Hedley Howarth

Hedley John Howarth (25 December 1943 – 7 November 2008^[1]) was an international cricketer who played 30 Tests and nine One Day Internationals for New Zealand. The elder brother of Geoff Howarth, former New Zealand captain, he was born and died in Auckland.

Hedley Howarth

Personal information
Full name	Hedley John Howarth
Born	(1943-12-25)25 December 1943 Grey Lynn, New Zealand
Died	7 November 2008(2008-11-07) (aged 64) Auckland, New Zealand
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Slow left-arm orthodox
Role	Bowler
Relations	Geoff Howarth (brother)
International information
National side	New Zealand (1969–1977)
Test debut (cap 120)	24 July 1969 v England
Last Test	25 February 1977 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 8)	11 February 1973 v Pakistan
Last ODI	18 June 1975 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1963/64–1978/79	Auckland
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 30 9 145 30 Runs scored 291 18 1,668 106 Batting average 12.12 6.00 13.78 10.60 100s/50s 0/1 0/0 0/3 0/0 Top score 61 11 61 29 Balls bowled 8,833 492 37,421 1,617 Wickets 86 11 541 46 Bowling average 36.95 25.45 25.27 20.36 5 wickets in innings 2 0 31 1 10 wickets in match 0 0 6 0 Best bowling 5/34 3/29 8/75 5/22 Catches/stumpings 33/– 3/– 137/– 9/–
Source: Cricinfo, 22 October 2016

Domestic career

Howarth attended Auckland Grammar School, where he was a pace bowler. After he left school he had back trouble, and his coach, Merv Wallace, suggested he take up spin bowling.^[2] He became an orthodox left-arm bowler, and made his first-class debut in 1962.

International career

Between 1969 and 1977, Howarth played 30 Tests for New Zealand, capturing 86 wickets at an average of 36.95. Justin Vaughan, chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, credited Howarth with playing a significant role in New Zealand's international cricket history, saying Howarth's "five-wicket bag against India at Nagpur in 1969 was a match winner that helped give New Zealand its first ever Test win on the sub-continent".^[3] India were chasing 277 in the fourth innings but Howarth's 5 for 34 gave New Zealand the advantage, highlighted by a catch off his own bowling, leading to a 167-run win.^[4] Howarth's other five-wicket haul came a few weeks later in a Test against Pakistan in Karachi, when he picked up 5 for 80.^[5]

Howarth holds the New Zealand record for the most overs bowled in a Test innings. He bowled 74 overs, 24 of them maidens, and took 2 wickets for 138 runs against the West Indies in Bridgetown in 1972.^[6] He was a part of the New Zealand national cricket team that played in the 1975 Cricket World Cup in England, making it to the tournament semi-finals.

Howarth played his last Test in February 1977 and announced his retirement from Test cricket shortly afterwards.^[7] He continued playing first-class cricket until 1979. After retiring, he devoted his time to his family's fishing business, Kia Ora Fisheries, later Kia Ora Seafoods.^[8][9]

Death

Howarth died at age 64 on 7 November 2008. A cause of death was not initially disclosed,^[7] though Howarth had been battling cancer for some time.^[8]

References

1. "Hedley Howarth dies at 64". Cricinfo. 8 November 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
2. Nigel Smith, Kiwis Declare: Players Tell the Story of New Zealand Cricket, Random House, Auckland, 1994, p. 187.
3. via Reuters. "Former New Zealand spinner Hedley Howarth dies", International Herald Tribune, 8 November 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2008.
4. "2nd Test, Nagpur, Oct 3 - 8 1969, New Zealand tour of India". Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
5. "1st Test, Karachi, Oct 24 - 27 1969, New Zealand tour of Pakistan". Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
6. "Records | Test matches | Bowling records | Most balls bowled in an innings | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
7. Staff. "Former New Zealand cricketer dies", Television New Zealand, 8 November 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2008.
8. Cleaver, Dylan. "Balanced spinner with a lot of guts", The New Zealand Herald, 9 November 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2008.
9. Obituary in Dominion Post, 13 November 2008 page B3

External links

• Hedley Howarth at ESPNcricinfo