Full Name

Edward Ibson Lester

Born

February 18, 1923, Scarborough, Yorkshire

Died

March 23, 2015, Scarborough, Yorkshire, (aged 92y 33d)

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Offbreak

A forceful and entertaining right-hand batsman, Ted Lester's career with Yorkshire lasted for a decade immediately after the war. He made his debut as an amateur at his home ground of North Marine Road - Herbert Sutcliffe's last match - and in 1947 he finished third in the national averages with 657 runs in 11 innings, including three hundreds. He turned professional in 1948 and was a model of consistency, passing 1000 runs in seven of the next eight seasons. In the golden summer of 1947, he finished third in the national averages to the great Middlesex and England pair, Denis Compton and Bill Edrich, who each scored over 3,000 first class runs: he turned out in only 11 first team matches that season but still averaged 73 which was exactly the same as he did in the second team.

His best year came in 1949 (when Yorkshire were joint champions) when he made 1801 runs. He often joked that he never received the attention he deserved in Yorkshire because JM Kilburn, the erudite correspondent of the Yorkshire Post, often enjoyed a post-prandial nap at the time he was at the crease. His form fell away sharply in 1955 when he mustered only 410 runs in 16 matches before being dropped, and he made only one outing in1956, against Scotland. He continued to play regularly for the 2nd XI. In 1964 he made one last appearance when illness meant he was drafted into Yorkshire's side for a Gillette Cup tie at Lord's. Lester made 0 and Yorkshire lost.

Lester went on to become the county's scorer, during which time he also became a much respected companion of what was then a large Yorkshire media contingent. His role also extended to that of a trusted and straightforward advisor for Yorkshire captains during the difficult years of the 1970s and 1980s, David Bairstow chief among those who prized him. Overshadowed by many Yorkshire greats as a player, it was a task he quietly valued. He continued as scorer until 1992 before after nearly half-a-century's loyal service to the cause, he began a long and vibrant retirement striding the coastline around his beloved Scarborough where he lived for all his 92 years.
ESPNcricinfo staff

Ted Lester Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAve100s50s4s6sCtSt
FC232347281091218634.202550--1080
List A110000.00000000

Bowling

FormatMatBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
FC23231816031/7-53.333.01106.0-00
List A1000-----000

Debut/Last Matches of Ted Lester

FC Matches

Span
1945 - 1956

List A Matches

Span
1964 - 1964

Recent Matches of Ted Lester

Photos of Ted Lester

Ted Lester enjoyed a successful career for Yorkshire
Ted Lester in 1948