Gareth Townsend

{{Short description|English cricketer}}

{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}

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

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Gareth Townsend

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = Gareth Terence John Townsend

| height =

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|6|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Tiverton, Devon, England

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling =

| role = Batsman

| family = David Townsend (brother)

| international =

| club1 = Minor Counties

| year1 = 1996

| club2 = Surrey

| year2 = 1995

| club3 = Devon

| year3 = 1994–2003

| club4 = Somerset

| year4 = 1990–1992

| type1 = First-class

| debutdate1 = 23 August

| debutyear1 = 1990

| debutfor1 = Somerset

| debutagainst1 = Sussex

| lastdate1 = 4 August

| lastyear1 = 1992

| lastfor1 = Somerset

| lastagainst1 = Warwickshire

| type2 = List A

| debutdate2 = 3 September

| debutyear2 = 1990

| debutfor2 = Somerset

| debutagainst2 = Sri Lankans

| lastdate2 = 13 September

| lastyear2 = 2001

| lastfor2 = Devon

| lastagainst2 = Bedfordshire

| columns = 2

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 12

| runs1 = 414

| bat avg1 = 20.70

| 100s/50s1 = –/1

| top score1 = 53

| deliveries1 = –

| wickets1 = –

| bowl avg1 = –

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = –

| catches/stumpings1 = 10/–

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 20

| runs2 = 495

| bat avg2 = 24.75

| 100s/50s2 = –/3

| top score2 = 77

| deliveries2 = –

| wickets2 = –

| bowl avg2 = –

| fivefor2 = –

| tenfor2 = –

| best bowling2 = –

| catches/stumpings2 = 4/–

| date = 7 April

| year = 2011

| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/3/3856/3856.html CricketArchive

}}

Gareth Terence John Townsend (born 28 June 1968) played first-class and List A cricket for Somerset from 1990 to 1992.{{cite web | url = http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/3/3856/3856.html| title = Gareth Townsend |publisher = www.cricketarchive.com | accessdate = 27 March 2011}} He later played List A cricket for Devon, Surrey and the Minor Counties. He was born at Tiverton, Devon.

Townsend was a right-handed opening batsman. He made an impressive second eleven debut for Somerset as a 19-year-old in 1987, scoring 81 and 115 not out in the match against Hampshire 2nds.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/49/49170.html| title = Scorecard: Somerset Second XI v Hampshire Second XI | date = 26 August 1987 |publisher = www.cricketarchive.com | accessdate = 1 April 2011}} He continued to score well in second eleven matches and made his first-class debut in a couple of games in the 1990 season. He was not successful in these, but in a 55-over one-day match against the Sri Lankans he scored 77, which was to remain his highest List A score.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/53/53381.html| title = Scorecard: Somerset v Sri Lankans | date = 3 September 1990 |publisher = www.cricketarchive.com | accessdate = 1 April 2011}} He played a few further first-class and List A matches for Somerset in 1991 and in the first-class game against the 1991 Sri Lankans he made 53, his highest first-class score and shared a first-wicket partnership of 158 with Jimmy Cook.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/54/54761.html| title = Scorecard: Somerset v Sri Lankans | date = 10 August 1991 |publisher = www.cricketarchive.com | accessdate = 1 April 2011}} In 1992, he was given a greater chance in the Somerset first-team, playing in seven first-class games, but though he made useful runs he failed to reach 50 in any innings and at the end of the 1992 season his engagement with Somerset came to an end.

From 1994, Townsend started playing regularly for Devon, his native county, and appearing most seasons up to 2001 in one or two limited overs matches in the NatWest Trophy. His highest score in these games was 60 against Shropshire in 2001.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/72/72006.html| title = Scorecard: Shropshire v Devon | date = 1 May 2001 |publisher = www.cricketarchive.com | accessdate = 1 April 2011}} In addition to matches for Devon, he also appeared for the Minor Counties representative side in the Benson and Hedges Cup and had one match for Surrey against a Young England side, all of these being limited-overs games.

As of 2012, he is the director of Surrey County Cricket Club's Academy.