| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ernest Francis Carless[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 9 September 1912 Cadoxton, Barry, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 26 September 1987 (aged 75) Barry, Glamorgan, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off break | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicketkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1947–1949 | Devon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1946 | Glamorgan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1934 | Glamorgan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: Cricinfo, 30 June 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ernest Francis Carless (9 September 1912 – 26 September 1987) was a Welsh cricketer. Carless was a right-handed batsman who played primarily as a wicketkeeper. He also bowled right-arm off-breaks though he did not bowl in first-class cricket. Carless played football in the Football League for Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle as an inside forward. He was born at Cadoxton, Glamorgan.
Carless made his first-class debut for Glamorgan in 1934 against Middlesex, though Tom Brierley kept wicket in this match; he played one further match for the county in that season, against Surrey, when Carless kept wicket. During the Second World War he played for the club in fund-raising matches. Following the end of the war and the resumption of County Cricket in 1946, Carless made his final first-class appearance, 12 years after his previous first-class match, in a Glamorgan side which was beset by injuries and struggling to field a team. His final first-class match was against Essex.[2] In his 3 matches he scored 35 runs at a batting average of 11.66 and a high score of 25.[3]
In 1947, Carless joined Devon, where he made his Minor Counties Championship debut for the county against Cornwall. From 1947 to 1949, he represented Devon in 7 Minor Counties fixtures, with his final appearance for the county coming against the Glamorgan Second XI.[4]
A multi-talented sportsman,[5] Carless played football as an inside forward.[6] He began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but did not make a first team appearance, and then returned to Wales to play for Barry Town.[6] Carless made his Football League debut in 1932 with Cardiff City and spent several years there without establishing himself in the first team.[5][6] He went on to play for Altrincham and return to Barry Town before the Second World War.[5] Carless joined Plymouth Argyle in 1946, playing 11 games as a guest in the Football League South and then signing up to make four Second Division appearances when the full league programme returned.[5]
In 1947, soon after his last appearance for Argyle, Carless accepted an offer to become the club's head groundsman, having gained experience doing the job for Cardiff City before moving to Plymouth.[5][7] The role enabled him to continue his cricket career with Devon.[5]
Carless died at Barry, Glamorgan on 26 September 1987.