Ian Sinclair (cricketer)

Ian McKay Sinclair (1 June 1933 – 25 August 2019) was a New Zealand cricketer who played in two Tests in 1956.[1]

Ian Sinclair
Ian Sinclair in March 1956
Personal information
Full name
Ian McKay Sinclair
Born(1933-06-01)1 June 1933
Rangiora, New Zealand
Died25 August 2019(2019-08-25) (aged 86)
Tauranga, New Zealand
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm off-spin
RelationsAzalea Sinclair (wife)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 79)18 February 1956 v West Indies
Last Test3 March 1956 v West Indies
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1953-1957Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 2 15
Runs scored 25 264
Batting average 8.33 14.66
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 18* 40
Balls bowled 233 2853
Wickets 1 41
Bowling average 120.00 27.34
5 wickets in innings 0 2
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 1/79 5/57
Catches/stumpings 1/- 16/-
Source: Cricinfo, 28 September 2016

Life and career

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Sinclair was born in Rangiora, Canterbury, and educated at Rangiora High School.[2][3] An off-spin bowler and useful tail-end batsman, Sinclair made his first-class cricket debut for Canterbury in the 1953–54 season when Matt Poore was in South Africa with the New Zealand team. His performances were moderate (108 runs at 15.42 and 10 wickets at 41.70 in five matches) and he did not appear in 1954–55.

When Poore was away again in 1955–56, this time touring India and Pakistan, and Tom Burtt retired, Sinclair became Canterbury's leading spin bowler. He took 5 for 57 and 2 for 26 in the first match of the Plunket Shield season against Otago, 1 for 50 and 4 for 17 as well as his highest score of 40 in the next match against Auckland, 4 for 36 and 0 for 74 against Wellington, and 5 for 65 and 1 for 73 against Central Districts. All four matches were victories for Canterbury, which consequently won the competition.[4] He took 4 for 73 for Canterbury against the touring West Indians,[5] and was selected in the team for the Second and Third Tests. However, he took only one wicket (of Everton Weekes), New Zealand lost both matches, and he never played another Test.[6] He was twelfth man in the Fourth Test, when New Zealand recorded their first Test victory.[7]

He played three matches for Canterbury in 1956-57 but took only four wickets.

Personal life

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Sinclair and his wife Azalea, a former New Zealand netball representative, were married for 63 years. He died in Tauranga in August 2019, aged 86.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Booth, Lawrence (2021). Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. p. 284. ISBN 9781472975478.
  2. ^ "Ian Sinclair". Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Alumni". Rangiora High School. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Plunket Shield 1955-56". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Canterbury v West Indians 1955-56". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  6. ^ Wisden 1957, pp. 834–37.
  7. ^ Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, p. 256.
  8. ^ "Ian McKay SINCLAIR". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
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