Len Braund

Who was Len Braund?

Leonard Charles Braund, born 18 October 1875, at Clewer, Berkshire, and died 23 December 1955, Putney Common, London, was a cricketer who played for Surrey, Somerset and England.

Len Braund was an all-rounder, a versatile batsman who could defend or attack according to the needs of the game and a leg break bowler who used variation more than accuracy to take wickets. He was also regarded by contemporaries as the best slip fielder of his time.

Braund played 21 times from 1896 for Surrey before joining Somerset, where he had to qualify for County Championship games by residence. On his Somerset debut, he hit 82 against the 1899 Australians. The following year, he made his Championship debut for Somerset against Middlesex at Lord's, in Andrew Stoddart's last match; but this was also Braund's last match of the season for Somerset, as MCC ruled that he was not properly qualified. To fill in the waiting, he played for W. G. Grace's London County side.

Braund's proper career starts from 1901, and in his first full season he scored more than 1,000 runs and took over 100 wickets.