[1][2] Stevens had been a farm labourer in Shropshire, but in Christchurch in the 1860s he was a professional cricketer.
[3] In the 1863-64 season he bowled to members of the Canterbury Cricket Club at Hagley Park for three shillings an hour.
Opening the bowling for Canterbury against Otago in January 1864, he had Charles Morris caught by Arthur Powys for 1.
[11] In March 1873 Stevens was working as a miner in the railway tunnel between Christchurch and Lyttelton when he was killed by a train.
He had been assigned nightwatchman duties, but fell asleep on the line and died instantly when the passing train struck him.