- George Leer
George Leer (1748 at
Hambledon, Hampshire – 1 February 1812 atPetersfield, Hampshire ) was a famous Englishcricket er who played for Hampshire in the time of theHambledon Club .Leer began playing in the 1760s. His name has become almost synonymous with the now archaic long stop fielding position (i.e., directly behind the wicket-keeper) that was deemed so necessary in underarm days.
According to
Arthur Haygarth , Leer "was a good and successful bat, but was mostly famous as long-stop toThomas Brett ’s tremendous bowling in the Hambledon matches. He was always called "Little George", and was a fine singer, having a sweet counter-tenor voiceArthur Haygarth , "Scores & Biographies", Volume 1 (1744-1826), Lillywhite, 1862] . InJohn Nyren ’s book, he is stated to have been a native of Hambledon, but latterly he was a brewer, residing at Petersfield, where he died"Ashley Mote , "John Nyren's "The Cricketers of my Time", Robson, 1998] .George Leer was a small man who made 44 known first-class appearances from the 1772 season to 1782.
References
External sources
* [http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/cricket/main.html From Lads to Lord's; The History of Cricket: 1300 – 1787]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/77/77390/77390.html CricketArchive]Further reading
*
Ashley Mote , "The Glory Days of Cricket", Robson, 1997
*David Underdown , "Start of Play", Allen Lane, 2000
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