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James Roy Sheffield (19 November 1906 – 16 November 1997) was an English cricketer, who kept wicket for Essex and Wellington between 1929 and 1939. A right-hand bat, Sheffield made 180 appearances, scoring 3,914 runs at an average of 16.51 including one century, and he took 196 catches and made 54 stumpings.[1]

Roy Sheffield

Personal information
Full name	James Roy Sheffield
Born	(1906-11-19)19 November 1906 Barking, Essex, England
Died	16 November 1997(1997-11-16) (aged 90) Auckland, New Zealand
Batting	Right-handed
Role	Wicket-keeper
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1929–1936	Essex
1938-39	Wellington
First-class debut	19 June 1929 Essex v Warwickshire
Last First-class	3 February 1939 Wellington v Auckland
Career statistics
Competition FC Matches 180 Runs scored 3914 Batting average 16.51 100s/50s 1/16 Top score 108 Balls bowled 72 Wickets 0 Bowling average - 5 wickets in innings 0 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 0/8 Catches/stumpings 196/54
Source: Cricket Archive, 22 December 2009

During the winter of 1932-33 he took an extended trip in South America. For some time he followed the trail of Colonel Fawcett, and also worked as a cowboy in the Mato Grosso.[2] Then he canoed down the Paraguay River during the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia. He was arrested by the Paraguayans on suspicion of being a Bolivian spy, but was freed after British consular authorities intervened.[3][4] He wrote about these adventures in a book, Bolivian Spy? that was published in 1935.[5]

He moved to New Zealand in 1936, meeting his future wife, Ruby Norrie of Jersey, on the voyage over. They married at St Mary's Cathedral, Auckland, in November 1938.[6][4] His first job in New Zealand was as a guide at the Chateau Tongariro in Tongariro National Park.[7] In 1938 he was engaged on a three-year contract as the coach for the Wellington Cricket Association.[8] At the same time he was engaged on a three-year contract as the coach of the Wellington Football Association.[9]

In the 1940s he moved to Gisborne, where he taught physical education at Gisborne High School.[10] In 1947 he was appointed coach of the New Zealand football team for the series against the visiting South African team.[11] He played for Poverty Bay as a goalkeeper.[12]

Sheffield retained his enthusiasm for canoeing throughout his life. When he was in his eighties he competed in the 50-mile Waikato River Marathon.[4]

Bibliography

• Roy Sheffield (1935). Bolivian Spy?. Marchand Press.

References

External links

• Roy Sheffield at ESPNcricinfo
• Roy Sheffield at CricketArchive (subscription required)

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