Anthony Thackara

Thackara was born at Portsmouth. He enlisted in the Royal Navy prior to January 1938, when he gained the rank of sub-lieutenant in January 1938.^[1] Thackara served in the Second World War, with promotion to lieutenant coming three months into the conflict.^[2] A year later he was mentioned in dispatches in December 1940.^[3] Thackara had served aboard HMS Neptune during 1940, a year before it sank after striking a mine off the coast of Tripoli in December 1941.^[4] Following the war, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander in June 1947.^[5]

He made his debut in first-class cricket in 1949 for the Combined Services cricket team against Worcestershire at Worcester.^[6] In July 1950, he was promoted to the rank of commander.^[7] He played a second first-class match for the Combined Services in 1950 against Worcestershire,^[6] as well as appearing in minor counties cricket for Cornwall while posted at HMNB Devonport, making eleven appearances in the Minor Counties Championship between 1950 and 1952.^[8] He made two final appearances in first-class cricket in 1955, playing once for the Combined Services against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, and for Douglas Jardine's invitational XI against Oxford University at Eastbourne.^[6] His four first-class matches yielded 112 runs, with a high score of 42.^[9]

In 1958, he was the Training Commander at RNAS Bramcote.^[10] Thackary retired from active service in April 1959, retaining the rank of commander.^[11] He died at Billingshurst in November 2007.

• Anthony Thackara at ESPNcricinfo