catches and made two stumpings. The following year, however, he passed 500 runs for the only time in his career, this total including 124 for Worcestershire against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
. He also claimed 17 dismissals. From 1926 until 1928 he performed poorly with the bat, 50 being his highest score in 31 innings, but he continued to pick up victims behind the stumps.
From 1928–29 to 1934–35 he played all his first-class cricket in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for a variety of sides, including Europeans
Europeans cricket team
The Europeans cricket team was an Indian first-class cricket team which took part in the annual Bombay tournament. The team was founded by members of the European community in Bombay who played cricket at the Bombay Gymkhana....
, the Punjab Governor's XI — for whom he made 92 and 116 against Muslims
Muslims cricket team
The Muslims cricket team was an Indian first-class cricket team which took part in the annual Bombay tournament. The team was founded by members of the Muslim community in Bombay....
in March 1929 — and even on one occasion for India itself, against Ceylon.
However, the undoubted highlight of his career was the 210 he scored for Northern India against Army
Army cricket team
There have been several Army cricket teams to have played first-class cricket:*British Army cricket team*Indian Army cricket team*New Zealand Army cricket team*South Africa Army cricket team *Sri Lanka Army Sports Club cricket team...
in the first Ranji Trophy
Ranji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, equivalent to the County Championship in England and the Sheffield Shield in Australia...
in 1934–35, the first double century made in the competition.
Northern India reached the final for the only time that season; Abell captained them against Bombay but Vajifdar's second-innings 8–30 for Bombay ensured a heavy defeat for Northern India.
Abell returned to play in England during the second half of the 1935 season, and he also had a few matches in 1939. (His civil service commitments precluded more frequent appearances.) Most of these games were for Worcestershire, for whom he acted as captain three times in 1939, but he also turned out for MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
on a handful of occasions. His final first-class game of all was at Lahore
Bagh-e-Jinnah
Bagh-e-Jinnah is a historical park in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lawrence Gardens. Today, the large green space contains a botanical garden, a mosque, and Jinnah library situated in a Victorian building.There are also entertainment and sports facilities within the...
, as captain of Northern India against Southern Punjab in the 1941–42 Ranji Trophy. He made one stumping, held two catches and scored 11 and 2 as Northern India ran out 74-run winners.
Two of Abell's sons, John and Timothy, had very brief first-class careers. His brother-in-law
Brother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
Claude Ashton
Claude Ashton
Claude Thesiger Ashton was an English amateur footballer and cricketer. As an amateur, he played football for the Corinthians in several different positions including goalkeeper and centre forward, although his preferred position was wing-half. He made one appearance for the England national team...
had had a much more substantial career with Essex and Cambridge
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
, while his uncle Ted Sale turned out a few times for Europeans.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...