Sports
Former New Zealand all-rounder John R Reid passes away at 92
John Richard Reid, former New Zealand great and their oldest surviving Test player, has died at the age of 92 in Auckland.
Reid was an exceptional all-rounder, who not only displayed aggression in the batting and bowling aspects of the game, but also impressed with his incredible skills in the field.
He was thought of as a strong rugby player in his youth, but a severe bout of rheumatic fever forced him out of the sport in his teens.
However, the setback did not stop Reid from achieving immense success in a different sport – he scored 3428 runs in 58 Test matches with an average of 33.28, hitting 22 half-centuries and six centuries in a career that spanned over 16 years. His maiden Test century, a knock of 135, came against South Africa in Cape Town in 1954.
He scored two fifties in his debut series, against England, and was the only surviving member of the famous 49ers – the team that brought New Zealand cricket to the world stage when they toured England in 1949.
He was a genuine fast bowler at the beginning of his career, but had to sacrifice pace in the latter stages of his career, switching to off-cutters and spin in order to negate potential injuries. He finished with 85 Test scalps to his name, including four five-wicket hauls and best bowling figures of 6/60.
The right-handed batsman was the first captain ever to score 500 runs and pick up 10 wickets in a series with his tally of 546 runs and 11 dismissals in South Africa in 1962. The visitors also drew the series 2-2, which was an incredible achievement for New Zealand cricket at the time. He also held the record for most international runs by a New Zealand cricketer in a calendar year (871 in 1965), before it was broken by Brendon McCullum in 2014.
Reid was the first cricketer to lead New Zealand to a Test victory, when they beat the Windies by 190 runs in Auckland in 1956. He was also the captain when New Zealand defeated South Africa in 1962 to claim their first overseas Test win.
“I was the captain who won the first three Tests for New Zealand. All records are meant to be broken, but that one you can’t break. But when we won our first Test, I had a glass of champagne for the first time. It was special, first win in 27 years,” said Reid in a conversation with Cricket Monthly back in 2009.
“I used to tell some terrible lies – how we are going to win this one and win that one, knowing very well that we wouldn’t. I loved the game. I loved the sportsmanship.”
When the legendary cricketer hung up his boots in 1965, he held the record for the highest number of caps, runs, outfield catches, as well as wickets for New Zealand. He continued to be influential in international cricket even after his retirement. Reid was appointed as a national selector, and then travelled to South Africa for a couple of coaching stints. He also officiated in 50 Tests and 98 one-day internationals as an International Cricket Council match referee.
Reid was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, but fought against it to recover completely after undergoing surgery, and in August 2015, became the oldest surviving Test cricketer from New Zealand after Trevor Barber passed away.
In 1962, Reid was bestowed with the tag of an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to the sport. He was also made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours of 2014.3
Reid was a prolific first-class cricketer, who played 246 first-class games, scoring 16128 runs at 41.35, while taking 466 wickets at 22.60.
“John R Reid was New Zealand cricket’s Colin Meads,” said New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White. “He was, and will remain, a household name in this country, having helped pave the way for everything that has come in his wake.
“Our thoughts and respect are with his family at this time: wife Norli; children Alison, Richard and Ann, and his grand-children, Oliver, Megan, Christina and Angus.
“NZC will acknowledge and mark John’s wonderful life and career at an appropriate time.” (ICC)
The third edition of the World Test Championship kicks off in the sweltering south with Galle set to host the curtain-raiser as Sri Lanka lock horns with Bangladesh on Tuesday. This time around, the Sri Lankans have the luxury of playing India and South Africa at home in addition to Bangladesh, while away tours to West Indies, New Zealand and Pakistan lie ahead. Its not a bad schedule at all.
In the last cycle which came to a climax at Lords this week with Australia squaring off against South Africa in the final Sri Lanka flirted with a spot in the big dance but ultimately fell short. Four straight losses two in the Rainbow Nation and two in their own backyard left them stumped. Most fans remember the defeats in Durban, Port Elizabeth and Galle, but few rewind to where it all unraveled.
It began with a home series against Pakistan in 2023, where Sri Lanka were caught napping and lost both Tests. From then on, they were playing catch-up cricket, chasing shadows instead of dictating terms.
This time, they can ill afford to hit the snooze button. In a competition where momentum is everything, its not just about starting well its about staying in the hunt and finishing like a freight train.
After the opener in Galle, the action shifts to Colombo, with the second Test scheduled at SSC. Sri Lanka will walk in as favourites.
This series also marks a changing of the guard. Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lankas most prolific opening bat, has called time on a storied career spanning for 15 years. A rock at the top, he leaves big boots to fill. And after the first Test, Angelo Mathews another old warhorse will bid adieu, bringing down the curtain on a career that began in 2009.
The selection conundrum now is who slots in where. Lahiru Udara has been knocking on the door with truckloads of runs in domestic cricket, but will the selectors hand him the key or stick with Oshada Fernando, whos been warming the bench as backup opener?
Then comes the Mathews question. Who takes over the No. 4 slot, the spine of any Test side? Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sonal Dinusha have put their hands up with strong performances for the A team, and Pawan Ratnayake is now in the mix too. Of the trio, only one will get the nod but who has the temperament to wear that cap?
Another twist in the tale: will the replacement bat at four, or will the selectors reshuffle the deck? Kamindu Mendis, the elegant left-hander with a golden 2024 behind him, has steadily climbed the order and seems the frontrunner for that prime real estate.
