Stephen Lester
Personal information
Full name
Stephen Garland Lester
Born(1906-03-18)18 March 1906
Amberley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Died24 October 1971(1971-10-24) (aged 65)
Christchurch, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1929/30–1935/36Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 16
Runs scored 595
Batting average 22.88
100s/50s 0/2
Top score 64
Balls bowled 1,893
Wickets 26
Bowling average 34.61
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 4/21
Catches/stumpings 8/0
Source: Cricinfo, 12 July 2019

Stephen Garland Lester (18 March 1906 – 24 October 1971) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1929 to 1936.

Career

A right-handed middle-order batsman and medium-pace bowler, Lester was a regular member of the Canterbury team in the early 1930s. His highest score came in his second match, when he scored 12 and 64 and took 2 for 45 and 3 for 56 against Wellington in the Plunket Shield.[1] His best bowling figures came a year later against Auckland, when in Canterbury's four-wicket victory he took 4 for 21 and 2 for 73 and made 35.[2] When there was speculation about the possible addition of a 15th player to the New Zealand team to tour England in 1931, Lester was one of the players in contention; however, only 14 toured.[3] A year later he was twelfth man for New Zealand in the First Test against South Africa in 1931-32, played in Christchurch.[4]

During the Second World War Lester served in New Zealand in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, first as a flying officer, then as a squadron leader and commanding officer of the Christchurch Wing.[5][6] He was a member of the New Zealand Cricket Council.[7]

The Stephen Lester Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the bowler taking the most wickets in the Christchurch men's premiership competition.[8]

Personal life

Lester worked as a stock and station agent.[9] In March 1932 he married Eleanor West-Watson, whose father was the Anglican Bishop of Christchurch.[10] They had two sons and a daughter.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Wellington v Canterbury 1929-30". CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  2. ↑ "Canterbury v Auckland 1930-31". CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  3. ↑ "Cricket team's tour". New Zealand Herald: 13. 14 March 1931.
  4. ↑ R.T. Brittenden, New Zealand Cricketers, A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, 1961, opp. p. 164.
  5. ↑ "Cricket: NZ Council's annual meeting". Press: 3. 17 November 1942.
  6. ↑ "Public Notices". Press: 15. 9 May 1945.
  7. ↑ "Cricket and the War". Evening Star: 4. 22 November 1940.
  8. ↑ "CMCA awards evening". Christchurch Metro Cricket. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  9. 1 2 "John Lester". Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "[untitled photograph and caption]". Press: 2. 30 March 1932.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.