Christopher Allen (cricketer)

Christopher Wynyard Allen (7 May 1944 – 18 October 2012) was an English first-class cricketer. Allen was a right-handed batsman who bowled slow left-arm orthodox. He was born at Southampton, Hampshire.

Allen moved to Lymington, Hampshire in 1964, when his parents took over The Mayflower pub in the town.[1] Shortly after moving there, he began playing for Lymington Cricket Club, where he was initially encouraged to be a seam bowler.[1] While bowling slow left-arm orthodox in the nets at the County Ground, Southampton, he was spotted by Arthur Holt who encouraged him to stick with that bowling style.[1] Having impressed in club cricket for Lymington, Allen briefly played for the Hampshire Second XI, before being selected to play minor counties cricket for Dorset,[1] making his debut for the county in the 1976 Minor Counties Championship against Cornwall. From 1976 to 1983, Allen played a total of 66 Minor Counties Championship matches, the last of which came against Shropshire.[2] He also made a single appearance for the county in the 1983 MCCA Knockout Trophy against Oxfordshire.[3] He took a total of 252 wickets for Dorset.[1] Allen also made a sole List A appearance for Dorset in the 1983 NatWest Trophy against first-class opponents Essex at Dean Park, Bournemouth.[4] In Dorset's innings 111 all out, Allen was dismissed for 7 runs by Neil Foster, while in Essex's innings he bowled 6 wicketless overs and caught Keith Fletcher, with Essex winning by 7 wickets.[5]

In club cricket, he took a total of 253 wickets in the Southern League for Lymington and the Southampton-based Deanery Cricket Club, as well as hundreds more in friendly matches across Hampshire. He went on to become the eighth leading wicket taker in the Southern League.[6] He played a key role in Lymington's victory in the Southern league, taking 32 wickets.[1] He also fulfilled the roles of Lymington captain, chairman and fixture secretary.[1] He died on 18 October 2012, following a battle with bowel cancer.[6]