Glenn Turner
Encyclopedia
Glenn Maitland Turner played cricket
for New Zealand
and was one of the country's best and most prolific batsmen. He is the current head of the New Zealand Cricket
selection panel.
Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, he represented New Zealand in 41 Tests, and achieved an average of 44.64, including seven centuries. He went to O.B.H.S. (Otago Boys' High School
). He would have appeared for his country much more, however, had he not elected to be unavailable for several seasons after falling out with administrators. Instead, Turner made his mark on the first-class cricket
scene, particularly with Worcestershire
in the English county championship. In all, he played 455 first-class matches, amassing 34,346 runs at 49.70, including 103 centuries—making him one of a select few to score a "century of centuries", one of only four non-English cricketers to do so (the others being Donald Bradman
, Zaheer Abbas
and Viv Richards
). Turner also coached the New Zealand
side twice—once in the mid-1980s, when he presided over the team's first and (to date) only series victory in Australia
, and again a decade later.
Turner is one of only two players (the other being Graeme Hick
) since the Second World War to have scored 1000 first-class runs in England before the end of May, a feat he achieved in 1973. Among the eight batsmen who have done this, only Turner and Donald Bradman
did it while playing for a touring team.
His brothers are poet Brian Turner
and golfer Greg Turner
. His wife, Dame Sukhi Turner
, is a former mayor of Dunedin.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and was one of the country's best and most prolific batsmen. He is the current head of the New Zealand Cricket
New Zealand Cricket
New Zealand Cricket, formerly the New Zealand Cricket Board, is the governing body for professional cricket in New Zealand. Cricket is the most popular and highest profile summer sport in New Zealand....
selection panel.
Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, he represented New Zealand in 41 Tests, and achieved an average of 44.64, including seven centuries. He went to O.B.H.S. (Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School is one of New Zealand's oldest boys' secondary schools, located in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was founded on 3 August 1863 and moved to its present site in 1885. The main building was designed by Robert Lawson and is regarded as one of the finest Gothic revival...
). He would have appeared for his country much more, however, had he not elected to be unavailable for several seasons after falling out with administrators. Instead, Turner made his mark on the first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
scene, particularly with Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
in the English county championship. In all, he played 455 first-class matches, amassing 34,346 runs at 49.70, including 103 centuries—making him one of a select few to score a "century of centuries", one of only four non-English cricketers to do so (the others being Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
, Zaheer Abbas
Zaheer Abbas
Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani , popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest batsman produced by that country. He is widely known as the "Asian Bradman", a reference to former Australian great Sir Donald Bradman...
and Viv Richards
Viv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald...
). Turner also coached the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
side twice—once in the mid-1980s, when he presided over the team's first and (to date) only series victory in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and again a decade later.
Turner is one of only two players (the other being Graeme Hick
Graeme Hick
Graeme Ashley Hick MBE is a Zimbabwean-born cricketer who played 65 Test matches and 120 One Day Internationals for England. He played county cricket for Worcestershire for his entire English domestic career, a period of well over twenty years, and in 2008 he surpassed Graham Gooch's record for...
) since the Second World War to have scored 1000 first-class runs in England before the end of May, a feat he achieved in 1973. Among the eight batsmen who have done this, only Turner and Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
did it while playing for a touring team.
His brothers are poet Brian Turner
Brian Turner (New Zealand poet)
Brian Turner is a New Zealand poet and author. He played hockey for New Zealand in the 1960s; senior cricket in Dunedin and Wellington; and was a veteran road cyclist of note...
and golfer Greg Turner
Greg Turner
Greg Turner is a New Zealand professional golfer.Turner was born in Dunedin. He attended Oklahoma University in the United States but has spent most of his career on the PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour. He won four tournaments on the European Tour and achieved a career best ranking...
. His wife, Dame Sukhi Turner
Sukhi Turner
Dame Sukhinder "Sukhi" Kaur Gill Turner, DNZM was the Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand, from 1995 until her retirement from the position in 2004. She was notable as the first Green Party mayor in New Zealand...
, is a former mayor of Dunedin.