David Acfield

David Ackfield was a useful offspinner who may have come closer to Test selection had his batting been more than useless - in more than 400 first-class matches he never made a fifty. After retiring he remained in the game and for a time was on the ECB's management committee. Ackfield was also an Olympic fencer, taking part in the 1968 and 1972 Games, and also won a gold medal at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. "I wasn't a regular member of the Essex side then so it was reasonably easy to fit in but it was much harder the next time," he said. "Perhaps I should have given up because all the time I was an amateur fencer for Britain I couldn't be paid for playing for cricket. I don't think it could be done today."
Cricinfo staff