Background
He was born in Penrith, Cumberland.
He was born in Penrith, Cumberland.
Ellwood was a right-handed batsman who bowled slow left-arm orthodox. Ellwood made his debut for Cumberland in the 1984 Minor Counties Championship against Lincolnshire. Ellwood played Minor counties cricket for Cumberland from 1984 to 2000, including 49 Minor Counties Championship matches and 11 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches.
In 1989, he made his List A debut against Lancashire in the National Westminster Trophy.
He played three further List A matches for Cumberland, the last of which came against Worcestershire in the 1995 National Westminster Trophy. In his four List A matches, he scored 29 runs at a batting average of 29.00, with a high score of 24*.
With the ball he took 2 wickets at a bowling average of 59.00, with best figures of 2/49. His 2 wickets came against Essex in the 1992 National Westminster Trophy and were those of Test cricketers Graham Gooch and Mark Waugh.
He also played Second XI cricket for the Leicestershire Second XI, the Lancashire Second XI and the Essex Second XI.