John Deighton (cricketer)

Colonel John Harold Greenway Deighton, MC, OBE (5 April 1920 – 15 September 1999) was an English army officer and cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1947 to 1962.

John Deighton

Personal information
Full name	John Harold Greenway Deighton
Born	(1920-04-05)5 April 1920 Prestwich, Lancashire, England
Died	15 September 1999(1999-09-15) (aged 79) Kingsclere, Hampshire, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1947 to 1962	Combined Services
1948 to 1950	Lancashire
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 35 Runs scored 994 Batting average 19.88 100s/50s 0/5 Top score 79 Balls bowled 6873 Wickets 127 Bowling average 24.25 5 wickets in innings 6 10 wickets in match 1 Best bowling 6/50 Catches/stumpings 17/0
Source: Cricinfo, 25 October 2015

Deighton was educated at Denstone College, where he played for the First XI from 1937 to 1939, also appearing in the annual schools match at Lord's for The Rest against Lord's Schools in 1938 and 1939.[1] He appeared in 35 first-class matches as a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast-medium pace. He scored 994 runs with a highest score of 79 and held 17 catches. He took 127 wickets with a best analysis of six for 50.[2] He played a few games of county cricket for Lancashire from 1948 to 1950, but most of his first-class cricket was for Combined Services, which he represented in 20 matches from 1947 to 1962.

Deighton served as an officer with the Northumberland Fusiliers in the Second World War, receiving the Military Cross for gallantry in Italy in 1944; he again served in the front line in the Korean War. His cricket was affected by the limited time he could spare from his army duties and by the shrapnel that remained in his arms and legs.[3]