Ronnie Aird

Ronald Aird (4 May 1902 – 16 August 1986) was an English first-class cricketer, cricket administrator and British Army officer. Aird began his first-class cricket career with Hampshire County Cricket Club in 1920, making over 100 appearances for the county in which he scored over 3,600 runs. After also playing first-class cricket for Cambridge University Cricket Club while studying at Clare College, Aird was appointed assistant secretary of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1926, which restricted his appearances in first-class cricket thereafter. He served as assistant secretary under William Findlay and Rowan Rait Kerr, and was himself elected secretary following Kerr's retirement in 1952. Aird remained in the post until 1962 and became MCC president in 1968, the year in which he chaired the special general meeting of the MCC over relations with South Africa during the D'Oliveira affair. He later served as president of Hampshire County Cricket Club from 1971 to 1983. Outside of cricket, Aird served in the Second World War with the Royal Armoured Corps and was decorated with the Military Cross. Early life and cricket career The son of Malcolm Rucker Aird, who was the son of Sir John Aird, he was born at Paddington in May 1902. He was educated at Eton College, where he played for the college cricket team in the Eton v Winchester matches. He was also active in rackets at Eton, reaching the pairs final at Queen's Club twice. During his final two years at Eton in 1920 and 1921, Aird trialled for Hampshire, making his debut in first-class cricket against Warwickshire at Portsmouth. From Eton, he matriculated to Clare College, Cambridge. Despite featuring for Hampshire regularly in the 1922 County Championship, it was not until 1923 that he played first-class cricket for Cambridge University Cricket Club, having not been in the running for selection in 1922. He gained a blue in 1923, a season in which he made 12 appearances for the university, largely due to his performance against Yorkshire, when he scored 64 against a strong bowling line-up containing George Macaulay, Wilfred Rhodes, Emmott Robinson and Abe Waddington. For Hampshire, it took him time to acclimatise to the level of first-class cricket, but he soon became a regular member of the Hampshire side. In 1924, he played his only full season of county cricket, making 28 appearances and passing 1,000 runs for the season for the only time, while also scoring his maiden first-class century.