Martin Evans (cricketer)

Martin Evans
Personal information
Full name
Martin James Evans
Born16 October 1904
Kingsclere, Hampshire, England
Died17 December 1998(1998-12-17) (aged 94)
Peasmarsh, Sussex, England
BattingUnknown
BowlingUnknown-arm fast-medium
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 1
Runs scored 8
Batting average 8.00
100s/50s –/–
Top score 7*
Balls bowled 54
Wickets 0
Bowling average –
5 wickets in innings –
10 wickets in match –
Best bowling –
Catches/stumpings –/–
Source: Cricinfo, 21 September 2019

Martin James Evans CBE (16 October 1904 – 17 December 1998) was an English first-class cricketer and Royal Navy officer.

Evans was born in October 1904 at Kingsclere, Hampshire. After enlisting in the Royal Navy, he was promoted from the rank of midshipman to sub-lieutenant in July 1925.[1] He made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the Royal Navy against the British Army cricket team at Lord's in 1925.[2] Batting twice in the match, he ended the Royal Navy first-innings not out on 7, while in their second-innings he was dismissed for a single run by Geoffrey Cooke. With the ball, he bowled a total of nine wicketless overs in the Army first-innings, conceding 42 runs.[3] He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in February 1927,[4] with promotion to the rank of lieutenant commander in February 1935.[5]

Evans served with the Royal Navy in the Second World War, during which he was promoted to the rank of commander in December 1940.[6] During the war he held commands aboard HMS Keppel, HMS Towy and HMS Philante.[7] He was made an OBE in December 1942,[8] before being made a CBE in August 1945.[9] Following the war, he was awarded the Legion of Merit by the United States in May 1946 and promoted to the rank of captain the following month.[10][11] Evans died in December 1998 at Peasmarsh Place retirement home in the Sussex village of Peasmarsh.

  1. ^ "No. 33189". The London Gazette. 6 August 1926. p. 5201.
  2. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Martin Evans". CricketArchive. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Army v Royal Navy, 1925". CricketArchive. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  4. ^ "No. 33254". The London Gazette. 4 March 1927. p. 1433.
  5. ^ "No. 34139". The London Gazette. 5 March 1935. p. 1554.
  6. ^ "No. 35032". The London Gazette. 3 January 1941. p. 59.
  7. ^ "Martin James Evans OBE, RN". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  8. ^ "No. 35815". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 December 1942. p. 5345.
  9. ^ "No. 37251". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 August 1945. p. 4437.
  10. ^ "No. 37582". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 May 1946. p. 2560.
  11. ^ "No. 37650". The London Gazette. 12 July 1946. p. 3628.