Len Dolding

Desmond Leonard Dolding (13 December 1922 – 23 November 1954) was an English footballer and cricketer.

Born in Nundygroog, South India, Dolding served as a bomb-aimer in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

He was a footballer playing as a winger for Chelsea (27 league appearances in 1946 – 1948) and Norwich City (12 appearances). He played non-league football for Wealdstone, Dover and Margate. Played in winning Wealdstone team in Middlesex Sports Red Cross final at Wembley in 1942 – beating RAF, Uxbridge in extra time. (said to be first amateur final played at Wembley)

He was on the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) staff for seven years. An excellent fielder, his main claim to fame on the cricket pitch was as twelfth man for England in the Lord's Test of 1949. He played only once for Middlesex, against Yorkshire in 1951, but appeared frequently for the MCC as a right-arm leg-break bowler.

On 12 November 1954, Dolding was a passenger in a car that collided with a trolleybus standard in Wembley. The car was being driven by Middlesex teammate Syd Brown. Dolding died on 23 November 1954.