Alan Ealham

{{short description|English cricketer (born 1944)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Alan Ealham

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = Alan George Ernest Ealham

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|8|8|df=y}}

| birth_place = Willesborough, Kent

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm off-break

| role = Middle-order batsman

| family = Mark Ealham (son)

| club1 = Kent

| year1 = 1966–1982

| columns = 2

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 305

| runs1 = 10,996

| bat avg1 = 27.62

| 100s/50s1 = 7/59

| top score1 = 153

| deliveries1 = 229

| wickets1 = 3

| bowl avg1 = 63.00

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 1/1

| catches/stumpings1 = 175/–

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 237

| runs2 = 4,070

| bat avg2 = 23.52

| 100s/50s2 = 0/14

| top score2 = 94*

| deliveries2 = 12

| wickets2 = 1

| bowl avg2 = 9.00

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 1/8

| catches/stumpings2 = 102/–

| date = 9 December

| year = 2008

| source = http://content-www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/12583.html Cricinfo

}}

Alan George Ernest Ealham (born 8 August 1944) is a former English professional cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club. He was born at Willesborough in Kent in 1944.

Ealham made his first-class cricket debut in 1966 after serving an apprenticeship as a welder.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/12583.html Alan Ealham], CricInfo. Retrieved 3 June 2017. He won his county cap in 1970 and captained the club between 1978 and 1980.{{Cite news |date=19 July 1978 |title=Unselfish Ealham more vital than ever |pages=31 |work=Derby Evening Telegraph |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120909578/unselfish-ealham-more-vital-than-ever/ |access-date=15 March 2023}} As captain he led the county to victory in the County Championship and the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1978.[http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1978/ENG_LOCAL/B+H/DERBY_KENT_B+H_22JUL1978.html Derbyshire v Kent at Lord's, 22 July 1978], CricInfo. Retrieved 3 May 2021. He was an outstanding fielder and was 12th man for the England cricket team on a number of occasions, taking two catches in the Ashes Test match against Australia at Lord's at the start of the 1977 series.{{Cite news |last=Cork |first=Mick |date=9 July 1997 |title=Like father, like son |pages=23 |work=Faversham Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120909804/like-father-like-son/ |access-date=15 March 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-england-1977-61348/england-vs-australia-1st-test-63190/full-scorecard|title=Full scorecard of England vs Australia, 1st Test, 1977|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=20 June 2022}} After playing he retained his links with Kent and was Second XI coach for a number of years.

He is the father of Mark Ealham who also played cricket for Kent and England, and who was also a County Championship winner (with Nottinghamshire).