John Udal
Encyclopedia
John Symonds Udal was an English-born cricketer
who later represented the Fiji national cricket team.
for Dorset
, Somerset
and the Free Foresters. He made his first-class debut
for the MCC
against Sussex
in July 1871.
He played a match against "Surrey Club" in July 1873 which was evidently enough to persuade WG Grace
to invite him on a tour to Australia
, though he was unable to go. He played one final first-class match for the MCC, against Cambridge University
in June 1875.
In 1895, whilst attorney general of Fiji
, he captained the Fiji national cricket team on a tour of New Zealand
. He played six further first-class matches on the tour, during which he scored his only first-class half-century
against Wellington. He did much to encourage the game in Fiji, doing the same whilst serving as Chief Justice of the Leeward Islands
. He later returned to England, dying suddenly in London in 1925, aged 76.
and the MCC, his grandson Geoffrey
played for Middlesex
and Leicestershire
, whilst his great-great-grandson Shaun
has played Test cricket
for England.
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who later represented the Fiji national cricket team.
Career
A right-handed batsman and bowler, John Udal played minor cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Dorset
Dorset County Cricket Club
Dorset County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Dorset and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
, Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
and the Free Foresters. He made his first-class debut
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...
for the 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...
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...
in July 1871.
He played a match against "Surrey Club" in July 1873 which was evidently enough to persuade WG Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
to invite him on a tour to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, though he was unable to go. He played one final first-class match for the MCC, against Cambridge University
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...
in June 1875.
In 1895, whilst attorney general of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, he captained the Fiji national cricket team on a tour of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He played six further first-class matches on the tour, during which he scored his only first-class half-century
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
against Wellington. He did much to encourage the game in Fiji, doing the same whilst serving as Chief Justice of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
. He later returned to England, dying suddenly in London in 1925, aged 76.
Family
Udal left somewhat of a cricketing dynasty. His son Nicholas played first-class cricket for Oxford UniversityOxford 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 the MCC, his grandson Geoffrey
Geoffrey Udal
Geoffrey Francis Uvedale Udal was an English cricketer.Geoffrey Udal played once as a right-handed batsman and an opening right-arm fast bowler for Middlesex in 1932, while serving in the RAF. He later represented Leicestershire in three matches in 1946...
played for Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
and Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
, whilst his great-great-grandson Shaun
Shaun Udal
Shaun David Udal is an English cricketer. An off spin bowler and lower-middle order batsman, he was a member of England's Test team for their tours to Pakistan and India in 2005/06.-International career:...
has played Test cricket
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...
for England.