better known as Cecil Charles (1899– ).

Cricketer.

Cecil Charles Dacre was born at Devonport, Auckland, on 15 May 1899. While still at Devonport Primary School, Auckland, he scored seven centuries in eight innings during one season. He made his debut in first-class cricket on 26 December 1914 when he played for Auckland against Wellington at Eden Park. He represented New Zealand against Australia (1920–21); M.C.C. (1922–23); New South Wales (1923–24); Victoria (1924–25); on the Australian tour (1925–26); against Melbourne (1926–27); on the English tour (1927); and against New South Wales (1927–28). In 1930 he qualified to play professional cricket for Gloucestershire County and played there until 1936, when arthritis forced him to retire from the game. C. C. Dacre's batting record in New Zealand first-class cricket is as follows: eight centuries (six in New Zealand and two overseas) including centuries in each innings against Victoria at Auckland in 1924–25. He holds the record for a fifth-wicket partnership in New Zealand (1926–27) when Dacre (109) and C. F. W. Allcott (87) added 196 runs in the Auckland v. Otago match. As vice-captain of the New Zealand team on the English tour of 1927, Dacre played in 24 innings, scored two centuries (highest score 176) and 1,070 runs with an average of 31.47. On this tour he bowled 50 overs, 13 being maidens, and took eight wickets for 133 runs. On two occasions in New Zealand he scored more than 200 runs for two innings; Auckland v. Wellington, 1922–23, when he made 213 (145 and 68); and Auckland v. Victoria, 1926–27, when he made 228 (127 not out and 101 not out). On 4 January 1927, in the Auckland v. Otago match at Dunedin, Dacre scored 105 runs in 102 minutes before lunch. During his career in New Zealand first-class cricket, he recorded 3,550 runs, of which 1,377 were made overseas. In all, he made 69 individual appearances for New Zealand, of which 28 were overseas.

In New Zealand Cricketers, R. T. Brittenden records that, while Dacre did not have much time for cricket theories, he believed “that the half-volley should be hit if possible, back over the bowler's head”.

Apart from his interest in cricket, Dacre was a New Zealand association football representative at inside left.