Karori Cricket Club :: Karori Legends

Pen Portraits of players from the early 1930's to mid 1900's

These players have all represented Wellington

By clicking on the photos you will see a larger image of the photo.

You can view the "related articles and news" items by clicking on this link http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/country.html? and going to the players file.

Source "cricinfo"

A more comprehensive pen portrait of  Phil Benfield, Evan Gray, Ervin McSweeney,

Richard Petrie and Derek Stirling can be found in the website under History 1981-2006

or by clicking on this link.

Their is a brief pen portrait in this section of the website.

  • Derek Stirling

  • Full name Derek Alexander Stirling
    Born October 5, 1961, Upper Hutt, Wellington
    Current age 44 years 288 days
    Major teams New Zealand, Central Districts, Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

    Statsguru Test player, ODI player

    First team captain for a number of years

  •  Batting and fielding averages

    class mat inns no runs hs ave bf sr 100 50 4s 6s ct st
    Tests  6  9  2  108  26  15.42  294  36.73  0  0  11  3  1  0
    ODIs  6  5  2  21  13*  7.00  39  53.84  0  0  1  0  3  0
    First-class  84  106  30  1651  75  21.72      0  5      27  0
    List A  65  53  15  547  44  14.39      0  0      17  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    Tests  6  902  601  13  4/88  5/170  46.23  3.99  69.38  1  0  0
    ODIs  6  246  207  6  2/29  2/29  34.50  5.04  41.00  0  0  0
    First-class  84  11644  6948  206  6/75    33.72  3.58  56.52    5  0
    List A  65  2840  2004  90  4/10  4/10  22.26  4.23  31.55  5  0  0

     Career statistics
    Statsguru Tests filter | Statsguru One-Day Internationals filter
    Test debut Pakistan v New Zealand at Lahore - Nov 16-20, 1984 
    Last Test England v New Zealand at The Oval - Aug 21-26, 1986  
    ODI debut Sri Lanka v New Zealand at Moratuwa - Mar 31, 1984 
    Last ODI Pakistan v New Zealand at Multan - Dec 7, 1984  
    First-class span 1981/82 - 1991/92
    List A span 1981/82 - 1992/93

     Profile

    A burly right-arm fast-medium bowler, Derek Stirling started his first-class career brightly. Aged just 19, he took 6 for 75 against Northern Districts in January 1982, figures he never bettered. He became one of the many New Zealanders under shadow of Richard Hadlee for the rest of the decade.

    He made his one-day international debut in Sri Lanka at the end of 1983-84, oddly before his selection for a Young New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe. Stirling then played all three Tests in Pakistan in 1984-85, acqutting himself well on what were trying pitches, including 4 for 88 in the third Test at Karachi.

    But he fell out of favour just before New Zealand's momentous back-to-back series wins against Australia in 1985-86. Stirling responded with 26 domestic first-class wickets and toured England in 1986, where his second-innings dismissal of Derek Pringle at Nottingham helped open the door to a victory that could have slipped away. But at The Oval, in his final Test appearance, he bowled too short on a fast track, and in one over was carted by Ian Botham - returning from a ban - for 24. He played league cricket in Scotland in 1984.

     

    Richard Petrie

  • Long serving first team player. 

    Full name Richard George Petrie
    Born August 23, 1967, Christchurch, Canterbury
    Current age 38 years 331 days
    Major teams New Zealand, Canterbury, Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

    Statsguru ODI player

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave bf sr 100 50 4s 6s ct st
    ODIs  12  8  3  65  21  13.00  109  59.63  0  0  2  0  2  0
    First-class  56  78  11  1581  100  23.59      1  5      20  0
    List A  120  98  16  1846  85  22.51      0  9      15  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    ODIs  12  660  449  12  2/25  2/25  37.41  4.08  55.00  0  0  0
    First-class  56  8631  4078  134  5/23    30.43  2.83  64.41    3  0
    List A  120  5250  3709  135  5/24  5/24  27.47  4.23  38.88  5  1  0

     Career statistics
    Statsguru One-Day Internationals filter
    ODI debut Australia v New Zealand at Sydney - Nov 29, 1990  
    Last ODI New Zealand v England at Christchurch - Feb 9, 1991  
    First-class span 1988/89 - 1999/00
    List A span 1988/89 - 2000/01

     Profile

    A medium-fast bowler with one of the better hitting eyes in the game, Richard Petrie flashed over the cricket horizon in the summer of 1990-91 playing 12 one-day internationals. And from that point until he retired from first-class cricket in 1999-00, that was the only time he played international cricket. A bowler capable of extracting disconcerting lift, Petrie's aspirations were dealt a severe blow when he suffered an Achilles tendon injury. It reduced his speed considerably and he reverted to more guile to secure his wickets. His hitting ability made him an invaluable prospect in one-day cricket, a point utilised by Wellington after his transfer there from Canterbury in 1993-94. While he achieved a first-class century, his highest score in one-day games was 85, but there was no doubt bowlers around the country breathed a sigh of relief when they no longer had to contend with a Petre firestorm at the crease. His 135 wickets in one-day games were secured at an economy rate of 4.23 while his 134 first-class wickets cost 30.43 runs each.

