Advertisement
John Reid is gloriously remembered as the first captain of the New Zealand cricket team to achieve first victory both at home against the West Indies in 1956, and away, against South Africa in 1962.
A fantastic all-rounder of this time, Reid did everything he could to bolster up his team as captain. The Kiwi was multi-talented on the field with both his batting and bowling abilities as well as a great fielding dexterity. He was the reserve wicket keeper on the 1949 tour of England and kept wickets in several matches including the final Test.
Born on 3 June 1928, John Reid played both cricket and rugby in his youthful days. John Reid would have represented the Kiwis in the field of rugby, too. However, his rugby dreams ended following rheumatic fever and a resulting heart murmur.
Advertisement
John Reid: Facts & Figures
The Kiwi played 58 Test matches in his career and amassed 3428 runs in 108 innings at a decent average of 33.28. His Test campaign included six tons and 22 fifties.
Reid featured in 246 First Class matches and collected 16128 runs in 418 innings at an average of 41.35. He boasts of 39 hundreds in his First Class career.
As far as his bowling is concerned, Reid took 85 wickets in 58 matches and 72 bowling at an impeccable economy of 2.20.
For his contributions in the field of sports and especially cricket, Reid was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1962 Queen’s Birthday Honours. He was also honoured with the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2014 New Year Honours for his services to the cricketing community.
Also Read: Rise of Kyle Jamieson: New Zealand’s Next Bowling Star
It is very crucial for the current generation to note that Reid was one of the players who had immensely contributed in the building of the New Zealand cricket team. He did it not just with the bat and ball but by boosting the morale of the teammates even while facing tough competitors like Australia and England.
The New Zealand cricket team took time to become a formidable force and Reid was one of the key figures in inculcating the competitive spirit in its players.
