Rev. Andrew Wingfield Digby

Andrew Wingfield Digby was a theology student at Oxford, where he made his debut as a medium-pace bowler in 1971, making his mark with 32 wickets at 30.43, including 5 for 112 against Hampshire and a career-best 5 for 79 against Warwickshire, and won the first of his four Blues. Although he played twice in 1972, he returned for three more seasons between 1975 and 1977, the best being 1976 when he took 29 wickets and 29.51. After leaving university he played Minor County cricket for Dorset for more than a decade.

In 1984 he became the first paid employee of Christians in Sport, and in 1989 he was appointed as spiritual advisor to the England team under the chairmanship of Ted Dexter. The arrival of Ray Illingworth to replace Dexter was immediately followed by Wingfield-Digby's departure. "If they need a shoulder to cry on, they should not be playing for England," Illingworth explained.

Wingfield-Digby was also chaplain at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and in 2002 he become vicar of St Andrew's Church, Oxford.
Martin Williamson