| Tom Pritchard | |
|---|---|
| File:File:Tom Pritchard c1947.jpg | |
| Born |
10 March 1917 Kaupokonui, Taranaki, New Zealand |
| Died |
22 August 2017 (aged 100) Levin, New Zealand |
Thomas Leslie Pritchard (10 March 1917 – 22 August 2017) was a New Zealand cricketer who played most of his first-class cricket in England.[1] Pritchard was a genuinely fast right-arm bowler and a useful lower order right-handed batsman who played in several matches for Wellington before the Second World War. He said in 2013 that his 1939 memories of a game at the Basin Reserve and of playing for his country were still strong.[2][3]
Coming to Europe and then England with the New Zealand forces during the War, he qualified for Warwickshire and was highly successful for several seasons.[4] His best year was 1948 when he took 172 wickets at an average of 18.75. In 1951, his bowling, by now fast-medium rather than outright fast, played a big part in Warwickshire's unexpected County Championship success. He took three hat tricks for the county during his career, as of 2016 still a record for the club.[4]
His bowling declined across the 1950s, and he left Warwickshire after the 1955 season.[4] He played a few matches for Kent in 1956, but was not a success and retired. His last match was against Warwickshire, and as a batsman he was out first ball as part of a hat-trick by Keith Dollery. He took 818 first-class wickets during his career and remains one of New Zealand's leading first-class wicket takers.[5]
Pritchard retired to New Zealand and lived in Levin, from 1986 until his death. A biography, Tom Pritchard: Greatness Denied by Paul Williams, was published in 2013.[6] His grandson, David Meiring, has played first-class cricket for Central Districts.[7][8]
In March 2017 he became only the third New Zealand first-class cricketer, after John Wheatley and Syd Ward, to reach 100 years of age.[9] Pritchard died in Levin on 22 August 2017.[10]
References[]
- ↑ "Tom Pritchard, New Zealand's oldest cricketer, dies aged 100". ESPNcricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1117479.html. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- ↑ "1939 (sic) memories still strong". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 3 May 2013. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/the-wellingtonian/sport/8622570/1929-memories-still-strong.
- ↑ "Former fast bowler holds fond memories of his glory days terrorising batsmen". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 17 August 2017. http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/75552065/former-fast-bowler-holds-fond-memories-of-his-glory-days-terrorising-batsmen.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bolton P (2006) County Cult Heroes, CricInfo, April 2006. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ↑ McConnell L (2003) Cairns joins select group of bowlers in New Zealand history, CricInfo, 11 July 2003. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ↑ Cricketer's life revealed, The Dominion Post, 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
- ↑ David Meiring, CricInfo. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ↑ Bio, Stuff (Fairfax Media), 17 August 2017,
- ↑ Coverdale, Brydon. "It takes a rare cricketer to reach a century, not just make one". ESPNcricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/1086314.html. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- ↑ "Thomas Pritchard death notice". Dominion Post. 23 August 2017. http://deaths.dompost.co.nz/obituaries/dominion-post-nz/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-pritchard&pid=186452101. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
External links[]
- Player profile: T from ESPNcricinfo
The original article can be found at Tom Pritchard and the edit history here.