Ian Shield

{{short description|English cricketer and soldier}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Ian Shield

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = Ian Noel Ridley Shield

| nickname =

| birth_date = 24 December 1914

| birth_place = Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2005|2|22|1914|12|24|df=yes}}

| death_place = Petersfield, Hampshire, England

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| batting = Left-handed

| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium

| family =

| club1 = Hampshire

| year1 = 1939

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 4

| runs1 = 16

| bat avg1 = 4.00

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = 6

| deliveries1 = 528

| wickets1 = 4

| bowl avg1 = 68.50

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = 2/91

| catches/stumpings1 = –/–

| date = 3 February

| year = 2010

| source = http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/20169.html Cricinfo

}}

Ian Noel Ridley Shield {{postnominal|MBE}} (24 December 1914 – 22 February 2005) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer.

Shield was born in December 1914 at Ayot St Lawrence, Hertfordshire. He was educated at Rugby School, before matriculating to Oriel College, Oxford.{{cite book |title=Oxford University Calendar|date=1937|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=356|volume=2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dl4w2AqKYc8C|language=en}} A club cricketer for the Hampshire Hogs, he took 495 wickets for the club over a 20-year period.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/245252.html|title=Wisden - Obituaries in 2005|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|accessdate=29 January 2023}} His performances at club level bought him to the attention of Hampshire, with him making his first-class debut for the county against Essex at Southampton in the 1939 County Championship. He made three further appearances that season, against Somerset, Glamorgan and Sussex.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6848/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Ian Shield|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=29 January 2023|url-access=subscription}} Although effective as a fast-medium bowler, he was unable to carry that through into first-class cricket, taking just 4 wickets at an average of 68.50, with best figures of 2 for 91.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6848/f_Bowling_by_Team.html|title=First-Class Bowling For Each Team by Ian Shield|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=29 January 2023|url-access=subscription}} The start of the Second World War in September 1939 bought the cricket season to a premature end. Shield served in the war, being commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Artillery in October 1940 and ended the war as a temporary captain.{{London Gazette|issue=34990|date=12 November 1940|page=6543|supp=y}} Following the war, he was made an MBE in January 1946.{{London Gazette|issue=37433|date=15 January 1946|page=496|supp=y}} Shield died at Petersfield in February 2005.