R. T. Stanyforth

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox cricketer Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald Thomas "Rony" Stanyforth, Template:Post-nominals (30 May 1892 – 20 February 1964)<ref name="YB"/> was an Army officer and English amateur first-class cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England, captaining England in the four Test matches he played in.<ref name="YB">Template:Cite book</ref>

Stanyforth was born at Chelsea, London, England, the son of Edwin Wilfrid Stanyforth (born Edwin Wilfrid Greenwood) of Kirk Hammerton Hall, Yorkshire. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford.<ref>STANYFORTH, Lieut-Col Ronald Thomas, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2016 (online edition, Oxford University Press, 2014)</ref> He played for Oxford University in 1914 and then served in World War I. He was awarded the MC and CVO.<ref>YOUNGE WILSON DEEDS. National Archives Sheffield Archives</ref>

After the war Stanyforth played for Combined Services in 1922, Army from 1923 to 1929, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) from 1923 to 1933 and H. D. G. Leveson Gower's XI in 1926. In 1926 he played one game for Langholm Cricket Club after being invited to by the Earl of Dalkeith.<ref>[1]. British Newspaper Archive</ref>

After Guy Jackson, the original choice as captain, fell ill just before the tour was to commence, Stanyforth, a wicket-keeper, captained England on the tour to South Africa in 1927–28.<ref name=TCObit/> Under his captaincy in the first four Test matches, England won two, lost one and drew once. However, the series was a draw as the fifth Test, when Greville Stevens stood in for the injured Stanyforth, was lost.<ref name="Cric"/>

Only three of Stanyforth's 61 first-class games were played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the County Championship. All three came in 1928 after he had captained England.<ref name="YB"/><ref name="Cric"/> He also played for the Free Foresters from 1930 to 1933.<ref>Rony Stanyforth. Cricket Archive</ref>

Stanyforth retired from the Army in 1930 and became Comptroller of the Household to the Duke of Gloucester.<ref name=TCObit>"Obituary", The Cricketer, April 1964, pp. 26–27.</ref> He rejoined the Army at the outbreak of the Second World War, serving in the 21st Lancers, as Aide-de-camp to General Alan Brooke from 1939 to 1940, and as GSO1 21st Army Group from 1941 to 1945. He returned to the Duke of Gloucester's service in 1947 as extra equerry.<ref name=TCObit/>

Stanyforth died at Kirk Hammerton, Yorkshire, in February 1964, aged 72. He was a trustee of the MCC at the time of his death,<ref name="Cric">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the author of Wicketkeeping, published in 1935.

Family

Stanyforth was the great-great-grandson of Samuel Staniforth and the great-great-great-grandson of Thomas Staniforth, each of whom served as Lord Mayor of Liverpool. His father Edwin Stanyforth was born Edwin Greenwood, however he changed his name at the request of his great uncle Rev. Thomas Staniforth of Storrs Hall in his will. Edwin was the son of Ripon member of parliament and resident of Swarcliffe Hall, John Greenwood.

External links

• Cricinfo