John Ward (New Zealand cricketer)

John Thomas Ward (11 March 1937 – 12 January 2021) was a New Zealand cricketer who played as a wicket-keeper in eight Test matches between 1964 and 1968. Ward's Test captain John Reid said that he was "easily the best wicketkeeper in New Zealand in his time, but was plagued by injury."[1]

For the Kent cricketer, see John Ward (Kent cricketer).

John Ward
Personal information
Full nameJohn Thomas Ward
Born(1937-03-11)11 March 1937
Timaru, New Zealand
Died12 January 2021(2021-01-12) (aged 83)
Timaru, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
RoleWicket-keeper
RelationsBarry Ward (son)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 99)21 February 1964 v South Africa
Last Test7 March 1968 v India
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 8 95
Runs scored 75 1,117
Batting average 12.50 12.41
100s/50s 0/0 0/1
Top score 35* 54*
Catches/stumpings 16/1 227/27
Source: CricInfo, 1 April 2017

Cricket 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.[3]

He finally made his Test debut in 1963–64 in the First Test against the South African touring team,[4] 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,[5] but injury forced him out after the Indian leg of the tour, and Dick again replaced him.[6] 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.

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.[7]

His son Barry kept wicket for Canterbury in the 1986–87 season.[8] Ward died in Timaru on 12 January 2021 after a short illness, aged 83.[9]

References
  1. Joseph Romanos, John Reid: A Cricketing Life, Hodder Moa Beckett, Auckland, 2000, p. 216.
  2. "North Island v South Island 1957-58". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  3. Piddington, Stu (11 February 2016). "Wicketkeeper Ward first 'South Canterbury Sportsperson of Year' 50 years ago". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  4. "New Zealand v South Africa, Wellington 1963-64". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  5. India v New Zealand, Madras 1964-65
  6. Wisden 1966, p. 896.
  7. "Wellington v Canterbury 1969-70". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  8. Barry Ward at Cricket Archive
  9. "Former New Zealand wicketkeeper John Ward remembered as a sharp gloveman". stuff.co.nz. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
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