Bruce French

Bruce Nicholas French (born 13 August 1959) is a former English cricketer, who played in sixteen Test matches and 13 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team from 1985 to 1988. A wicket-keeper/batsman, French played his first Test against India at Headingley, Leeds in 1986, and his last Test against New Zealand in Wellington in March 1988. French played his county cricket exclusively for Nottinghamshire. Cricket writer, Colin Bateman, described French as "a wicketkeeper of the highest calibre". His nephew Jake Ball also played test cricket for England. Life and career French served as understudy to Paul Downton on two tours, before making his Test debut against India in 1986. He had a run in the side until a finger injury gave Jack Russell his opportunity behind the stumps. French's best performance with the bat at Test level came against Pakistan in the 1987 Test at Old Trafford, when he scored 59 in a rain-affected drawn match. In his sixteen Test matches, French scored 309 runs at an average of 18.11, took thirty eight catches and made one stumping.