Edward McNiven

Edward McNiven (21 June 1827 – 4 January 1858) was an English lawyer and cricketer who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University, Surrey and various amateur sides between 1846 and 1851.^[1] He was born at Offley, Hertfordshire and died near Godstone, Surrey.

McNiven was educated at Eton College and at Trinity College, Cambridge.^[2] At Eton, he played in the Eton v Harrow cricket matches of 1843 and 1844 primarily as a bowler.^[1] Between 1846 and 1848, he appeared in several matches for Cambridge University, playing largely as a right-handed lower middle-order batsman; he played in the 1846 University Match against Oxford University but was not picked for the matches in 1847 or 1848.^[3] His best batting came in a match against a side calling itself "Cambridge Townsmen" in 1848, when he was unbeaten on 88 when the university innings ended.^[4] McNiven did not play any first-class cricket in 1849 or in 1850, the year he graduated from Cambridge University, but in 1851 he played four games inside a month for four teams: the Marylebone Cricket Club, Surrey, the Gentlemen in the annual Lord's Gentlemen v Players fixture, and the Gentlemen of England team.^[1] Those were his final appearances in senior cricket.

McNiven became a lawyer and was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1849.^[2] He was killed "near Westerham" when his dog cart overturned in January 1858; the family home at the time was Perrysfield, near Godstone, and in some references this is given as the place of death.^[2][5]