Wardy: Class act with the golden gloves
Former New Zealand wicketkeeper John Ward, who once placed a piece of copper pipe in his glove to protect his injured thumb, has died aged 83.
South Canterbury Cricket life member and patron Ward died on Tuesday in Timaru after a short illness.
He played eight tests for New Zealand between 1964 and 1968 and was a regular behind the stumps for Canterbury, playing 95 first-class matches.
A product of an interesting selection system at that time, Ward was picked for the 1958 tour of England before he had represented Canterbury, convincing the selectors to take him as Eric Petrie’s deputy after a strong performance in the North v South match – which doubled as his first-class debut.
Ward’s test captain John Reid once said he was ‘‘easily the best wicketkeeper in New Zealand in his time, but was plagued by injury’’.
His test career may have been more impressive had it not been interrupted three times by injuries to two different fingers and a thumb.
The innovative Ward told Stuff in 2016 he placed a piece of copper pipe in his glove to protect his thumb once it had healed. Timaru Hospital also designed a rawhide guard to protect a finger on another occasion.
‘‘Basically it was up to you to sort it out,’’ he said.
‘‘There were no doctors or medics travelling with you back then.’’
The 99th New Zealand test cap, he played in eight tests after debuting against South Africa in Wellington in 1964.
He took 16 catches and stumped one batsman in his eight tests. His highest test score was 35 not out against India in Chennai in 1965, a match New Zealand drew.
In 1968, the New Zealand Cricket Almanac named him player of the year along with Noel McGregor.
Ward was a handy legspinner early in his career and it was only because Timaru club side Old Boys decided to have a second senior side that he picked up the gloves.
‘‘No-one wanted to be the wicketkeeper, so I thought ‘OK, I will have a go’,’’ he told Stuff in
2016.
Ward went on New Zealand’s six-month tour to England in
1958, only the fifth Kiwi side to tour there, but didn’t play a test.
He later undertook two further six-month tours, one to South Africa (1961-62) and the other to India and on to England (1965).
‘‘It was a fantastic time and we saw plenty of the world.
‘‘There was no money, but it didn’t cost you anything either – everything was supplied, including cigarettes.’’
Former South Canterbury and Canterbury pace bowler Harvey King said Ward was a classy, undemonstrative wicketkeeper, blessed with quick feet and hands.
‘‘He had marvellous hands. When I first played for South
Canterbury he was about 40 years old and was still keeping wicket – and still doing the job in his own effortless and nimble way.
‘‘John was deeply passionate about the game and was a nononsense sort of leader for the young guys in the team – he was always encouraging us to keep our standards up no matter what level of cricket we were playing.
‘‘He was just a quality man and he kept giving to the game well after he retired from the playing side of it.’’
In 2008, Ward was honoured by Canterbury Cricket when he was the 10th cricketer to have his image placed on one of the AMI Stadium’s ‘Pillars of Pride’ in Christchurch. Ward was also the first recipient of the South Canterbury Sportsperson of the Year award in 1967.
He played 54 first-class matches for Canterbury in a career spanning 13 years and snared 153 dismissals.
Ward’s son Barry was also a talented cricketer and wicketkeeper, featuring in the 1986-87 season for Canterbury.
‘‘No-one wanted to be the wicketkeeper, so I thought ‘OK, I will have a go’.’’
John Ward in a 2016 interview with Stuff.