103.60.175.15 at 05:34, 9 November 2023

2023-11-09T05:34:43Z

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{{for|other cricketers|John Wright (disambiguation)}}
{{short description|New Zealand cricketer}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = John Wright
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MBE|size=100%}}
| image = John Wright 1990 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Wright in 1990
| country = New Zealand
| fullname = John Geoffrey Wright
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|7|5|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Darfield, New Zealand|Darfield]], New Zealand
| batting = Left-handed
| bowling = Right arm [[Medium pace bowling|medium]]
| role = [[Batsman]]
| international = true
| internationalspan = 1978–1993
| testdebutdate = 10 February
| testdebutyear = 1978
| testdebutagainst = England
| testcap = 141
| lasttestdate = 16 March
| lasttestyear = 1993
| lasttestagainst = Australia
| odidebutdate = 15 July
| odidebutyear = 1978
| odidebutagainst = England
| odicap = 28
| lastodidate = 12 December
| lastodiyear = 1992
| lastodiagainst = Sri Lanka
| club1 = [[Northern Districts cricket team|Northern Districts]]
| year1 = {{nowrap|1975/76–1983/84}}
| club2 = [[Derbyshire County Cricket Club|Derbyshire]]
| year2 = 1977–1988
| club3 = [[Canterbury cricket team|Canterbury]]
| year3 = 1984/85–1988/89
| club4 = [[Auckland cricket team|Auckland]]
| year4 = 1989/90–1992/93
| columns = 4
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 82
| runs1 = 5,334
| bat avg1 = 37.82
| 100s/50s1 = 12/23
| top score1 = 185
| deliveries1 = 30
| wickets1 = 0
| bowl avg1 = –
| fivefor1 = –
| tenfor1 = –
| best bowling1 = –
| catches/stumpings1 = 38/–
| column2 = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| matches2 = 149
| runs2 = 3,891
| bat avg2 = 26.46
| 100s/50s2 = 1/24
| top score2 = 101
| deliveries2 = 24
| wickets2 = 0
| bowl avg2 = –
| fivefor2 = –
| tenfor2 = –
| best bowling2 = –
| catches/stumpings2 = 51/–
| column3 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| matches3 = 366
| runs3 = 25,073
| bat avg3 = 42.35
| 100s/50s3 = 59/126
| top score3 = 192
| deliveries3 = 370
| wickets3 = 2
| bowl avg3 = 169.50
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 1/4
| catches/stumpings3 = 192/–
| column4 = [[List A cricket|LA]]
| matches4 = 349
| runs4 = 10,240
| bat avg4 = 30.84
| 100s/50s4 = 6/68
| top score4 = 108
| deliveries4 = 42
| wickets4 = 1
| bowl avg4 = 18.00
| fivefor4 = 0
| tenfor4 = 0
| best bowling4 = 1/8
| catches/stumpings4 = 108/–
| date = 4 November
| year = 2016
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/38757.html Cricinfo
}}
'''John Geoffrey Wright''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MBE}} (born 5 July 1954) is a former international [[cricket]]er representing – and captaining – [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]]. He made his international debut in 1978 against [[England]].

During his career, he scored more than 5,000 Test runs (the first New Zealand Test player to do so)<ref name="OTD">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149088.html |title=Bodyline's quiet beginning |access-date=4 December 2017 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> at an average of 37.82 runs per dismissal with 12 Test centuries, 10 of them in New Zealand. He also played for [[Derbyshire County Cricket Club|Derbyshire]] in England. In [[first-class cricket]] he scored over 25,000 runs, having scored over 50 first-class centuries. He scored over 10,000 runs in List A limited-overs cricket.

Following his retirement in 1993, he coached the [[Indian national cricket team]] from 2000 to 2005 (thus became India's first foreign coach) and New Zealand from 2010 to 2012.