      

    Ervin McSweeney

    Long serving first team wicket-keeper

    Full name Ervin Bruce McSweeney
    Born March 8, 1957, Wellington
    Current age 49 years 135 days
    Major teams New Zealand, Central Districts, Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Fielding position Wicketkeeper

    Statsguru ODI player

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave bf sr 100 50 4s 6s ct st
    ODIs  16  14  5  73  18*  8.11  119  61.34  0  0  3  2  14  3
    First-class  121  177  30  4947  205*  33.65      6  23      340  45
    List A  101  89  17  1210  69  16.80      0  4      116  31

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    ODIs  16  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0
    First-class  121  20  19  0  -  -  -  5.70  -  0  0  0
    List A  101  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0

     Career statistics
    Statsguru One-Day Internationals filter
    ODI debut Australia v New Zealand at Melbourne - Jan 9, 1986 
    Last ODI New Zealand v West Indies at Christchurch - Mar 28, 1987 
    First-class span 1979/80 - 1993/94
    List A span 1980/81 - 1993/94

    Tim Ritchie

  • First team player

    Full name Tim David Ritchie
    Born January 10, 1964, Christchurch, Canterbury
    Current age 42 years 191 days
    Major teams Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  59  93  14  2509  106  31.75  3  15  47  0
    List A  31  28  3  404  41  16.16  0  0  10  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    First-class  59  183  195  5  1/12    39.00  6.39  36.60    0  0
    List A  31  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1982/83 - 1990/91
    List A span 1982/83 - 1990/91

     

    Mark Jefferson

    First team player and NPC rugby player

    Full name Mark Robin Jefferson
    Born June 28, 1976, Oamaru, Otago
    Current age 30 years 22 days
    Major teams Wellington
    Batting style Left-hand bat
    Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  46  65  11  1342  114  24.85  2  5  13  0
    List A  79  51  19  517  48*  16.15  0  0  17  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    First-class  46  7586  3373  89  5/42    37.89  2.66  85.23    1  0
    List A  79  3110  2108  60  4/32  4/32  35.13  4.06  51.83  1  0  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1996/97 - 2002/03
    List A span 1996/97 - 2002/03

     

     Matthew Goodson

    First team player

    Full name Matthew Charles Goodson
    Born March 3, 1970, Palmerston North, Manawatu
    Current age 36 years 139 days
    Major teams Central Districts, Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Bowling style Legbreak

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  17  21  5  194  61  12.12  0  1  6  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi ave econ sr 5 10
    First-class  17  2308  874  37  6/48  23.62  2.27  62.37  3  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1989/90 - 1994/95


    Philip Chandler

    Full name Philip John Barry Chandler
    Born July 6, 1972, Wellington
    Current age 34 years 19 days
    Major teams Wellington
    Batting style Left-hand bat

  •  Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  31  53  7  1296  177  28.17  2  3  20  0
    List A  47  47  1  1472  106  32.00  1  8  15  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    First-class  31  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0
    List A  47  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1994/95 - 2001/02
    List A span 1995/96 - 1998/99

    Martin Speight

    Clubs overseas pro 1989-1990

    Full name Martin Peter Speight
    Born October 24, 1967, Walsall, Staffordshire
    Current age 38 years 269 days
    Major teams Durham, Northumberland, Sussex, Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Fielding position Wicketkeeper

  •  Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  193  323  31  9225  184  31.59  13  48  292  5
    List A  253  233  10  5741  126  25.74  3  29  143  17

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    First-class  193  21  32  2  1/2    16.00  9.14  10.50    0  0
    List A  253  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1986 - 2001
    List A span 1986 - 2003

     

     Kevin Innes

    Clubs overseas pro 1996-98

    Full name Kevin John Innes
    Born September 24, 1975, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
    Current age 30 years 299 days
    Major teams Northamptonshire, Sussex
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Bowling style Right-arm medium

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave bf sr 100 50 ct st
    First-class  45  70  17  1256  103*  23.69      1  3  15  0
    List A  86  59  20  815  55  20.89      0  2  25  0
    Twenty20  5  5  1  22  10  5.50  29  75.86  0  0  0  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    First-class  45  4470  2461  79  4/41    31.15  3.30  56.58    0  0
    List A  86  2951  2666  83  5/41  5/41  32.12  5.42  35.55  3  1  0
    Twenty20  5  51  72  1  1/28  1/28  72.00  8.47  51.00  0  0  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1994 - 2004
    List A span 1994 - 2005
    Twenty20 span 2003

       

     

    Pen Portraits  of players from the clubs 100 year anniversary book

     

    Karori Cricket Club 1890-1980' by John Stribling. They were written at the

    conclusion of the 1979-80 season.