Meanwhile, skipper Dhananjaya de Silva is under the pump. Hes clung onto the captaincy largely due to the absence of viable alternatives, but his leadership has lacked bite. With four straight Test losses under his belt and a batting slump thats seen him go ten games without a century, his place is under the scanner. Waiting for things to happen wont cut it anymore its time he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
Sri Lanka s spin department has its own selection headache. Prabath Jayasuriya is a shoo-in, but who will partner him? Offies Nishan Peiris and Ramesh Mendis have both been given the ball and the benefit of the doubt but neither has nailed it. Peiris, with just three caps, still has room to grow. Mendis, on the other hand, after 16 Tests, is still struggling to bowl six balls in the same postcode.
by Rex Clementine ✍️
Records Asia’s fastest time in U20 category
With a week to go for the Thailand Open Athletics Championship, Ambagamuwa Central athlete Ayomal Akalanka flexed his muscles with a new Sri Lanka National Junior record time in the 400 metres hurdles at the Junior National Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Friday.
One of the brightest prospects to emerge from the schools set up in recent years, Akalanka clocked 50.20 seconds to win the Under 20 400 metres hurdles. The athlete trained by veteran coach Anura Bandara broke his own National Junior record.
Akalanka is the youngest athlete picked in the Sri Lanka team for the Thailand Open Athletics Championship which will be held from June 22.
Shavindu Avishka won the Under 18 boys’ 800 metres
The record breaking feat is the fourth fastest time in the world this year in his age category and the fastest time in Asia.
His 51.33 seconds time clocked in March this year was the sixth fastest time in Asia untill he reached his personal best on Friday to take the top spot in the region this year.
Akalanka became the senior national champion in the 400 metres hurdles last year and has maintained his supremacy beating veterans at senior level this year as well.
Sri Lanka will field eight athletes at the Thailand Open and it will be a big opportunity for Akalanka to brush shoulders against seniors. It is an opportunity his former training partner Dhanuka Dharsana did not get when he accomplished similar achievements turning tables on seniors while competing at junior level.
by Reemus Fernando ✍️
At 12.45pm on a sunny Saturday at Lord’s, South Africa secured the most significant moment in their cricket history with the World Test Championship title. It was not without nerves – how could it be? – but this time there was no agony at the end. Aiden Markram took them to the brink with an epic 136, an innings that will go down as the country’s most important in Tests, before the winning runs were driven through the covers by Kyle Verreynne to spark the celebrations.
No longer was the 1998 ICC Knockout, with its various names and caveats, the only reference point for South Africa’s global success. After so many near misses, they had a crowning moment. It will be a hugely popular victory, too, as the underdog story so often is, and as part of the wider narrative around the health of Test cricket outside of the Big Three.
For all the success Australia have gathered over the years, this will be a bruising experience given they had managed to take a 74-run first-innings which had been extended into three figures before collapsing to 73 for 7 on the second evening. The lower order repaired some of the damage, and the bowlers gave it their all, but for once they finished second.
Resuming on 213 for 2 needing 69 more for victory and eight wickets in hand would not normally be a scene for great uncertainty, but this was no ordinary occasion. The first run of the day, a push into the covers by Temba Bavuma, was cheered loudly by a crowd heavily in favour of South Africa – as it had been throughout the game.
Bavuma had fought through the pain of a hamstring strain he picked up early in his innings, and left the team management contemplating retiring him hurt at tea yesterday, but instead he went on to forge the match-defining stand of 147 with Markram.
There was no fairytale ending of Bavuma being there when the winning run were scored as he edged an excellent lifting delivery from Pat Cummins that just opened the door for Australia. The celebrations certainly suggested they still believed – while no one needed reminding of South Africa’s history – and the tension was palpable with runs hard to come by.
Markram was able to relieve the pressure with occasional boundaries, including a square drive off Cummins the ball after being beaten on the drive and an even more authoritative pull.
However, Australia made them earn every run. Mitchell Starc continued his outstanding match with a superb delivery to remove Tristan Stubbs with 41 still needed, which probably felt like 141 to anyone of a South African persuasion.
Australia’s desperation led to them burning their three reviews – two for lbws that weren’t especially close and another for a glove down the leg side against Stubbs the ball before he fell to Starc – and ironically, with scores level, Verreynne would glove an attempted scoop off Starc that wasn’t given out.
An on-drive by David Bedingham off Cummins brought the requirement down to under 20 and the chants from the crowd grew again.
Australia managed to stretch the game out to give them a brief burst with the second new ball but Josh Hazelwood’s first delivery with it was pinged off his pads by Markram with the next being worked away for three to bring the countdown to single figures.
Markram was aiming leg side again when he picked out midwicket, but this time nothing was going to stop South Africa. As he started to walk off, a number of the Australians congratulated him. They knew they had been beaten by one of the great innings.
Brief scores:
South Africa 138 in 57.1 over (David Bedingham 45, Temba Bavuma 36; Pat Cummins 6-28) and 282 for 5 in 83.4 overs (Aiden Markram 146, Temba Bavuma 66, David Bedingham 21*; Mitchell Starc 3-66) beat Australia 212 in 56.4 overs (Brau Webster 72, Steven Smith 66; Kagiso Rabada 5-51, Marco Jansen 3-49) and 207 in 65 overs (Mitchell Starc 58, Alex Carey 43 Kagiso Rabada 4-59, Lungi Ngidi 3-38) by five wickets
[Cricinfo]
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