Richard Utley
Personal information
Full name
Richard Peter Hugh Utley
Born(1906-02-11)11 February 1906
Havant, Hampshire, England
Died28 August 1968(1968-08-28) (aged 62)
Ampleforth, Yorkshire, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1927–1928Hampshire
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 31
Runs scored 210
Batting average 7.24
100s/50s –/–
Top score 30
Balls bowled 4,450
Wickets 90
Bowling average 26.33
5 wickets in innings 4
10 wickets in match 1
Best bowling 6/43
Catches/stumpings 12/–
Source: Cricinfo, 14 December 2009

Richard Peter Hugh Utley OBE (11 February 1906 — 11 February 1968) was an English first-class cricketer, Royal Air Force officer, Benedictine monk, and educator.

The son of Henry James Utley,[1] he was born in Havant and was educated firstly in Portsmouth at St John's College,[2] before attending Ampleforth College. There he played for the college cricket team and led the batting averages in his final year.[3] From there, he attended the Royal Air Force College Cranwell and graduated into the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a pilot officer,[1] with promotion to flying officer following in January 1928.[4] Utley made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Kent at Southampton in the 1927 County Championship. He made 27 first-class appearances for Hampshire in 1927 and 1928,[5] and had begun to build a reputation as a fast bowler.[6] He took 79 wickets for Hampshire at an average of 26.32; he took four five wicket hauls and once took ten wickets in a match.[7] His best innings bowling figures were 6 for 43 against Warwickshire.[8] In addition to playing first-class cricket for Hampshire in 1927 and 1928, he also made three first-class appearances for the Royal Air Force cricket team (playing twice against the Royal Navy and once against the British Army) and once for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players fixture of 1927 at The Oval.[5] For the RAF, he took 11 wickets at an average of 21.18, with best figures of 3 for 18.[7]

In September 1928, Utley resigned his commission in the RAF and ended his first-class career in order to become a Benedictine monk.[9] Having undertook holy orders, he became a master at Ampleforth School, where he was in charge of cricket from 1936 to 1955 and commanded the college's Combined Cadet Force for thirty years.[3] Utley was made an OBE in the 1951 Birthday Honours.[10] He died suddenly from a coronary thrombosis at Ampleforth on 11 February 1968.[3][11]

References

  1. 1 2 Burnand, Francis Cowley (1952). The Catholic Who's Who & Yearbook. Vol. 35. London: Burns & Oates. p. 454. ISBN 9789766400460.
  2. ↑ Magan, Michael (1976). Cradled in History: St John's College, Southsea, 1908-1976. Portsmouth: St John's College. p. 62. ASIN B000ZOUT0C.
  3. 1 2 3 "Wisden - Obituaries in 1968". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "No. 33370". The London Gazette. 27 March 1928. p. 2243.
  5. 1 2 "First-Class Matches played by Peter Utley". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "King George gives medal to Benedictine monk". The Catholic Standard & Times. Vol. 56 (39 ed.). Philadelphia. 29 June 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 29 June 2023 – via The Catholic News Archive.
  7. 1 2 "First-Class Bowling and Fielding For Each Team by Richard Utley". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "First-Class Bowling Against Each Opponent Peter Utley". CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Cricketer's commission". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 8 September 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 29 June 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ "No. 39243". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1951. p. 3067.
  11. ↑ "Obituary - Fr Peter Utley 1968". www.plantata.org.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
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