Roy Sheffield
Personal information
Full name
James Roy Sheffield
Born(1906-11-19)19 November 1906
Barking, Essex, England
Died16 November 1997(1997-11-16) (aged 90)
Auckland, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicket-keeper
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1929–1936Essex
1938/39Wellington
First-class debut19 June 1929 Essex v Warwickshire
Last First-class3 February 1939 Wellington v Auckland
Career statistics
Competition FC
Matches 180
Runs scored 3914
Batting average 16.51
100s/50s 1/16
Top score 108
Balls bowled 72
Wickets 0
Bowling average –
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling –
Catches/stumpings 196/54
Source: Cricket Archive, 22 December 2009

James Roy Sheffield (19 November 1906 – 16 November 1997) was an English cricketer, who kept wicket for Essex and Wellington between 1929 and 1939. A right-hand bat, Sheffield made 180 appearances, scoring 3,914 runs at an average of 16.51 including one century, and he took 196 catches and made 54 stumpings.[1]

During the winter of 1932–33 Sheffield took an extended trip in South America. For some time he followed the trail of Colonel Fawcett, and also worked as a cowboy in the Mato Grosso.[2] Then he canoed down the Paraguay River during the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia. He was arrested by the Paraguayans on suspicion of being a Bolivian spy, but was freed after British consular authorities intervened.[3][4] He wrote about these adventures in a book, Bolivian Spy? that was published in 1935.[5]

Sheffield moved to New Zealand in 1936, meeting his future wife, Ruby Norrie of Jersey, on the voyage over. They married at St Mary's Cathedral, Auckland, in November 1938.[6][4] His first job in New Zealand was as a guide at the Chateau Tongariro in Tongariro National Park.[7] In 1938 he was engaged on a three-year contract as the coach for the Wellington Cricket Association.[8] At the same time he was engaged on a three-year contract as the coach of the Wellington Football Association.[9]

In the 1940s Sheffield moved to Gisborne, where he taught physical education at Gisborne High School.[10] In 1947 he was appointed coach of the New Zealand football team for the series against the visiting South African team.[11] He played for Poverty Bay as a goalkeeper.[12]

Sheffield retained his enthusiasm for canoeing throughout his life. When he was in his eighties he competed in the 50-mile Waikato River Marathon.[4]

Bibliography

  • Roy Sheffield (1935). Bolivian Spy?. Marchand Press.

References

  1. ↑ "Player Profile: Roy Sheffield". CricInfo. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  2. ↑ Quivis (3 July 1937). "Travellers' Tales". Evening Post: 30.
  3. ↑ "In the Public Eye". Evening Post: 21. 21 November 1936.
  4. 1 2 3 Wisden 1998, p. 1439.
  5. ↑ Library of Congress, Catalog of Copyright Entries. New Series: 1936, Part 1 scan
  6. ↑ "Cricketer Married". New Zealand Herald: 3. 22 November 1938.
  7. ↑ "Cricket". Auckland Star: 14. 4 December 1936.
  8. ↑ "The Cricket Field: Sheffield for University". Evening Post: 23. 5 November 1938.
  9. ↑ "Higher Standard: Soccer Football". Evening Post: 14. 30 March 1939.
  10. ↑ "Ex-County Cricketer in Gisborne". Otago Daily Times: 2. 2 May 1946.
  11. ↑ "Soccer Tour". Otago Daily Times: 6. 11 June 1947.
  12. ↑ "Soccer Shield: Final rep. game". Gisborne Herald: 8. 3 October 1947.
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