Lenard Winston Hill (14 April 1941 – 12 April 2007) was a Welsh sportsman, who played first-class

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

for

Glamorgan , HQ = Cardiff , Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974) , Origin= , Code = GLA , CodeName = Chapman code , Replace = * West Glamorgan * Mid Glamorgan * South Glamorgan , Motto ...

, league football for Swansea Town and Newport County and was also a talented tennis player. It was mentioned that he only went to play football professionally so he could spend more time practising in the nets for cricket. In later life Len was a keen golfer with a handicap of 3 and represented Wales Seniors.

Early sporting career

Hill was born in Caerleon and played for Lovell's Athletic before joining Newport County in 1962. He remained with Newport until 1973, later playing briefly for

Swansea City Swansea City Association Football Club (; cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Cymdeithas Dinas Abertawe) is a professional football club based in Swansea, Wales that plays in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Swansea have played their ho ...

Later career

Hill joined

Glamorgan County Cricket Club Glamorgan County Cricket Club ( cy, Criced Morgannwg) is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Glamorgan ( cy, Morgannwg). Founded in 1888, ...

in 1964, but his football career took precedence, preventing him from playing a full county cricket season until the mid-1970s. His first class debut came on 18 July 1964 against Lancashire. He scored just one run on his debut, falling lbw to Brian Statham. He later became a regular right-hand batsman in the Glamorgan first XI, and was awarded a county cap in 1974. He made 76 first-class appearances for Glamorgan and scored 2,690 runs (including 14 fifties), with a top score of 96 not out against Gloucestershire in 1974. In the same year, he scored 90 not out against Hampshire in one of the year's most notable Glamorgan victories. He played his last game for Glamorgan in 1976. A brief spell as professional at ''Ammanford Cricket Club'' completed his career.

Recognition of qualities

In 1975, he was featured in an article in '' Wisden'' by Basil Easterbrook entitled "The Willing Workhorses of First Class Cricket". A popular player, in retirement he kept in touch with his ex-colleagues through the Glamorgan Ex-Players' Association.

Death

Hill died in April 2007, aged 65.Welsh dual sport star Hill dies
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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Len 1941 births 2007 deaths Glamorgan cricketers Newport County A.F.C. players English Football League players People from Caerleon Sportspeople from Newport, Wales Footballers from Newport, Wales Swansea City A.F.C. players Welsh cricketers Welsh men's footballers Lovell's Athletic F.C. players Men's association football wing halves