Francis Ayles

Francis Ayles
Personal information
Born(1880-03-30)30 March 1880
Sandridge, Melbourne, Australia
Died18 June 1939(1939-06-18) (aged 59)
Newmarket, Melbourne, Australia
RoleBatsman
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1908/09Otago
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 5 May 2016

Francis Ayles (30 March 1880 – 18 June 1939) was an Australian cricketer and football umpire.

Ayles, a batsman, was the captain of Port Melbourne Cricket Club when he was appointed by the Otago Cricket Association as a batting coach in November 1908, working alongside Charles Wordsworth who was appointed as bowling coach.[1] He played three first-class matches for Otago as a batsman in 1908–09, scoring 81 runs at an average of 20.25.[2][3] He opened the batting in Otago's match against Hawke's Bay in January 1909, scoring 47 and putting on 176 for the first wicket with Gillie Wilson.[4] Ayles returned to Melbourne in April 1909.[5]

Ayles was also an Australian rules football umpire. He umpired 13 matches in the Victorian Football League between 1908 and 1919, and was appointed field umpire for the Tasmanian Football League in 1911.[6][7][8] Before turning to umpiring he played for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association.[9]

  1. ^ "The City Council and the Public". Otago Daily Times: 9. 7 November 1908.
  2. ^ "Francis Ayles". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  3. ^ Francis Ayles, CricketArchive. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Hawke's Bay v Otago 1908-09". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Japanese Curiosity". Otago Daily Times: 4. 6 April 1909.
  6. ^ "Francis Ayles". AFL Tables. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Our Boys Abroad". Standard: 2. 10 June 1911.
  8. ^ "Football". The Mercury: 9. 29 April 1911.
  9. ^ "Mr. Frank Ayles". Record: 3. 24 June 1939.