Jack Kerr
Encyclopedia
John Lambert Kerr was a New Zealand
cricketer
who played seven Tests
for the New Zealand cricket team
before the Second World War. He was the second oldest surviving Test cricket
er at the date of his death, 10 days younger than fellow countryman Eric Tindill
, and the third longest-lived Test cricketer, after Tindall and Francis MacKinnon
.
Kerr was born in Dannevirke
in the Manawatu-Wanganui
district in the south of the North Island
. His father encouraged him to take up cricket. He studied at Wanganui Technical College, where he was coached by Stewie Dempster. A solid opening batsman, with a technique based on a sound defence and scoring shots off his pads, he began to play in the Hawke Cup
for Wanganui aged 15, helping his side to win the competition in his second year.
He moved to Christchurch
, on the South Island
to take up a job as an accountant
, and he played for Christchurch in the Plunket Shield in 1929-30 and 1930-1. He was selected to play for the New Zealand cricket team
on its tour to England in 1931. He had mixed results in the Tests, scoring 2 and 0 in the 1st Test at Lord's and 34 and 28 in the 2nd Test at the Oval
, and was dropped for the 3rd Test at Old Trafford, but was more successful in the matches against the counties, scoring a total of 804 runs during a damp summer, at an average of 22.97. He played in one Test against the touring South African cricket team in 1932, scoring 0 and 3. He played his fourth Test against the touring England team in 1933, who were returning from the controversial Bodyline
tour to Australia, making 59, his top Test score and only Test half-century. He was dominant in first class cricket in his native country, and made his highest first-class score the same year, reaching 196 playing for Canterbury against Wellington.
He scored 146 not out and 71 for Canterbury against Percy Holmes
's MCC
tourists in 1935-36 and then posted 105 not out at Wellington and 132 at Christchurch in the "unofficial Tests", and was recognised as the season's best batsman, winning the Redpath Cup.
He toured to England again in 1937, playing his final two Tests at Lord's and Old Trafford, scoring a total of 1,205 first-class runs at 31.71, with two hundreds.
After retiring from the game and serving in the armed forces during the Second World War, he chaired the New Zealand Cricket Council
and managed the New Zealand side on their tour of South Africa in 1953-54. He also served as a Test selector after the Second World War,
New Zealand Cricket Chairman Sir John Anderson paid his predecessor the following tribute "Jack [Kerr] made a significant contribution to New Zealand Cricket and the New Zealand Cricket Foundation over a number of years and his support was warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated."
Kerr also played for Rangitikei in the Hawke Cup
.
He continued to work as an accountant, in the firm of Holland and Kerr. He had two children with his wife, Edna. One, Robert, became a judge. He died in Christchurch
, aged 96.
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...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who played seven Tests
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...
for the New Zealand cricket team
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...
before the Second World War. He was the second oldest surviving 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 at the date of his death, 10 days younger than fellow countryman Eric Tindill
Eric Tindill
Eric William Thomas Tindill was a New Zealand sportsman. Tindill held a number of unique records: he was the oldest ever Test cricketer at the time of his death, the only person to play Tests for New Zealand in both cricket and rugby union , and the only person ever to play Tests in both sports,...
, and the third longest-lived Test cricketer, after Tindall and Francis MacKinnon
Francis MacKinnon
Francis Alexander MacKinnon, The 35th MacKinnon of MacKinnon was the longest-lived Test cricketer until being surpassed by Eric Tindill of New Zealand on 8 November 2009...
.
Kerr was born in Dannevirke
Dannevirke
Dannevirke , is a rural service town in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is the major town of the administrative Tararua District, the easternmost of the districts in which the Regional Council has responsibilities...
in the Manawatu-Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
district in the south of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. His father encouraged him to take up cricket. He studied at Wanganui Technical College, where he was coached by Stewie Dempster. A solid opening batsman, with a technique based on a sound defence and scoring shots off his pads, he began to play in the Hawke Cup
Hawke Cup
The Hawke Cup is a cricket competition for New Zealand's District Associations. Apart from 1910/11, 1912/13 and 2000/01 the competition has always been on a challenge basis. In order to win the Hawke Cup the challenger must beat the holder on their home ground...
for Wanganui aged 15, helping his side to win the competition in his second year.
He moved to Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, on the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
to take up a job as an accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, and he played for Christchurch in the Plunket Shield in 1929-30 and 1930-1. He was selected to play for the New Zealand cricket team
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...
on its tour to England in 1931. He had mixed results in the Tests, scoring 2 and 0 in the 1st Test at Lord's and 34 and 28 in the 2nd Test at the Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
, and was dropped for the 3rd Test at Old Trafford, but was more successful in the matches against the counties, scoring a total of 804 runs during a damp summer, at an average of 22.97. He played in one Test against the touring South African cricket team in 1932, scoring 0 and 3. He played his fourth Test against the touring England team in 1933, who were returning from the controversial Bodyline
Bodyline
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman...
tour to Australia, making 59, his top Test score and only Test half-century. He was dominant in first class cricket in his native country, and made his highest first-class score the same year, reaching 196 playing for Canterbury against Wellington.
He scored 146 not out and 71 for Canterbury against Percy Holmes
Percy Holmes
Percy Holmes was an English first-class cricketer, who played for Yorkshire and England.Holmes was born in Oakes, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England...
's MCC
Marylebone 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...
tourists in 1935-36 and then posted 105 not out at Wellington and 132 at Christchurch in the "unofficial Tests", and was recognised as the season's best batsman, winning the Redpath Cup.
He toured to England again in 1937, playing his final two Tests at Lord's and Old Trafford, scoring a total of 1,205 first-class runs at 31.71, with two hundreds.
After retiring from the game and serving in the armed forces during the Second World War, he chaired the New Zealand Cricket Council
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....
and managed the New Zealand side on their tour of South Africa in 1953-54. He also served as a Test selector after the Second World War,
New Zealand Cricket Chairman Sir John Anderson paid his predecessor the following tribute "Jack [Kerr] made a significant contribution to New Zealand Cricket and the New Zealand Cricket Foundation over a number of years and his support was warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated."
Kerr also played for Rangitikei in the Hawke Cup
Hawke Cup
The Hawke Cup is a cricket competition for New Zealand's District Associations. Apart from 1910/11, 1912/13 and 2000/01 the competition has always been on a challenge basis. In order to win the Hawke Cup the challenger must beat the holder on their home ground...
.
He continued to work as an accountant, in the firm of Holland and Kerr. He had two children with his wife, Edna. One, Robert, became a judge. He died in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, aged 96.