== Domestic career ==
John Wright played cricket for his school, [[Christ's College, Christchurch|Christ's College]], scoring several centuries during his time there. When he was at [[University of Otago|Otago University]], he would travel from [[Dunedin]] to [[Christchurch]] on the weekends to play club cricket in order to make the [[Canterbury cricket team|Canterbury Cricket team]]. Unable to make the Canterbury team, John Wright moved to [[Gisborne, New Zealand|Gisborne]] and played five first class games for [[Northern Districts cricket team|Northern Districts]] in the 1975/76 season. At the end of the season, he travelled to England where he spent time playing club cricket and time training with the [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]] team. Later in the 1976 season, he got the opportunity to play for the Kent second XI scoring 500 runs at an average of 52. Wright also played for Derrick Robins' XI against Kent scoring a century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Wright|first=John|title=Christmas in Rarotonga The John Wright Story|publisher=Moa|year=1990|location=Auckland, New Zealand|pages=18–28}}</ref>

John Wright wrote to [[Derbyshire County Cricket Club|Derbyshire]] asking them for a trial on the basis that they were the only English county side without an overseas player. He was invited to play a couple of trial games. He played in a second XI game for Derbyshire against Nottinghamshire. Opening the batting John Wright proceeded to score 159 not out and then had success in the other trial games. As a result, Wright was offered a one year contract to play for Derbyshire for 1977. After five first class games for Derbyshire in 1977, John Wright received his county cap and a pay rise.<ref name=":0" />

== International career ==
John Wright typically opened for New Zealand, and was noted as a tenacious, rather than spectacular, batsman. His team nickname was "shake"; reputedly a reflection on his packing technique. Together with [[Bruce Edgar]] of Wellington, he formed what was arguably New Zealand's most successful and reliable opening partnership. During a match against Australia in 1980, he became the second player in history to score an eight off one ball in a Test, running four and collecting four overthrows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/379416.html?CMP=OTC-RSS|title=Eight off one ball, and six ducks all in a row|last=Lynch|first=Steven|date=25 November 2008|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=8 January 2010}}</ref> Toward the end of his career he used an unorthodox batting stance; whereas most batsman face the bowler with the bat in line with their legs, and [[perpendicular]] to the ground, Wright would stand with his bat raised in parallel to it.

John Wright was disappointed with his results from his first 20 odd test matches and after a discussion with Bob Willis, Wright started work with a sports psychologist. He eventually learnt transcendental meditation.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2020-09-17|title=Mind games: How former Black Caps captain John Wright was ahead of his time|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/black-caps/300109876/mind-games-how-former-black-caps-captain-john-wright-was-ahead-of-his-time|access-date=2021-04-09|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref>

"''Some people call it mental toughness, it wasn't mental toughness, it was just being mentally organised, being able to get out there and express yourself in a way you knew you were capable of but you made it hard for yourself because of the pressure you put on yourself''".<ref name=":1" />

As captain of New Zealand John Wright was described by [[Ian Smith (New Zealand cricketer)|Ian Smith]] as "He had an uncanny knack of bringing out the best in players, some of whom, I'm sure, thought they had already had their best days. I probably played my best cricket under John Wright's leadership; [[Martin Snedden]] and [[John Bracewell]] would be in the same category".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=Ian|title=Smithy just a drummer in the band|publisher=Moa Beckett|year=1991|location=New Zealand|pages=223}}</ref>

In the [[1988 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|1988 Queen's Birthday Honours]], Wright was appointed a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]], for services to cricket.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=51367 |date=11 June 1988 |page=34 |supp=3}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
After retiring, Wright worked in sales for around two years – self-confessedly without great success. After taking up coaching for [[Kent County Cricket Club]], Wright enjoyed a successful coaching career with India, from 2000 to 2005, during which time the team improved immensely, winning a home test series 2–1 against Australia (which included the historic Kolkata test which India won coming back from a follow-on with Indian batsman [[VVS Laxman]] making 281*), drawing a test series against Australia in Australia 1–1 in a four-match test series in 2003–04 ([[Steve Waugh]]'s farewell test series), winning a series against arch-rivals, Pakistan, and reaching the final of the [[2003 Cricket World Cup]] held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The following months saw the team lose form, and series to Australia and Pakistan. In May 2005, former Australian skipper, [[Greg Chappell]] took over from Wright.

