{{Short description|English cricketer (1968–2024)}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Neil Stanley |image =File:Neil Alan Stanley (16 May 1968 – 7 August 2024) was an English cricketer. Stanley was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace.png | country = England | fullname = Neil Alan Stanley | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1968|05|16}} | birth_place = Bedford, Bedfordshire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2024|08|07|1968|05|16}} | heightft = | heightinch = | heightm = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm medium | role = | family = | club1 = Bedfordshire | year1 = {{nowrap|1987–1989}} | club2 = Northamptonshire | year2 = 1988–1993 | club3 = Bedfordshire | year3 = 1994–2003 | columns = 2 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 21 | runs1 = 1,019 | bat avg1 = 32.87 | 100s/50s1 = 1/7 | top score1 = 132 | deliveries1 = 60 | wickets1 = 0 | bowl avg1 = – | fivefor1 = – | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = – | catches/stumpings1 = 9/– | column2 = List A | matches2 = 28 | runs2 = 398 | bat avg2 = 18.09 | 100s/50s2 = 0/2 | top score2 = 69 | deliveries2 = 354 | wickets2 = 10 | bowl avg2 = 27.80 | fivefor2 = 0 | tenfor2 = 0 | best bowling2 = 3/48 | catches/stumpings2 = 9/– | date = 24 September | year = 2011 | source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/20334.html Cricinfo }}

'''Neil Alan Stanley''' (16 May 1968 – 7 August 2024) was an English cricketer. Stanley was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. He was born in Bedford and educated at Bedford Modern School.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://schoolscricketonline.co.uk/bedford-modern-school/|title=Bedford Modern School – Schools Cricket Online}}</ref>

Stanley made his debut in county cricket for Bedfordshire in the 1987 Minor Counties Championship. He made four appearances in 1987,<ref name="MCM">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> and an appearance each in MCCA Knockout Trophy in 1988 and 1989.<ref name="MCCA">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/Minor_Counties_Trophy_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Trophy Matches played by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> In 1988, he played three Youth One Day Internationals for England Young Cricketers, making an appearance each against Australia Young Cricketers, Pakistan Young Cricketers and New Zealand Young Cricketers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/Youth_One-Day_International_Matches.html|title=Youth One-Day International Matches played by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011|archive-date=25 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025193346/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/Youth_One-Day_International_Matches.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Stanley made his first-class debut for Northamptonshire against Oxford University in 1988. He made twenty further first-class appearances for the county, the last of which came against Surrey in the 1992 County Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> In his twenty-one first-class matches, he scored 1,019 runs at an average of 32.87, with a high score of 132.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/f_Batting_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Batting and Fielding by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> This score, which was his only first-class century, came against Lancashire in a partnership worth 236 runs with Allan Lamb.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/54/54736.html|title=Lancashire v Northamptonshire, 1991 County Championship|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> His List A debut for Northamptonshire came against Yorkshire in the 1988 Benson & Hedges Cup. He made fourteen further List A appearances for the county, the last of which came against Somerset in the 1993 AXA Equity & Law League.<ref name="LAM">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/List_A_Matches.html|title=List A Matches played by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> In his fifteen appearances in that format for Northamptonshire, Stanley scored 103 runs at an average of 10.30, with a high score of 18.<ref name="LABAT">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/a_Batting_by_Team.html|title=List A Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> He left Northamptonshire at the end of the 1993 season.

He rejoined his native county for the 1994 season, playing Minor counties cricket for Bedfordshire from 1994 to 2002, making a further 36 Minor Counties Championship<ref name="MCM"/> and 30 MCCA Knockout Trophy appearances.<ref name="MCCA"/> He made his first List A appearance for Bedfordshire in the 1994 NatWest Trophy against Warwickshire. He made twelve further List A appearances for his home county, the last of which came against Warwickshire in the 2003 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.<ref name="LAM"/> In his thirteen List A appearances, he scored 295 runs at an average of 24.58, with a high score of 69.<ref name="LABAT"/> This score, one of two fifties he made in that format for Bedfordshire, came against Devon in the 2002 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/73/73020.html|title=Devon v Bedfordshire, 2002 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref> With the ball, he took 9 wickets at a bowling average of 30.55, with best figures of 3/48.<ref name="LABOWL">{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/9/9235/a_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=List A Bowling For Each Team by Neil Stanley|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=25 September 2011}}</ref>

Stanley died on 7 August 2024, at the age of 56.<ref>{{cite web |title=Remembering Neil Stanley |url=https://nccc.co.uk/news/remembering-neil-stanley/ |website=Northamptonshire CCC |access-date=7 August 2024}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=20334}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Neil}} Category:1968 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Cricketers from Bedford Category:English cricketers Category:Bedfordshire cricketers Category:Northamptonshire cricketers Category:People educated at Bedford Modern School Category:20th-century English sportsmen