Eric Leslie Kidd

Eric Leslie Kidd

Personal information
Full name	Eric Leslie Kidd
Born	18 October 1889 Westminster, Middlesex, England
Died	2 July 1984(1984-07-02) (aged 94) Dún Laoghaire, Ireland
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Leg break
Relations	Percy Kidd (father)
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1910–1913	Cambridge University
1910–1928	Middlesex
1914–1928	Marylebone Cricket Club
1921–1928	Ireland
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 147 Runs scored 5,113 Batting average 24.94 100s/50s 6/22 Top score 167 Balls bowled 6,830 Wickets 186 Bowling average 24.62 5 wickets in innings 8 10 wickets in match 1 Best bowling 8/49 Catches/stumpings 131/–
Source: Cricinfo, 4 February 2019

Eric Leslie Kidd (18 October 1889 – 2 July 1984)^[1] was an English-born Irish cricketer. A right-handed batsman and leg spin bowler, he played 147 first-class cricket matches, mostly for Middlesex,^[1] and played for the Ireland cricket team on six occasions.^[2]

Born on 18 October 1889 in Westminster, London, the grandson of Joseph Kidd (1824-1918) and son of Percy Marmaduke Kidd (1851-1942), both eminent doctors, E. L. Kidd was educated at Wellington College, and went on to study at Cambridge University^[3] where he made his first-class debut, playing for the university team against Essex in May 1910 and gained his blue when he played against Oxford University later in the year.^[4] He remained in the University side for four years^[3] and also began to play county cricket for Middlesex, making his debut for them in August 1910 against Yorkshire.^[4]

He also played for the MCC and in a few Gentlemen v Players matches,^[4] and at the outbreak of World War I was considered as someone who could possibly play Test cricket for England.^[3] He graduated from Cambridge with a first in Engineering.^[5]

After the war, he had moved to Dublin where he worked for Guinness,^[3] and his appearances for Middlesex became rather sporadic by the standards of the time,^[4] only playing when on vacation from work in Dublin.^[3] He made his debut for Ireland in August 1921, playing against Scotland^[2] in a first-class match.^[4]

He continued with his occasional appearances for Middlesex, occasionally appearing for other first-class teams such as the Free Foresters,^[4] and played for Ireland five more times, once against Scotland and four times against the MCC. His last game for Ireland was in August 1930 against the MCC in Dublin,^[2] His last game for Middlesex was a County Championship match against Essex in June 1928, while his final first-class match was for the Free Foresters against Cambridge University.^[4] He died on 2 July 1984 in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Ireland.

In matches for Ireland, Kidd scored 376 runs at an average of 34.18, with a top score of 73 against Scotland in July 1925. He took 23 wickets at an average of 20.00, with best bowling figures of 5/63 against the MCC in August 1924, the only time he took five wickets in an innings for Ireland.^[2] In first-class cricket, he scored 5113 runs at an average of 24.94, with a top score of 167^[1] for Cambridge University against Sussex in 1912.^[6] He took 186 wickets at an average of 24.62, with best innings bowling of 8/49^[1] also for Cambridge University against Sussex, this time in 1911.^[6] His highest first-class score for Middlesex was 150 not out^[7] and his best bowling for them was 4/39.^[8]