Geoffrey Lees (cricketer)

Geoffrey William Lees (1 July 1920 – 17 August 2012) was an English cricketer and school teacher. Lees was a right-handed batsman who bowled leg break. He was born at Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Lancashire, and was educated at the King's School, Rochester, and Downing College, Cambridge. His university years were split by wartime Royal Signals army service in Northen Europe and the Middle-East. He was commissioned, and mentioned in despatches.[1]

Lees made his first-class debut for Cambridge University against Essex at Fenner's.[2] Cambridge University won the toss and elected to field, with Essex then making 224 all out in their first-innings. Cambridge University responded in their first-innings by making 299 all out, during which Lees was dismissed for 12 runs by David Gray. Cambridge University then made 275/5 declared in their second-innings, setting Cambridge University 201 for victory. In their second-innings chase, Lees was dismissed for a duck by Peter Smith, with the university reaching 134/7, at which point the match was declared a draw.[3] He made a second first-class appearance in that season for the university against Middlesex at Fenner's.[2] Middlesex won the toss and elected to bat first, making 283 all out, to which Cambridge University responded in their first-innings by making 217 all out, during which Lees was dismissed by Jim Sims for 15 runs. Middlesex then made 283/7 declared in their second-innings, which set the university a target of 350 for victory. However, in their second-innings chase they were dismissed for 291, with Lees being dismissed for a duck by Sims. Middlesex won the match by 58 runs.[4]

He later made a single first-class appearance for Sussex against Leicestershire in the 1951 County Championship at the County Ground, Hove.[2] Sussex won the toss and elected to bat first, making 328 all out, with Lees being stumped for a single run off the bowling of Gerry Lester. Leicestershire then made 147 all out in their first-innings, with them being forced to follow-on in their second-innings, which saw them dismissed for 117. Sussex won the match by an innings and 64 runs.[5]

Outside of cricket he was a schoolmaster, teaching at Brighton College from 1948 to 1963 (where he was head of English and a day house housemaster) and later as the headmaster of St. Bees School from 1964 to 1980.[6][7] Following his teaching career, he retired to Brighton with his wife, Joan, where he was again actively involved with Brighton College, serving for some time as a Governor of the College. He died following a prolonged illness at Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton, Sussex, on 17 August 2012.