An aggressive middle-order batsman, Charles Leslie was a superb allround sportsman (he captained Rugby at cricket for three summers) whose best years came at the start of his career - he made 111 for Oxford against MCC on his first-class debut in 1881. He won Blues at Oxford in 1881, 1882 and 1883, and in 1882-83 somehow found time to undertake the arduous tour of Australia under Ivo Bligh. In his first Test, at Melbourne, he took 3 for 31 (surprisingly his best in first-class cricket) and followed with a fifty in his second on the same ground. Although he played in all four Tests, he failed to make any real impression, although he did score his career-best 144 against New South Wales. On leaving university played little first-class cricket, but he did represent Shropshire on a few occasions. While at Oxford, he won a football Blue and a racquets half Blue.
Martin Williamson