John Ward (New Zealand cricketer)
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| Full name | John Thomas Ward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
11 March 1937 Timaru, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting style | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 99) | 21 February 1964 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 7 March 1968 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 1 April 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John Thomas Ward (born in Timaru, Canterbury, on 11 March 1937) is a former New Zealand cricketer who played as a wicket-keeper in 8 Tests from 1964 to 1968. Ward's Test captain John Reid said, "He was easily the best wicketkeeper in New Zealand in his time, but was plagued by injury."[1]
Domestic career
Ward made his first-class debut for South Island against North Island in a trial match for the 1958 tour of England.[2] He took five catches in the first innings, and was selected as Eric Petrie's deputy on the tour. He made his Plunket Shield debut for Canterbury in 1959-60, and was selected to tour South Africa in 1961-62, where he served as deputy to Artie Dick.
He continued to play for Canterbury until the end of the 1970-71 season. He scored his only first-class fifty against Wellington in 1969-70 when, batting at number five, he made 54 not out.[3]
His son Barry kept wicket for Canterbury in the 1986-87 season.[4]
International career
He finally made his Test debut in 1963-64 in the First Test against the South African touring team,[5] but then lost his place to Dick, who was a superior batsman. He replaced Dick for the Third Test against Pakistan in New Zealand in 1964-65, and went on the tour of India and Pakistan in 1965 as the sole wicket-keeper. He made his highest Test score of 35 not out in the First Test against India, when he and Richard Collinge put on 61 for the last wicket,[6] but injury forced him out after the Indian leg of the tour, and Dick again replaced him.[7] Later that year, in England, Ward returned to the side, replacing Dick for the Third Test. His last Test was the Fourth Test against India in 1967-68.
References
- ↑ Joseph Romanos, John Reid: A Cricketing Life, Hodder Moa Beckett, Auckland, 2000, p. 216.
- ↑ "North Island v South Island 1957-58". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
- ↑ "Wellington v Canterbury 1969-70". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
- ↑ Barry Ward at Cricket Archive
- ↑ "New Zealand v South Africa, Wellington 1963-64". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
- ↑ India v New Zealand, Madras 1964-65
- ↑ Wisden 1966, p. 896.