Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Stephen Garland Lester | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1906-03-18)18 March 1906 Amberley, North Canterbury, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 24 October 1971(1971-10-24) (aged 65) Christchurch, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1929/30–1935/36 | Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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. 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. 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. A year later he was twelfth man for New Zealand in the First Test against South Africa in 1931-32, played in Christchurch.
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. He was a member of the New Zealand Cricket Council.
The Stephen Lester Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the bowler taking the most wickets in the Christchurch men's premiership competition.
Personal life
Lester worked as a stock and station agent. In March 1932 he married Eleanor West-Watson, whose father was the Anglican Bishop of Christchurch. They had two sons and a daughter.
References
- "Wellington v Canterbury 1929-30". CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- "Canterbury v Auckland 1930-31". CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- "Cricket team's tour". New Zealand Herald: 13. 14 March 1931.
- R.T. Brittenden, New Zealand Cricketers, A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, 1961, opp. p. 164.
- "Cricket: NZ Council's annual meeting". Press: 3. 17 November 1942.
- "Public Notices". Press: 15. 9 May 1945.
- "Cricket and the War". Evening Star: 4. 22 November 1940.
- "CMCA awards evening". Christchurch Metro Cricket. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
- ^ "John Lester". Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- "[untitled photograph and caption]". Press: 2. 30 March 1932.
External links
Categories:- 1906 births
- 1971 deaths
- People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch
- New Zealand cricketers
- Canterbury cricketers
- People from Amberley, New Zealand
- New Zealand military personnel of World War II
- Cricketers from the Canterbury Region
- New Zealand stock and station agents
- Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel
- 20th-century New Zealand military personnel
- Military personnel from the Canterbury Region