     
    This section contains pen portraits of those cricketers who represented Wellington while playing for Karori. Unfortunately these criteria are rather discriminatory in that they exclude players who have given long and valued service without playing first class cricket but include some whose impact of Karori cricket was not great.

    The possibility of including the full season-by-season career records of each player was considered but space did not permit their inclusion and brief details of the best performances are contained elsewhere in the text. Adrienne Morris has calculated the full season-by-season career records of all Karori senior players and there are available to any member who wishes to peruse them.

    The players appear in the order of their first appearance for Wellington.

    By clicking on the photos you will see a larger image of the photo.

     
    M.G. (Maurie) Browne

    Full name Maurice Gerald Browne
    Born September 28, 1913, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa
    Died December 21, 1980, Wellington (aged 67 years 84 days)
    Major teams Wellington
    Batting style Left-hand bat
    Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  9  15  4  177  58  16.09  0  1  2  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat runs wkts bbi ave 5 10
    First-class  9  723  22  6/89  32.86  1  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1937/38 - 1951/52

  •  Maurie Browne first played cricket for Karori in the boy’s league while attending Wellington College. Upon leaving College, Browne joined Wellington College Old Boys but a few years later, in 1934-35, along with Ken MacDonald, Gordon Rowe and his brother Frank Browne, he transferred to Karori who that year won the second grade and so acquired senior status.

    Browne was a leg spinner of exceptional guile and very few people could pick his wrongun. He was also a successful left handed batsmen at club level – batting down the order he had little opportunity to score runs at Plunket Shield Cricket. Selection for Wellington was gained in 1937-38 and again in 1938-39 but the war intervened and after 1946 Browne was often unavailable for representative games. In all he played 9 games for Wellington scoring 164 runs at 16.4 with a highest score of 58 and took 21 wickets at 28.9, his best return being 6/89 in his first game.

    In 1947-48 Browne was a member of the Karori team that won the Cook Shield and he captained the team that won the senior title in 1950-51. In his final season in Senior Cricket he captured 4 wickets with successive balls. Browne retired to the Presidents grade and was later involved in the establishment of the Wanderers Club. He was a New Zealand hockey representative in 1937-38. For Karori, Browne scored 3825 runs at 27.7 and captured 304 wickets at 20.7 runs per wicket.


    R.J. (Jack) Duffy

    Full name Jack Duffy
    Born date unknown
    Major teams Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  9  18  1  458  71  26.94  0  4  1  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat runs wkts bbi ave 5 10
    First-class  9  206  5  2/31  41.20  0  0

     Career statistics
    First-class span 1940/41 - 1945/46

  •  Jack Duffy joined Karori from Institute in 1935-36. The previous season he had taken 10 wickets in an innings for 80 runs with his left arm spinners but for Karori he was known primarily as a steady and consistent left-hand opening batsman. He played 9 games for Wellington between 1940-46 scoring 458 runs at 26.9, had a top score of 71 and also took 5 wickets. For Karori Duffy scored 2911 runs at 25.3 and took 174 wickets at 23.9. He captained Karori in 1945-46.




    C.G. (Gordon) Rowe

     

    Full name Charles Gordon Rowe
    Born June 30, 1915, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland
    Died June 9, 1995, Palmerston North, Manawatu (aged 79 years 344 days)
    Major teams New Zealand, Central Districts, Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat

    Statsguru Test player

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 4s 6s ct st
    Tests  1  2  0  0  0  0.00  0  0  0  0  1  0
    First-class  11  19  0  380  72  20.00  0  2      10  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    Tests  1  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0
    First-class  11  249  88  3  2/36    29.33  2.12  83.00    0  0

     Career statistics
    Statsguru Tests filter
    Only Test New Zealand v Australia at Wellington - Mar 29-30, 1946 
    First-class span 1944/45 - 1952/53

     Related articles and news

    Gordon Rowe represented New Zealand at both hockey and cricket. He was a correct batsman, a perfectionist, whose best shots were the square cut and cover drive, as well as a capable wicket-keeper. As noted elsewhere, Rowe played one test and scored the dreaded “pair”. In addition to Rowe, who shares the dubious honour of being New Zealand’s lowest scoring test cricketer, Reid and Congdon, who are first and second in New Zealand test aggregates, have been associated with Karori. Rowe was more successful for Wellington scoring 324 runs at 27.0. His best effort was in a two day non-first class match against Canterbury in 1944-45. He scored 102 and 79. Later Rowe represented Central Districts. Or Karori Rowe scored 2012 runs at 24.8, made 29 wicket-keeping dismissals and took 40 wickets at 24.1. He was Karori captain in 1949-50.




