{{Short description|English cricketer (born 1961)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = | image = | country = England | international = | fullname = Neil Priestley | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|6|23|df=yes}} | birth_place = Blyborough, Lincolnshire, England | heightft = | heightinch = | batting = Left-handed | bowling = | role = Wicket-keeper | family = Jess Priestley | club1 = Minor Counties | year1 = 1986–1989 | clubnumber1 = | club2 = Lincolnshire | year2 = 1983–1990 | clubnumber2 = | club3 = Northamptonshire | year3 = 1981 | clubnumber3 = | columns = 2 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 1 | runs1 = 20 | bat avg1 = – | 100s/50s1 = –/– | top score1 = 20* | deliveries1 = – | wickets1 = – | bowl avg1 = – | fivefor1 = – | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = – | catches/stumpings1 = 1/2 | column2 = List A | matches2 = 8 | runs2 = 173 | bat avg2 = 21.62 | 100s/50s2 = –/1 | top score2 = 54 | deliveries2 = – | wickets2 = – | bowl avg2 = – | fivefor2 = – | tenfor2 = – | best bowling2 = – | catches/stumpings2 = 4/3 | date = 12 July | year = 2011 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/19070.html Cricinfo }}
'''Neil Priestley''' (born 23 June 1961) is a former English cricketer. Priestley was a left-handed batsman who fielded as a wicket-keeper. He was born in Blyborough, Lincolnshire.
==Early life== From the John Leggott College in August 1979 he gained A-levels in economics, statistics, and pure mathematics.<ref>''Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph'' Friday 24 August 1979, page 9</ref> His family lived in Epworth, Lincolnshire in the 1980s.
== Career == Priestley made a single first-class appearance for Northamptonshire against the touring Sri Lankans in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32190/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Neil Priestley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref> He batted once in this match, scoring 20 not out in Northamptonshire's first-innings, while behind the stumps he took a single catches and made 2 stumpings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/41/41440.html|title=Northamptonshire v Sri Lankans, 1981|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref> He made no further appearances for Northamptonshire.
He later made his debut for Lincolnshire in the 1983 Minor Counties Championship against Hertfordshire. He played Minor counties cricket for Lincolnshire from 1983 to 1990, which included 57 Minor Counties Championship appearances<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32190/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Neil Priestley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref> and 13 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32190/Minor_Counties_Trophy_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Trophy Matches played by Neil Priestley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref> He made his List A debut against Surrey in the 1983 NatWest Trophy. He made a further List A appearance for Lincolnshire, against Gloucestershire in the 1990 NatWest Trophy.<ref name="LAM">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32190/List_A_Matches.html|title=List A Matches played by Neil Priestley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref> In his 2 List A matches for the county, he scored 78 runs at an average of 39.00, with a high score of 54.<ref name="LABAT">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32190/a_Batting_by_Team.html|title=List A Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Neil Priestley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref> This score, which would be his only List A fifty, came in the match against Gloucestershire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/53/53034.html|title=List A Matches played by Neil Priestley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=12 July 2011}}</ref>
It was however for the Minor Counties cricket team that Priestley made the majority of his List A appearances for, debuting for the team in the 1986 Benson & Hedges Cup against Northamptonshire. He made 5 further appearances for the team, the last of which came against Somerset in the 1989 Benson & Hedges Cup.<ref name="LAM"/> In these 6 List A matches, he scored 95 runs at an average of 15.83, with a high score of 37. Behind the stumps he took 4 catches and made 2 stumpings.<ref name="LABAT"/>
Neil Played club cricket for Scunthorpe Town cricket club for several years, making his debut for their premier league 1st XI side in 1979. In 1980 the family made local headlines when Scunthorpe Town became the first county league side to play 4 members of the same family in a game. Neil played alongside father Geoff, and his two brothers Mark (Born 1959) and David (Born 1964). His brothers both went on to both have trials at Somerset, organised by Ian Botham, who lived at Epworth at the time and was a friend of the family.<ref>Epworth Bells 25/07/1980, page 20, Title "Future looks bright for Cricketing Brothers"</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/19070.html Neil Priestley] at ESPNcricinfo *[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/32/32190/32190.html Neil Priestley] at CricketArchive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Priestley, Neil}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:People from Epworth, Lincolnshire Category:People from West Lindsey District Category:English cricketers Category:Northamptonshire cricketers Category:Lincolnshire cricketers Category:Minor Counties cricketers Category:Cricketers from Lincolnshire Category:20th-century English sportsmen