Lionel Deas

Lionel Maury Ross Deas (8 February 1872 – 8 January 1913) was an English first-class cricketer and an officer in both the British Army and the British Indian Army.

The son of Peter Maury Deas, a doctor, he was born at Macclesfield in February 1872.[1] He attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, graduating into the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as a second lieutenant in May 1892.[2] Promotion to lieutenant followed in October 1893,[3] Soon after he served in British India and was seconded to the Indian Staff Corps in September 1896.[4] While in British India he played first-class cricket for the Europeans cricket team between 1895 and 1906, making nine appearances.[5] A skilled bowler, he took 46 wickets in his nine first-class matches at an average of 14.45. He took a five wicket haul on four occasions and took ten wickets in a match once, with his best innings bowling figures being 8 for 91.[6] He notably dismissed the Test cricketer Ranjitsinhji for ducks in both innings in a minor match while playing for Pune Gymkhana on a pitch described as "soaked by heavy rain".[7][8]

Deas saw action during the Boxer Rebellion with the Indian Supply and Transport Corps, during which he was mentioned in dispatches in May 1901 for his command of a Commissariat Depot at Tungchou.[9] He participated in the American–led China Relief Expedition during the conflict, for which he was made a member of the Military Order of the Dragon.[10] Holding the rank of captain by 1902, he was appointed a special service officer in the British Indian Army in October of that year.[11] He was made a brevet major in September 1904 in recognition of his service in the Somaliland campaign against the Dervishes led by Diiriye Guure.[12] later gaining the rank in full in May 1910.[13] Deas later returned to England, where he died in Devon at Budleigh Salterton in January 1913.[14]