Tom Pritchard
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]
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Thomas Leslie Pritchard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Kaupokonui, Taranaki, New Zealand | 10 March 1917||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 22 August 2017 100) Levin, New Zealand | (aged||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm fast, right-arm fast-medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1937–1941 | Wellington | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1946–1955 | Warwickshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1956 | Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 15 June 2013 |
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". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- "1939 (sic) memories still strong". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 3 May 2013.
- "Former fast bowler holds fond memories of his glory days terrorising batsmen". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 17 August 2017.
- 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.
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- "Bio". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 17 August 2017. Missing or empty
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- "Bio". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 17 August 2017. Missing or empty
- Coverdale, Brydon. "It takes a rare cricketer to reach a century, not just make one". Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- "Thomas Pritchard death notice". Dominion Post. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.