(writes Andrew Hignell)
Glamorgan Cricket was sad to hear of the recent death of Les McFarlane, at the age of 66, who played 23 times for the Welsh county during 1985. Born in Skibo, Jamaica during August 1952, Les was brought up in Northampton where he earned a reputation as a formidable fast bowler with the United Social club in the Northampton Town League during the 1970s. His success, bowling in tandem with his brother Carl, duly led to his selection for Northamptonshire’s 2nd XI from 1974 onwards.
Les duly made his first-class debut for Northamptonshire in 1979 against Surrey at The Oval and opened the bowling with Sarfraz Nawaz, the Pakistan Test bowler. Despite claiming thirteen wickets, he was not offered terms by Northants for 1980. But his continued success in the Northampton Town League as well as for Bedfordshire in the Minor County Championship led to a three-year spell with Lancashire. Between 1982 and 1984, the fast bowler claimed 73 wickets including a match-winning and career-best return of 6/59 against Warwickshire at Southport in 1982.
He subsequently joined Glamorgan for 1985 as the Welsh county looked to bolster their seam bowling resources. Once again, Surrey were the opponents at The Oval as Les made his Championship debut for the Welsh county. He went wicketless in the first innings as Alan Butcher, the future Glamorgan captain made a fine hundred but Les removed the left-handed opener in the second innings in the game which thanks to a belligerent 90 from John Hopkins, Glamorgan won by seven wickets.
In all, Les played in 13 first-class matches, plus 10 List A games, taking a total of 22 wickets, with his best figures coming at Derby where he claimed 4/100. With the further development of homegrown seam bowlers including Greg Thomas, Steve Barwick and John Derrick, Les was released at the end of the season and returned to Minor County cricket with Bedfordshire and later Staffordshire, for whom he played in 1989 and 1990. Given his close links and family ties with the East Midlands, it was appropriate that his final first-class appearance came for Glamorgan against Northamptonshire at Wellingborough School in August 1985.
On hearing of the death of his former Glamorgan colleague, Hugh Morris, the Club’s Chief Executive Officer , said “Les was a wholehearted cricketer who played for Glamorgan towards the end of his first-class career. He always gave 100% and, in the right conditions, Les’s skiddy pace bowling could be a handful for opposition batsmen to face. We send our condolences to his family and friends.”