Antony Legard

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Antony Legard


country = England
fullname = Antony Ronald Legard
nickname = Loopy
dayofbirth = 17
monthofbirth = 1
yearofbirth = 1912
placeofbirth = Sialkot, Punjab
countryofbirth = India
dayofdeath = 22
monthofdeath = 8
yearofdeath = 2004
placeofdeath = Kelsall, Cheshire
countryofdeath = England
batting = Right-hand
bowling = Right-arm medium
club1 = Oxford University
year1 = 1932–1935
club2 = Worcestershire
year2 = 1935
club3 = Europeans
year3 = 1943/44
club4 = MCC
year4 = 1952
type1 = First-class
debutdate1 = 11 May
debutyear1 = 1932
debutfor1 =
Oxford University
debutagainst1 = Leicestershire
lastdate1 = 9 September
lastyear1 = 1952
lastfor1 =
MCC
lastagainst1 = Ireland
deliveries = balls
columns = 1
column1 = FC
matches1 = 36
runs1 = 234
bat avg1 = 5.57
100s/50s1 = 0/0
top score1 = 38
deliveries1 = 6,206
wickets1 = 93
bowl avg1 = 30.03
fivefor1 = 3
tenfor1 = 0
best bowling1 = 7-36
catches/stumpings1 = 17/0
date = 14 September
year = 2007
source = http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/13/13920/13920.html cricketarchive.com

Antony Ronald Legard (17 January 1912–22 August 2004), nicknamed Loopy, [cite web | url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/16414.html | title=Players and Officials - Antony Legard | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=Cricinfo] was an Indian-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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/14/14193.html | title=Oxford University v Leicestershire in 1932 | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/14/14263.html | title=Oxford University v South Americans in 1932 | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=CricketArchive] 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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/14/14342.html | title=Oxford University v Cambridge University in 1932 | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=CricketArchive]

Legard played for much of the 1933 season, but was not selected for the Varsity Match, and did not appear at all in 1934.Obituary. "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack" 2005.] 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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/15/15484.html | title=Oxford University v Cambridge University in 1935 | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=CricketArchive]

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. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/15/15513.html | title=Northamptonshire v Worcestershire in 1935 | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=CricketArchive]

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 [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/17/17389.html | title=Europeans v Hindus in 1943/44 | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=CricketArchive] — two appearances for Free Foresters against Cambridge University, and finally (aged 40) a one-off appearance for MCC against Ireland in Dublin. [cite web | url=http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/20/20430.html | title=Ireland v Marylebone Cricket Club in 1952 | accessdate=2007-09-14 | publisher=CricketArchive]

Notes

External links

* [http://cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/13/13920/13920.html Statistical summary] from CricketArchive
*cricinfo|ref=england/content/player/16414.html