EmoryFigueroa at 21:28, 14 January 2024

2024-01-14T21:28:14Z

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{{Short description|New Zealand cricketer (1937–2021)}}
{{for|the Kent cricketer|John Ward (Kent cricketer)}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = John Ward
| image = John Ward of New Zealand.jpg
| caption =
| fullname = John Thomas Ward
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|3|11|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Timaru]], New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|1|12|1937|3|11|df=yes}}
| death_place = Timaru, New Zealand
| family = [[Barry Ward (cricketer)|Barry Ward]] (son)
| international = true
| internationalspan = 1964–1968
| country = New Zealand
| testdebutagainst = South Africa
| testdebutdate = 21 February
| testdebutyear = 1964
| testcap = 99
| lasttestdate = 7 March
| lasttestagainst = India
| lasttestyear = 1968
| batting = Right-handed
| role = [[Wicket-keeper]]
| columns = 2
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 8
| runs1 = 75
| bat avg1 = 12.50
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 35[[not out|*]]
| hidedeliveries = true
| catches/stumpings1= 16/1
| column2 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches2 = 95
| runs2 = 1,117
| bat avg2 = 12.41
| 100s/50s2 = 0/1
| top score2 = 54[[not out|*]]
| catches/stumpings2= 227/27
| date = 1 April
| year = 2017
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/38741.html CricInfo
}}
'''John Thomas Ward''' (11 March 1937 – 12 January 2021) was a New Zealand [[cricket]]er who played as a wicket-keeper in eight [[Test cricket|Test matches]] between 1964 and 1968. Ward's Test captain [[John Richard Reid|John Reid]] said that he was "easily the best wicketkeeper in New Zealand in his time, but was plagued by injury."<ref>[[Joseph Romanos]], ''John Reid: A Cricketing Life'', Hodder Moa Beckett, Auckland, 2000, p. 216.</ref>

==Cricket career==
Ward made his [[first-class cricket|first-class]] debut for [[South Island cricket team|South Island]] against [[North Island cricket team|North Island]] in a trial match for the [[New Zealand cricket team in England in 1958|1958 tour of England]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/22/22830.html| title = North Island v South Island 1957-58| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate = 14 January 2017}}</ref> 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 cricket team|Canterbury]] in 1959–60, and was selected to tour [[New Zealand cricket team in South Africa in 1961–62|South Africa in 1961-62]], where he served as deputy to [[Artie Dick]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Piddington |first1=Stu |title=Wicketkeeper Ward first 'South Canterbury Sportsperson of Year' 50 years ago |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/sport/76757004/wicketkeeper-ward-first-south-canterbury-sportsperson-of-year-50-years-ago |accessdate=12 June 2020 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=11 February 2016}}</ref>

He finally made his Test debut in 1963–64 in the First Test against the [[South African cricket team in New Zealand in 1963–64|South African touring team]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/26/26600.html| title = New Zealand v South Africa, Wellington 1963-64| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate = 14 January 2017}}</ref> 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 [[Pakistani cricket team in New Zealand in 1964–65|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,<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/27/27304.html India v New Zealand, Madras 1964-65]</ref> but injury forced him out after the [[New Zealand cricket team in India in 1964–65|Indian leg of the tour]], and Dick again replaced him.<ref>''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|Wisden]]'' 1966, p. 896.</ref> Later that year, in [[New Zealand cricket team in England in 1965|England]], Ward returned to the side, replacing Dick for the Third Test. His last Test was the Fourth Test against [[Indian cricket team in New Zealand in 1967–68|India in 1967-68]].

Ward continued to play for Canterbury until the end of the 1970–71 season. He scored his only first-class fifty against [[Wellington cricket team|Wellington]] in 1969-70 when, batting at number five, he made 54 not out.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/30/30625.html| title = Wellington v Canterbury 1969-70| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate = 14 January 2017}}</ref> He represented [[South Canterbury cricket team|South Canterbury]] in the [[Hawke Cup]] from 1960 to 1976.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hawke Cup Matches played by John Ward |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1225/Hawke_Cup_Matches.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=11 May 2022}}</ref>

His son [[Barry Ward (cricketer)|Barry]] kept wicket for Canterbury in the 1986–87 season.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/23/23054/23054.html Barry Ward at Cricket Archive]</ref> Ward died in [[Timaru]] on 12 January 2021 after a short illness, aged 83.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former New Zealand wicketkeeper John Ward remembered as a sharp gloveman |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/123934545/former-new-zealand-wicketkeeper-john-ward-remembered-as-a-sharp-gloveman |access-date=14 January 2021 |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=13 January 2021 |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115174142/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/123934545/former-new-zealand-wicketkeeper-john-ward-remembered-as-a-sharp-gloveman |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{ESPNcricinfo|id=38741}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, John}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:New Zealand Test cricketers]]
[[Category:New Zealand cricketers]]
[[Category:Canterbury cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Timaru]]
[[Category:South Island cricketers]]
[[Category:Wicket-keepers]]

John Ward New Zealand cricketer - Revision history

EmoryFigueroa at 21:28, 14 January 2024