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| Colin Wells | |
|---|---|
| Name | Colin Wells |
| Fullname | Colin Derek Wells |
| Birth date | 2 November 1960 |
| Birth place | Bromley, Kent, England |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm medium-fast |
| Role | All-rounder |
| Testdebutdate | 18 December |
| Testdebutyear | 1986 |
| Testdebutfor | England |
| Testdebutagainst | Australia |
| Odidebutdate | 12 March |
| Odidebutyear | 1986 |
| Odidebutfor | England |
| Odidebutagainst | New Zealand |
| Clubs | Sussex, Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Hertfordshire |
Colin Wells (born 2 November 1960) was an English professional cricketer and coach who played as a right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler. He represented England in limited international appearances and had a long first-class career with several County Championship counties, including Sussex and Glamorgan. He later transitioned into coaching and youth development with links to county academies and cricket boards.
Wells was born in Bromley, Kent, and grew up during the 1960s and 1970s amid the cricketing cultures of Greater London and South East England. He attended local schools in Bromley and played for regional club sides affiliated with the England and Wales Cricket Board pathway before entering county age-group systems. As a youth he competed in fixtures against academies from Yorkshire, Middlesex, and Surrey, drawing attention from scouts at Sussex and Nottinghamshire. His formative coaches included county age-group mentors and former professionals who had played in competitions organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the Minor Counties Cricket Championship.
Wells made his mark in the County Championship as an all-rounder, debuting for Sussex before moving between Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. Over a first-class career spanning the 1980s and 1990s he amassed substantial runs and useful seam bowling returns in competitions such as the Benson & Hedges Cup, the NatWest Trophy, and the John Player League. His domestic performances led to selection for the England squad in both Test and One Day International formats during the mid-1980s, including appearances against Australia and New Zealand.
In county cricket Wells featured in notable fixtures against sides like Lancashire, Warwickshire, and Glamorgan, and was part of campaigns that contested promotion and silverware during seasons shaped by players from Pakistan, West Indies, and India touring setups. He recorded individual innings and bowling spells that attracted coverage in publications associated with the Cricketer magazine and led to selection for representative matches alongside contemporaries such as Phil DeFreitas, Graham Gooch, and Ian Botham in county and invitational fixtures.
After retiring from full-time playing, Wells moved into coaching roles within county setups and regional development programmes run by the England and Wales Cricket Board. He worked with county academies and youth squads, contributing to talent pipelines that produced professionals who later represented England at under-age and senior levels. His coaching duties included technical batting and bowling sessions, fielding drills, and mentoring players transitioning from the Second XI Championship to first-class cricket.
Wells also took part in community initiatives linked to county outreach and indoor coaching at venues used by Sussex and Glamorgan, collaborating with recreational clubs affiliated to the Club Cricket Conference and regional sports partnerships. He engaged with former professionals and cricket administrators from organisations such as the Professional Cricketers' Association to support post-retirement welfare and career pathways.
Wells maintained ties to the counties where he played, residing in the south of England and remaining active in local cricket networks centered on towns and cities like Hastings, Cardiff, and Derby. He balanced family life with coaching commitments and occasional appearances in charity fixtures that involved players from Marylebone Cricket Club and county veterans' teams. Outside cricket he participated in community events organised by county trusts and charitable foundations linked to the sport.
Wells is remembered within county circles for his durable all-round contributions to Sussex, Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire during a transitional era of English domestic cricket. His role in mentoring younger professionals is reflected in development pathways overseen by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Professional Cricketers' Association. Though his international caps for England were limited, his consistent county performances and later coaching work earned recognition from former teammates and county supporters, and he remains part of historical records maintained by county historians and archivists who document seasons of the County Championship and one-day competitions.
Category:1960 births Category:English cricketers Category:Sussex cricketers Category:Glamorgan cricketers Category:Nottinghamshire cricketers Category:Derbyshire cricketers Category:England Test cricketers