Stephen Lester
Stephen Garland Lester was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1929 to 1936.
Career
A right-handed middle-order batsman and medium-pace bowler, Lester was a regular member of the Canterbury team in the early 1930s. His highest score came in his second match, when he scored 12 and 64 and took 2 for 45 and 3 for 56 against Wellington in the Plunket Shield. His best bowling figures came a year later against Auckland, when in Canterbury's four-wicket victory he took 4 for 21 and 2 for 73 and made 35. When there was speculation about the possible addition of a 15th player to the New Zealand team to tour England in 1931, Lester was one of the players in contention; however, only 14 toured. A year later he was twelfth man for New Zealand in the First Test against South Africa in 1931-32, played in Christchurch.During the Second World War Lester served in New Zealand in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, first as a flying officer, then as a squadron leader and commanding officer of the Christchurch Wing. He was a member of the New Zealand Cricket Council.
The Stephen Lester Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the bowler taking the most wickets in the Christchurch men's premiership competition.