Bill Playle
FullnameWilliam Rodger Playle
Birth date1 December 1938
Birth placePalmerston North, New Zealand
Death date27 February 2019 (aged 80)
Death placeCoffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
FamilyCyril Crawford (uncle)
Internationaltrue
Internationalspan1958–1963
CountryNew Zealand
TestdebutagainstEngland
Testdebutdate5 June
Testdebutyear1958
Lasttestdate15 March
LasttestagainstEngland
Lasttestyear1963
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off-break
Columns2
Column 1Test
Matches 18
Runs 1151
Bat avg 110.06
100s/50s 10/1
Top score 165
Deliveries 1–
Wickets 1–
Bowl avg 1–
Fivefor 1–
Tenfor 1–
Best bowling 1–
Catches/stumpings 14/–
Column 2First-class
Matches 285
Runs 22,888
Bat avg 221.87
100s/50s 24/9
Top score 2122
Deliveries 2118
Wickets 21
Bowl avg 294.00
Fivefor 20
Tenfor 20
Best bowling 21/11
Catches/stumpings 281/–
Date4 March
Year2019
Sourcehttp://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/38125.html Cricinfo
RoleBatsman

William Rodger Playle (1 December 1938 – 27 February 2019) was a New Zealand cricketer who played eight Test matches for the national team between 1958 and 1963, making 151 runs as a specialist batsman.[1]

Cricket career

In New Zealand

Bill Playle's first-class career started with Auckland in 1956–57 at the age of 18. After scoring only 355 runs in 13 matches in two seasons[2] he was selected to tour England in 1958 as a 19-year-old, but he made only 56 runs in the five Tests, batting in the middle order. In the second innings of the Third Test at Leeds, in an attempt to avert defeat, he "gave a remarkable stonewalling display, for he stayed three and a quarter hours for 18, during which time he limited himself to seven scoring strokes".[3]

He was the top scorer in the 1961–62 season with 510 runs at 72.85,[4] including 116 not out against Otago. His last three Tests were as an opener against England in 1962–63, when he made his only Test score above 25, scoring 65 in 202 minutes in a lost cause in the Second Test at Wellington.[5]

In Australia

After the 1963–64 season in New Zealand he moved to Australia, where he played as an opening batsman for Western Australia from 1965–66 to 1967–68, making his highest first-class score of 122 against Queensland[6] and 116 against Victoria, both in 1965–66, when he made 583 runs at 41.64 in the Sheffield Shield.[7]

Death

Playle died in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, on 27 February 2019.[1][8]

References

  1. ^ "Bill Playle, former New Zealand batsman, passes away". International Cricket Council. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  2. ^ Bill Playle, batting by season
  3. ^ Wisden 1959, p. 252.
  4. ^ Batting averages 1961–62
  5. ^ "2nd Test, England tour of New Zealand at Wellington, Mar 1-4 1963". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  6. ^ Western Australia v Queensland 1965–66
  7. ^ Sheffield Shield batting averages 1965–66
  8. ^ "William Playle death notice". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2019.