Antony Legard
Encyclopedia
Antony Ronald Legard nicknamed Loopy,
was an India
n-born English
cricketer
who played 36 first-class
matches, mostly for Oxford University
in the 1930s. He also played twice for Free Foresters and had one match each for Worcestershire
, the Europeans
in India
and MCC
.
Legard made his first-class debut for Oxford against Leicestershire
at The University Parks in May 1932; he took four wickets, including that of Alan Shipman
in both innings.
He played consistently that season, including against the South Americans
(on their only first-class tour) when he scored 38, the only time he ever passed 20.
Later in the year he was selected for the Varsity Match against Cambridge University
at Lord's
, where he took six wickets in a drawn match.
Legard played for much of the 1933 season, but was not selected for the Varsity Match, and did not appear at all in 1934.
However, 1935 saw him once again picked for the Lord's game, and once again perform excellently: he obtained career-best figures of 7-36 in the second innings with what his Wisden
obituary called a "devastating" opening spell of swing bowling.
Even so, a powerful Cambridge side won the game by a wide margin.
That game marked his last appearance for Oxford, but less than a fortnight later he played his one and only County Championship
match, appearing for Worcestershire at Northampton. He took no wickets, but his 18 from number eleven in the first innings was a useful contribution to Worcestershire's eventual 30-run victory.
The remainder of Legard's first-class career consisted of four matches spread over almost a decade: one for Europeans against Hindus
in the Bombay Pentangular — the Europeans were thrashed by an innings and 209 runs, but Legard claimed four wickets
— two appearances for Free Foresters against Cambridge University, and finally (aged 40) a one-off appearance for MCC against Ireland
in Dublin.
was an 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...
n-born English
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...
cricketer
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 played 36 first-class
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...
matches, mostly 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...
in the 1930s. He also played twice for Free Foresters and had one match each 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...
, the 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....
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...
and 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...
.
Legard made his first-class debut for Oxford against 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....
at The University Parks in May 1932; he took four wickets, including that of Alan Shipman
Alan Shipman
Alan Wilfred Shipman was a first-class cricketer for Leicestershire and England, between 1920 and 1936. As an all-rounder, he batted right-handed, and was a right-handed fast-bowler between 1920 and 1936...
in both innings.
He played consistently that season, including against the South Americans
South American cricket team in England in 1932
A cricket team from South America toured England, Scotland and Wales in the 1932 season. The team played six first-class matches and 12 other games...
(on their only first-class tour) when he scored 38, the only time he ever passed 20.
Later in the year he was selected for the Varsity Match 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...
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...
, where he took six wickets in a drawn match.
Legard played for much of the 1933 season, but was not selected for the Varsity Match, and did not appear at all in 1934.
However, 1935 saw him once again picked for the Lord's game, and once again perform excellently: he obtained career-best figures of 7-36 in the second innings with what his Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
obituary called a "devastating" opening spell of swing bowling.
Even so, a powerful Cambridge side won the game by a wide margin.
That game marked his last appearance for Oxford, but less than a fortnight later he played his one and only County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
match, appearing for Worcestershire at Northampton. He took no wickets, but his 18 from number eleven in the first innings was a useful contribution to Worcestershire's eventual 30-run victory.
The remainder of Legard's first-class career consisted of four matches spread over almost a decade: one for Europeans against Hindus
Hindus cricket team
The Hindus 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 Hindu community in Bombay....
in the Bombay Pentangular — the Europeans were thrashed by an innings and 209 runs, but Legard claimed four wickets
— two appearances for Free Foresters against Cambridge University, and finally (aged 40) a one-off appearance for MCC against Ireland
Irish cricket team
The Ireland cricket team is the cricket team representing all of Ireland. Because of political difficulties, the Irish Cricket Union was not elected to the International Cricket Council until 1993, and qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2007. The Irish Cricket Union is the...
in Dublin.
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...