Billy Slade
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Briton Ferry, Glamorgan, Wales
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| Full name | William Douglas Slade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 27 September 1941 Briton Ferry, Glamorgan, Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 22 December 2019 (aged 78) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1961–1967 | Glamorgan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 26 October 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
William Douglas Slade (27 September 1941 – 22 December 2019)[1] was a Welsh cricketer. A right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace, he was born at Briton Ferry, Glamorgan.
Slade made his first-class debut for Glamorgan in the 1961 County Championship against Hampshire at St. Helen's, Swansea. In his first season, he made a further thirteen first-class appearances,[2] scoring 370 runs at an average of 17.61,[3] while recording his maiden half century against Leicestershire.[4] However, in the following season he made just six first-class appearances, and struggled to break into Glamorgan's first eleven over the following three seasons, making eight first-class appearances in 1963, seven in 1964 and eight in 1965.[2] In 1963 he made his List A debut against Somerset in the first-round of the Gillette Cup. Glamorgan progressed to the quarter-finals of the tournament, with Slade playing in Glamorgan's quarter-final defeat to Worcestershire.[5]
In 1966, Slade appeared in fourteen first-class matches, twelve of which came in that season's County Championship.[2] He scored 338 runs in the season, at an average of 13.52, and passed fifty just once, against Sussex.[3][6] He also made a List A appearance in the 1966 Gillette Cup in a second-round defeat by Warwickshire.[5] The 1967 season was to be his last in first-class cricket, with Slade making ten appearances, the last of which came against Middlesex.[2] In his final season, he scored a total of 273 runs at an average of 15.16, with a high score of 42.[3] He also made a single List A appearance in a 1967 Gillette Cup second-round defeat to Hampshire at the United Services Recreation Ground, Portsmouth.[5] Throughout his time at Glamorgan, Slade had been unable to command a regular place in Glamorgan's starting eleven. He played a total of 67 first-class matches for the county,[2] scoring 1,482 runs at an average of 14.11,[7] with a high score of 73 not out against Derbyshire in 1963.[8] He was part of the Glamorgan team which beat the Australians in 1964, just their second defeat to a county since 1912, Slade taking two close catches.[9]
Slade was an exceptional fielder close to the wicket,[10] usually at short leg. Don Shepherd said he had "fantastic hands".[9] In 67 matches, he took 100 catches.[7] He was also occasionally utilised as an off-spin bowler, taking 32 wickets at a bowling average of 46.65, with best figures of 4/144.[11] In his four List A matches,[5] he scored 52 runs at an average of 13.00, with a high score of 28.[12]