Ledger Hill

The son of James Ledger Hill, he was born in July 1871 at Bassett, Hampshire. He was educated at Marlborough College, playing cricket, rugby, and racquets for the college.[1] From there, he matriculated to Jesus College, Cambridge.[2] While studying at Cambridge, Hill made his debut in first-class cricket for Cambridge University against C. I. Thornton's XI at Fenner's in 1890. He was a regular feature in the Cambridge eleven until 1893, making 34 appearances for Cambridge and gaining a blue in each of those seasons for his participation in The University Match against Oxford at Lord's.[3][2] For Cambridge, he scored 975 runs an average of 17.90, with a highest score of 75, one of four half centuries he made for Cambridge.[4] With his eight-arm underarm-fast bowling, he took 66 wickets at a bowling average of 23.78, with best figures of 4 for 23.[5]

During Hill's studies at Cambridge, he also made a number of first-class appearances for other teams. He made his first appearance for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players fixture of 1891 at Hastings, and later toured British India and Ceylon with Lord Hawke's XI, making four first-class appearances on the tour.[3] Hill made history on this tour, scoring the maiden first-class century in Indian domestic cricket when he made 132 against All-India at Allahabad; he had been dropped on zero at the beginning of his innings.[6][7] Hill had a successful first-class part of the tour with the bat, scoring 212 runs.[8] With the ball, he took 16 wickets, including his maiden five wicket haul.[9]

Hill, in the year he played Test cricket

Hill first played for Hampshire in 1890, when they were a second-class county. Having regained their first-class status in 1894, he made his debut for Hampshire in first-class cricket against Somerset in the 1895 County Championship.[3]

Hill succeeded former Hampshire captain Charles Robson as captain of the Trojans Rugby Club in 1910.[10]

Hill was once again selected to tour with Lord Hawke's XI, this time on their tour of South Africa in 1895–96. For matches against South Africa, the team was designated as England. Hill played in all three matches against South Africa, which were later retrospectively granted Test status.[11]

He served in the First World War as a volunteer with the Hampshire Volunteer Regiment (Territorial Force), being commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in September 1916,[12] with him being appointed a temporary lieutenant in December 1917.[13]

His son, Anthony, and nephew, Richard Page, were also first-class cricketers.

• Ledger Hill at ESPNcricinfo