Len Creese

William Charles Leonard Creese (27 December 1907 – 9 March 1974) was a South African-born English cricketer who played first-class cricket in England for Hampshire between 1928 and 1939. Creese was born in South Africa in December 1907. He moved to England following the completion of his education to pursue a career as a professional cricketer, joining the staff at Hampshire in 1926. By 1933, he had established himself in the Hampshire side as an all-rounder. Creese would make 278 first-class appearances for Hampshire, scoring nearly 10,000 runs and taking over 400 wickets. He would also play first-class cricket for the Players, and following the Second World War, for the Combined Services. He was the cricket coach at Sherborne School between 1947 and 1954, during which time he also played minor counties cricket for Dorset. He later spent two periods as head groundsman at the Central Recreation Ground in Hastings, and was head groundsman at the County Ground in Hove.

Early life Creese was born in the Parktown North suburb of Johannesburg on 27 December 1907. His father, Bill Creese, was a cricketer and Test match umpire who was involved in the administration of cricket in Transvaal. His family were originally of Welsh extraction, hailing from Monmouthshire. After completing his education, he was determined to make it as a cricketer in English county cricket and travelled there from Cape Town at his own expense.

Cricket Early career Creese joined the staff at Hampshire at the beginning of the 1926 season. Having spent two years qualifying to play for Hampshire in the County Championship through residency, he later made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Somerset at Portsmouth in the 1928 County Championship, with Creese featuring in two further matches in the season. What followed would be four seasons characterised by inconsistent performances, which hindered his establishment in the Hampshire team. whilst with his left-arm medium pace bowling he took 12 wickets at an average of 30.83. In 1930, he would score 385 runs at an average of 12.83 from 20 matches, In 1932, his 23 appearances yielded him 723 runs at an average of 21.90, with five half centuries. A second century (101 not out) followed later in the season against Essex. He was used as a bowler more frequently in 1933, taking 21 wickets at an average of 37.52. With the retirement of Kennedy, Creese's bowling workload alongside Stuart Boyes, Gerry Hill, and Lofty Herman increased in 1935. Throughout the season, he took 68 wickets at an average of 24.16; he took five wickets or more in an innings on three occasions, In August, Creese was chosen to play for the Players in the Gentlemen versus Players match at Folkestone.

Creese again passed a thousand runs in a season in 1936, with 1,331 at an average of 30.95 from 31 matches. He did not score any centuries during the season, but passed fifty on eight occasions. Creese endured an injury-hit season in 1937, In May, he had been invited to tour India with Lord Tennyson's XI following the 1937 season, but was not included in the final touring team. He made 32 first-class appearances in 1938, scoring 1,421 runs at an average of 28.42; alongside ten half centuries, he also made one century. his innings included 37 fours. With the outbreak of the Second World War, his career with Hampshire came to an abrupt end. and join the British Army as a non-commissioned officer, holding the rank of lance corporal. He returned to first-class cricket in 1946, when he played twice for the Combined Services against Oxford University and Surrey. Creese also umpired at minor counties level in 1947 and 1948.

Playing style and statistics Creese was a hard-hitting left-handed batsman who played predominantly off the back foot, with his shot selection characterised by its late execution. he scored six centuries and 50 half centuries.

The Portsmouth Evening News described Creese as a "smart field", whilst Arlott opined that he was a "safe catcher" at gully, short leg, or cover-point. In September 1963, his grandson, two-year-old David Blackman, was crushed to death by a roller at the Central Recreation Ground; Creese himself was injured whilst attempting to save him. He had been attending the match between the touring West Indians and Arthur Gilligan's eleven with his parents, and had run onto the pitch during an interval between innings. There, he immediately oversaw the renovation of the ground and the laying of new turf. Creese left the County Ground in 1970, being reappointed head groundsman back at the Central Recreation Ground. Between his first and second spells at the Central Recreation Ground, the standard of the wicket had declined to such an extent that, by 1970, the standard was insufficient for the ground to host first-class cricket. Creese set about returning the wicket to first-class standard, and by 1972 first-class cricket returned to the ground. In December 1972, he retired as groundsman and was made an honorary life member of the Hastings and St Leonards Priory Cricket Club.

In his final years, Creese lived at Seaford in East Sussex. He died in Buckland Hospital in Dover on 9 March 1974. He was survived by his wife, Emily, and two daughters; he had married Emily in 1931.