| Umesh Valjee | |
| Full Name: | Umesh Damdor Valjee |
| Birth Date: | September 30, 1969 |
| Birth Place: | Durban, Natal, South Africa |
| Role: | Batsman |
Umesh Damdor Valjee, (born 30 September 1969 in Durban, Natal) is a South African-born English deaf cricketer.[1] [2] He is a BSL user.
He is a right-handed batsman and very occasional right-arm medium pacer.[3] Valjee came into professional cricket after being signed to British Deaf Sports Council in 1989. He is the longest-serving deaf cricketer of England, and wear the same shirt number (No. 1) as Tom Armitage—the first capped England player.[4]
Valjee is former captain of the England national deaf cricket team, and was awarded with the England Disability Cricketer of the Year in 2011.[5] He was also awarded an MBE in the 2011 New Year's Honours list for services to disabled sport.[6]
He was one of the torchbearers at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[7]
Valjee played Jamil in the BBC's series "Switch" (2001-2006), which featured deaf signing actors.[8]