David Acfield


David Laurence Acfield was an English first-class cricketer who was also a champion fencer.

Cricket career

He was part of the successful Essex team of the late 1970s and early 1980s and formed a noted county spin partnership with Ray East. He was a right arm off break bowler and right hand tail end batsman. He played for Cambridge University from 1966 to 1968 and Essex from 1966 to 1986. He also appeared for MCC in 1973/74 and 1974. He was awarded his Essex cap in 1970 and had his Essex benefit season in 1981.
He took 10 wickets in a match 4 times and 5 wickets in an innings 34 times. His best first-class figures, 8 for 55, came against Kent. Acfield was no batsman, failing to score a first-class fifty in 417 innings. His best score, 42, came against Leicestershire. His lack of batting ability, and strong competition from the likes of Fred Titmus and John Emburey, tolled against his chances of Test selection, although he was on the 'long list' for inclusion in the English team that toured West Indies in 1973.
After retiring he remained in the game and served on the ECB's management committee.

Fencing career

Acfield was also an Olympic fencer, taking part in the 1968 and 1972 Games.
He represented England and won a gold medal in the team sabre at both Games, at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, West Indies, and in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Uniquely, Acfield won the national saber title for four years in a row, 1969-1972, during which period he was the leading saber fencer in the country. He retied from fencing after the 1972 Olympics, preferring to devote himself to cricket.

Personal life

Acfield attended Brentwood School, and graduated in history from Christ's College, Cambridge.