Alec Pearce
Encyclopedia
Thomas Alexander Pearce (18 December 1910 – 11 August 1982) was an English cricket
er who played for Kent
, Hong Kong
and MCC
.
Pearce was born at Hong Kong
, the son of Thomas Ernest Pearce, a Hong Kong businessman who had also played cricket for the colony. He was educated at Charterhouse School
and Oxford University.
Pearce made his debut for Kent in August 1930 in a match against Lancashire
which was lost, He played one more game for the first team that year and some for the second XI. He played several games in 1931 for both the county and the second XI. He was particularly active in 1932 playing 20 first class games and achieving his highest seasonal batting average. In 1933 he joined his father in Hong Kong and played for the Hong Kong team in several matches over the next four years. He returned to England in 1937 for a season and again played for Kent and for the MCC. He returned to Hong Kong and during World War II
was imprisoned by the Japanese
at Shanghai
. In 1946 he was back in England and played a season for Kent, and then returned to Hong Kong. He also played for MCC vs Cambridge University in 1932, 1937 and 1946. Pearce was a right hand batsman, and played 82 innings in 52 first-class matches. His top score was 106 scored against Northamptonshire
in 1946 and his average was 16.39. He was a right-arm off-break bowler but only bowled 6 overs taking 1 for 22. Pearce was also a capable golfer.
Pearce died at Tunbridge Wells, Kent
at the age of 72.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played for Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong cricket team
The Hong Kong cricket team represents Hong Kong in international cricket. It played its first match in 1866 and has been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 1969....
and MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
.
Pearce was born at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the son of Thomas Ernest Pearce, a Hong Kong businessman who had also played cricket for the colony. He was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and Oxford University.
Pearce made his debut for Kent in August 1930 in a match against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
which was lost, He played one more game for the first team that year and some for the second XI. He played several games in 1931 for both the county and the second XI. He was particularly active in 1932 playing 20 first class games and achieving his highest seasonal batting average. In 1933 he joined his father in Hong Kong and played for the Hong Kong team in several matches over the next four years. He returned to England in 1937 for a season and again played for Kent and for the MCC. He returned to Hong Kong and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was imprisoned by the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
at Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. In 1946 he was back in England and played a season for Kent, and then returned to Hong Kong. He also played for MCC vs Cambridge University in 1932, 1937 and 1946. Pearce was a right hand batsman, and played 82 innings in 52 first-class matches. His top score was 106 scored against Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
in 1946 and his average was 16.39. He was a right-arm off-break bowler but only bowled 6 overs taking 1 for 22. Pearce was also a capable golfer.
Pearce died at Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
at the age of 72.