    J.C. (Jack) Tynan

  •  Full name John Christopher Tynan
    Born December 5, 1925, Wellington
    Current age 80 years 228 days
    Major teams Wellington
    Batting style Right-hand bat
    Bowling style Right-arm medium



    Batting and fielding averages

    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 ct st
    First-class  4  7  0  80  29  11.42  0  0  2  0

     Bowling averages

    class mat runs wkts bbi ave 5 10
    First-class  4  48  2  1/11  24.00  0  0


     Career statistics
    First-class span 1951/52 - 1953/54

  • Jack Tynan was better known as a hockey player than a cricketer, being New Zealand hockey captain for several years. Although hockey tours sometimes interfered with his cricket, Tynan played senior cricket from 1944-45 to 1963-64 scoring 4820 runs at 22.5 and capturing 103 wickets at 19.9. He captained the senior team in 1955-56. Tynan did not do himself justice as a Wellington representative. In 4 games he scored 80 runs at 11.4 and took 2 wickets for 48 runs. Jack Tynan was a batsman of considerable skill who was often seen at his best when quick runs were required. Primarily a front foot player he excelled in the straight and cover drives.




    J.E.F. (John) Beck

    Full name John Edward Francis Beck
    Born August 1, 1934, Wellington
    Died April 24, 2000, Waikanae, Wellington (aged 65 years 267 days)
    Major teams New Zealand, Wellington
    Batting style Left-hand bat
    Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

    Statsguru Test player

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 6s ct st
    Tests  8  15  0  394  99  26.26  0  3  2  0  0
    First-class  41  68  5  1508  149  23.93  2  8    19  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    Tests  8  0  0  0  -  -  -  -  -  0  0  0
    First-class  41  46  21  0  -  -  -  2.73  -  0  0  0

     Career statistics
    Statsguru Tests filter
    Test debut South Africa v New Zealand at Johannesburg - Dec 24-29, 1953 
    Last Test New Zealand v West Indies at Auckland - Mar 9-13, 1956  
    First-class span 1953/54 - 1961/62

  • As a schoolboy John Beck was a brilliant left-handed batsman and following a successful tout of South Africa, on which he played his first first-class game and scored 99 (run-out) in his second test, great expectations were held of him. However, from the time of his return Beck suffered mixed fortunes. His batting could be inconsistent and this resulted in a series of abrupt recalls and dismissals from the representative teams. Regular press attention must have added to Beck’s uncertainty and he never secured a permanent place in the Wellington team.

    At his best Beck was a delightful batsman to watch, with a very upright stance. He was particularly powerful off the front foot with the cover and square drives being his specialties. If need be he could be a courageous defender, as at Johannesburg in 1953. Beck was also a very fast runner between the wickets but is probably best remembered for his magnificent cover fielding. In 8 tests matches Beck scored 394 runs at 26.7 and in all matches for New Zealand (20) 754 runs at 22.2. For Wellington he scored 713 runs at 27.4 with a top score of 149 and for Karori 2971 at 27.0. His innings of 166 in 1960-61 remains the highest innings for the club in senior cricket. After taking 80 minutes over the first 50 the second was hit in 13 minutes and the third in 18 minutes. Normally Beck would bat at number three, but being a team man was prepared to drop down the order if his form was not at its best. Beck was Karori senior Captain in the early 1960’s.




    L.S.M. (Lawrie) Miller

    Full name Lawrence Somerville Martin Miller
    Born March 31, 1923, New Plymouth, Taranaki
    Died December 17, 1996, Kapiti, Wellington (aged 73 years 261 days)
    Major teams New Zealand, Central Districts, Wellington
    Batting style Left-hand bat

    Statsguru Test player

     Batting and fielding averages
    class mat inns no runs hs ave 100 50 6s ct st
    Tests  13  25  0  346  47  13.84  0  0  0  1  0
    First-class  82  142  15  4777  144  37.61  5  34    33  0

     Bowling averages
    class mat balls runs wkts bbi bbm ave econ sr 4 5 10
    Tests  13