Wright was also appointed as coach of the World XI team that played [[Australian cricket team|Australia]] in the [[ICC Super Series 2005]].

[[File:John Wright graph.png|left|thumb|350px|An innings-by-innings breakdown of Wright's Test match batting career, showing runs scored (red bars) and the average of the last ten innings (blue line).]]

On 20 December 2010, Wright was named as NZ Cricket Coach, replacing [[Mark Greatbatch]]. He resigned that role in 2012, following New Zealand's tour of the West Indies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/6836871/John-Wright-to-step-down-as-Black-Caps-coach |title=John Wright to step down as Black Caps coach |date=1 May 2012 |work= stuff.co.nz |access-date=26 January 2013 |first=Fred |last=Woodcock}}</ref> New Zealand Cricket was keen for him to continue as coach but John Wright did not wish to continue. John Wright did not see eye to eye with [[John Buchanan (Australian cricketer)|John Buchanan]], who was the Director of Cricket for New Zealand Cricket. "We see things a little differently," John Wright said on which he expanded "It would be fair to say we're probably more comfortable coaching against each other, which we did for four and a half years."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-05-02|title=Why the departure of John Wright is a massive loss to New Zealand {{!}} Mike Selvey|url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/may/02/john-wright-new-zealand|access-date=2021-04-21|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

In January 2013 Wright was appointed head coach of the [[Mumbai Indians]] in the [[Indian Premier League]] competition. The Mumbai Indians won [[2013 Indian Premier League|that edition of the IPL]].<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/John-Wright-to-coach-in-Indian-Premier-League/tabid/415/articleID/284620/Default.aspx| archive-url= https://archive.today/20130222213820/http://www.3news.co.nz/John-Wright-to-coach-in-Indian-Premier-League/tabid/415/articleID/284620/Default.aspx| url-status= dead| archive-date= 22 February 2013| work= 3 News NZ| title= John Wright to coach in IPL| date= 28 January 2013}}</ref>

John Wright has worked with the [[Mumbai Indians]] for seven years.<ref name=":1" />

== Music career ==
John Wright was known was always taking his guitar when on tour as a cricketer. He released his debut album ''Red Skies'' in 2017. The songs are about travelling as an international cricketer and coach. He is planning to release an EP of new songs titled ''Jump the Sun''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-01|title=Cricketing great John Wright on going from the crease to the stage|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/117091688/cricketing-great-john-wright-on-going-from-the-crease-to-the-stage|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-12-22|title=Former cricketer John Wright has a shot at rhythm, and blues|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/87854233/former-cricketer-john-wright-has-a-shot-at-rhythm-and-blues|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref>

==Publications==

In 1990, together with New Zealand writer [[Paul Thomas (writer)|Paul Thomas]], Wright wrote an entertaining autobiography, ''Christmas in Rarotonga''.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 December 2003|last1=Haigh |first1=Gideon |author-link=Gideon Haigh|title=Cricket, the Wright way |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/cricket-the-wright-way-20031220-gdwz08.html |website=The Age |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref> In 2006, Wright co-authored the book ''[[Indian Summers (book)|John Wright's Indian Summers]]'' describing his experiences as coach of the Indian cricket team, along with Indian journalist Sharda Ugra and Paul Thomas.<ref>{{cite web |date=11 September 2006|last1=Srinivas |first1=Alam |title=Mr Wright, Never in From The Cold |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/mr-wright-never-in-from-the-cold/232445 |website=Outlook India |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.johnwrightmusic.co.nz Official website of John Wright] for his music
* {{cricinfo|id=38757}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|
before=[[Jeff Crowe]]|
title=[[New Zealand national cricket captains|New Zealand national cricket captain]] |
years=1987/8–1990 |
after=[[Martin Crowe]]
}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Anshuman Gaekwad]] |
title=[[Indian National Cricket Coach]] |
years=November 2000 – April 2005 |
after=[[Greg Chappell]] |
}}
{{s-end}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, John}}
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John Wright cricketer born 1954 - Revision history

103.60.175.15 at 05:34, 9 November 2023