Bert Sutcliffe
Encyclopedia
Bert Sutcliffe MBE (17 November 1923 in Ponsonby, New Zealand
– 20 April 2001 in Auckland
, New Zealand) was a New Zealand
Test cricket
er. Sutcliffe was a successful left-hand batsman. His batting achievements on tour in England in 1949, which included four fifties and a century in the Tests, earned him the accolade of being one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year. He captained New Zealand in four Tests in the early 1950s, losing three of them and drawing the other. None of Sutcliffe's 42 Tests resulted in a New Zealand victory. In 1949 Sutcliffe was named the inaugural New Zealand Sportsman of the Year
, and in 2000 was named as New Zealand champion sportsperson of the decade for the 1940s.
at Dunedin in 1946–47. On the 1949 tour of England, he scored 243 and 100 not out in the same match against Essex at Southend, going on to total 2,627 runs on the tour at an average of 59.70. He made two triple-hundreds in his career with 355 for Otago against Auckland in 1949–50 and 385 against Canterbury in 1952–53. Playing for New Zealand against India at New Delhi in 1955–56, he scored 230 not out which was then a record for New Zealand.
1953. New Zealand's batsmen were routed by South African fast bowler Neil Adcock
on a green wicket. Sutcliffe was hit in the head by Adcock and, having left the field to receive hospital treatment, returned to the crease swathed in bandages. He took on the bowling, hitting a number of sixes, until the ninth wicket fell. The New Zealand fast bowler Bob Blair
, next man in, was understood to be back at the team hotel distraught as his fiancee had been killed in the Tangiwai disaster
two days earlier. Sutcliffe started to walk off only to see Blair walk out. Despite the presence of 23,000 fans, silence enveloped the ground. 33 runs were added in 10 minutes before Blair was out. New Zealand lost the Test match by a considerable margin. Notwithstanding this, the noted New Zealand cricket writer Dick Brittenden said: "It was a great and glorious victory, a story every New Zealand boy should learn at his mother's knee".
After Sutcliffe retired from cricket he became a coach. Sutcliffe was recently inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.
Ponsonby, New Zealand
Ponsonby is an inner-city suburb of Auckland City located 2 km west of the Auckland CBD, in the North Island of New Zealand. The suburb is oriented along a ridge running north-south, which is followed by the main street of the suburb, Ponsonby Road....
– 20 April 2001 in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand) was a New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
er. Sutcliffe was a successful left-hand batsman. His batting achievements on tour in England in 1949, which included four fifties and a century in the Tests, earned him the accolade of being one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year. He captained New Zealand in four Tests in the early 1950s, losing three of them and drawing the other. None of Sutcliffe's 42 Tests resulted in a New Zealand victory. In 1949 Sutcliffe was named the inaugural New Zealand Sportsman of the Year
Halberg awards
The Westpac Halberg awards recognise New Zealand's top sporting achievements.The annual award was started in 1949 by NZ Sportsman magazine founder Jack Fairburn...
, and in 2000 was named as New Zealand champion sportsperson of the decade for the 1940s.
Batting highlights
Sutcliffe established himself when he scored 197 and 128 in the same match against MCCMarylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
at Dunedin in 1946–47. On the 1949 tour of England, he scored 243 and 100 not out in the same match against Essex at Southend, going on to total 2,627 runs on the tour at an average of 59.70. He made two triple-hundreds in his career with 355 for Otago against Auckland in 1949–50 and 385 against Canterbury in 1952–53. Playing for New Zealand against India at New Delhi in 1955–56, he scored 230 not out which was then a record for New Zealand.
New Zealand tour of South Africa: 1953–54
Sutcliffe is especially noted for an innings of 80 not out against South Africa in Johannesburg on Boxing DayBoxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
1953. New Zealand's batsmen were routed by South African fast bowler Neil Adcock
Neil Adcock
Neil Amwin Treharne Adcock is a former South African cricketer who played 26 Tests. A tall aggressive fast bowler, he could lift the ball sharply off a length. He was the first South African player to take 100 Test wickets.Making his Test debut in 1953 at home against New Zealand, he had only 9...
on a green wicket. Sutcliffe was hit in the head by Adcock and, having left the field to receive hospital treatment, returned to the crease swathed in bandages. He took on the bowling, hitting a number of sixes, until the ninth wicket fell. The New Zealand fast bowler Bob Blair
Bob Blair (cricketer)
Robert William Blair is a former cricketer who played 19 Tests for New Zealand.In December 1953 Blair, playing for New Zealand against South Africa at Johannesburg, received news that his fiancée, Nerissa Love, had been killed in the Tangiwai railway disaster on Christmas Eve...
, next man in, was understood to be back at the team hotel distraught as his fiancee had been killed in the Tangiwai disaster
Tangiwai disaster
The Tangiwai disaster on 24 December 1953 was the worst rail accident in New Zealand history. An 11-carriage overnight express from Wellington to Auckland fell into the Whangaehu River at Tangiwai, ten kilometres west of Waiouru. The bridge carrying the North Island Main Trunk Railway over the...
two days earlier. Sutcliffe started to walk off only to see Blair walk out. Despite the presence of 23,000 fans, silence enveloped the ground. 33 runs were added in 10 minutes before Blair was out. New Zealand lost the Test match by a considerable margin. Notwithstanding this, the noted New Zealand cricket writer Dick Brittenden said: "It was a great and glorious victory, a story every New Zealand boy should learn at his mother's knee".
Retirement