Ray East

Ray East
Personal information
Full name
Raymond Eric East
Born (1946-05-06) 6 May 1946 (age 78)
Manningtree, Essex, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1965–1984Essex
1973Marylebone Cricket Club
1991–1993Suffolk
Career statistics
Competition First-class List A
Matches 410 280
Runs scored 7,178 1,139
Batting average 17.72 10.95
100s/50s 1/22 –/1
Top score 113 54
Balls bowled 66,037 10,982
Wickets 1,019 269
Bowling average 25.72 24.59
5 wickets in innings 49 5
10 wickets in match 10
Best bowling 8/30 6/18
Catches/stumpings 256/– 118/–
Source: Cricinfo, 22 December 2021

Raymond Eric East (born 20 June 1947, in Manningtree) is an English former cricketer who played for Essex County Cricket Club.

One of the most popular characters to play county cricket in recent times, East is remembered as much for his on field wit as his fine slow left arm spin bowling. For many years he formed an effective 'spin twin' partnership with David Acfield and helped his Essex teammates break their historic trophy drought to challenge at the top of county and one day cricket.

He played 405 matches for Essex from 1965 to 1984 and in 410 matches in all. He took 1019 wickets at 25.72, with five wickets in an innings 49 times, ten in a match ten times and a career best of 8 for 30. He scored 7178 runs at 17.72 in the lower order, with one hundred (113) and held 256 catches. He took 269 list A one-day wickets at 24.59 with a best of 6–18, although he once went for 79 in 8 overs in a Sunday league match.He often contributed important runs from batting at 9 or 10 and once shared a century partnership with John Lever at Westcliff

From 1984–88 he was captain/manager of Essex 2nd XI and he played for Suffolk in 1991 and 1992 and now coaches cricket at Ipswich School.

He was a member of the Derrick Robins XI that toured South Africa in 1973.