{{short description|English cricketer and British Army officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = | image = | country = England | fullname = Michael Desmond Ponsonby Magill | birth_date = 28 September 1915 | birth_place = Sevenoaks, Kent, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1940|9|5|1915|9|28}} | death_place = Filey, Yorkshire, England | nickname = | family = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm fast-medium | role = | club1 = Oxford University | year1 = 1938 | club2 = Berkshire | year2 = 1939 | columns = 1 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 6 | runs1 = 160 | bat avg1 = 22.85 | 100s/50s1 = –/1 | top score1 = 80 | deliveries1 = 630 | wickets1 = 7 | bowl avg1 = 41.57 | fivefor1 = 1 | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = 5/57 | catches/stumpings1 = 3/– | date = 15 January | year = 2019 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/17273.html Cricinfo }}

'''Michael Desmond Ponsonby Magill''' (28 September 1915 – 5 September 1940) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer. Whilst a student he played for the Oxford University Cricket Club against the Minor Counties and Leicestershire. Magill later played a single game for the Free Foresters and made two appearances for the combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricket team in the West Indies.

Magill had been active in the Officers' Training Corps at Oxford and later joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment as an officer. He was killed while training in Yorkshire during the Second World War, having stood on a land mine.

== Early life == Magill was born at Sevenoaks on 28 September 1915. He was educated at Eton College, before going up to Brasenose College, Oxford.<ref name="BOOK">{{cite book |last1=McCrery |first1=Nigel |title=The Coming Storm: Test and First-Class Cricketers Killed in World War Two |date=2011 |publisher=Pen and Sword |pages=27–28 |volume=2nd volume |isbn=978-1526706980 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RYQwDwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref> He made his debut in first-class cricket for Oxford University against the Minor Counties cricket team at Oxford in 1938.<ref name="FCM">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31163/First-Class_Matches.html |title=First-Class Matches played by Michael Magill |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=15 January 2019 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Magill took a five wicket haul on debut, with 5/57 in the Minor Counties first-innings, figures which helped to contribute toward an Oxford University victory by 230 runs.<ref name="BOOK"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16540.html |title=Oxford University v Minor Counties, 1938 |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=15 January 2019 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> He made a further appearance in first-class matches for Oxford University in 1938 against Leicestershire,<ref name="FCM"/> in which he made a score of 80.<ref name="BOOK"/> Magill also made a first-class appearance for the Free Foresters ''against'' Oxford University in June 1938.<ref name="FCM"/> He toured the West Indies with a combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricket team in August 1938, making two first-class appearances against Jamaica.<ref name="FCM"/>

== Army career == While studying at Brasenose College he was a member of the Oxford Contingent of the Officers' Training Corps. Magill served in that unit's cavalry section and was promoted to second lieutenant on 1 March 1937.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34388|date=13 April 1937|page=2378}}</ref> He resigned his commission on 4 July 1938 but transferred to the main British Army General List of Officers in his previous rank on 26 December 1938.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34587|date=6 January 1939|page=134}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34531|date=12 July 1938|page=4537}}</ref>

In June 1939, Magill made his sixth and final appearance in first-class cricket for the British Army cricket team against Cambridge University at Fenner's.<ref name="FCM"/> In August 1939 he played one minor counties match for Berkshire in the Minor Counties Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/31/31163/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html |title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Michael Magill |publisher=CricketArchive |accessdate=15 January 2019 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Also during Summer 1939 he played for the British Army against a West Indies team.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Blight |first1=Gordon |title=The History of the Royal Berkshire Regiment: (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) 1920–1947 |date=1953 |publisher=Staples Press |page=173 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VHUFAAAAMAAJ |access-date=17 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

During the Second World War Magill served in the 1st Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment, where he gained the rank of lieutenant.<ref name="BOOK"/> He died in a training accident at Filey in Yorkshire on 5 September 1940, when he stood on a land mine.<ref name="BOOK"/> At the time he was serving as intelligence officer to the 6th Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier Dennis Walter Furlong,<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/gdpr-consent/?destination=%2flocal%2fsir-john-dill-fought-for-the-british-army-why-is-he-buried-at-arlington-cemetery%2f2018%2f11%2f09%2fe7097ac0-e2bb-11e8-8f5f-a55347f48762_story.html%3f ''Washington Post'']</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ellis |first=Lionel |editor=Butler, J.R.M |title=The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 |year=1954 |series=History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series |location=London |publisher=HMSO |oclc=504697999 |pages=358–368|url=https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Flanders/UK-NWE-Flanders-I.html |access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> who was also killed in the blast.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Blight |first1=Gordon |title=The History of the Royal Berkshire Regiment: (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) 1920–1947 |date=1953 |publisher=Staples Press |page=213 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VHUFAAAAMAAJ |access-date=17 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=17273}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magill, Michael}} Category:1915 births Category:1940 deaths Category:Cricketers from Sevenoaks Category:People educated at Eton College Category:Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford Category:English cricketers Category:Oxford University cricketers Category:Free Foresters cricketers Category:Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricketers Category:British Army cricketers Category:Berkshire cricketers Category:Officers' Training Corps officers Category:Royal Berkshire Regiment officers Category:British Army personnel killed in World War II Category:Accidental deaths in England Category:Landmine victims Category:Military personnel from Kent Category:20th-century English sportsmen