Leslie Ernest Favell MBE (6 October 1929 – 14 June 1987) was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Test matches between 1954 and 1961. South Australia's fourth highest run scorer, Favell was a much loved character[citation needed] and a daring batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground.[citation needed]

Les Favell
Favell in 1954
Personal information
Born6 October 1929
Arncliffe, New South Wales
Died14 June 1987 (aged 57)
Magill, South Australia
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 198)26 November 1954 v England
Last Test27 January 1961 v West Indies
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 19 202
Runs scored 757 12,379
Batting average 27.03 36.62
100s/50s 1/5 27/67
Top score 101 190
Balls bowled 0 587
Wickets 5
Bowling average 69.00
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 1/0
Catches/stumpings 9/0 110/0
Source: CricInfo, 19 May 2019

Favell moved to South Australia in 1951, joining the East Torrens Cricket Club. He debuted for South Australia the same year, playing 121 games (1951–1970) and captaining 95 games, including Sheffield Shield victories in 1963-64 and 1968-69.[1][2] He made his Test debut against England in 1954-55 at Brisbane after making 84 and 47 against them for South Australia, but he failed in the series and was dropped. He is mentioned in Lord Kitchener's calypso single The Ashes (Australia vs MCC 1955): "Les Favell got going, his wicket went tumbling", referring to his 30, caught Cowdrey bowled Tyson, the first wicket of Tyson's seven in the 3rd Test at Melbourne.

He scored 12,379 runs in first-class cricket, the most by an Australian player who never toured England.[3]

Favell was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1969 New Year Honours for service to cricket.[4]

The Favell-Dansie Indoor Centre, Adelaide Oval's indoor cricket centre, is named after both Favell and his contemporary, Neil Dansie.

References

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  1. ^ Leslie Ernest (Les) Favell. Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  2. ^ Mike Coward (4 September 2010) Mike Coward on Les Favell, his Favourite Cricketer | Cricket. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  3. ^ "Simply marvellous". ESPN Cricinfo. 6 October 2005. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Mr Lesley Ernest Favell". It's an Honour. 1 January 1969. Retrieved 31 December 2022.