End of innings for stalwart

Former New Zealand Cricket president, national men’s team selector and renowned author Don Neely has died, aged 86.

Neely, who played first-class cricket for Wellington and Auckland as a batter, later spent 14 years as a selector for the New Zealand men’s team, including seven as the convener of the selection panel.

He was president of NZ Cricket for three years, wrote more than 30 books about the sport including the hugely popular Men In White and had the main scoreboard at the Basin Reserve in Wellington named in his honour.

‘‘I am proud of that,’’ Neely said soon after the honour.

‘‘Ron Brierley suggested it. They were going to name it after him, and he suggested me. Bob Vance sought me out when I was in my mid-20s and got me involved with the Wellington Cricket Association. Through my playing days and then selecting Wellington and New Zealand teams, I’ve had a long association with the Basin.’’

Neely was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1995 and a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2011 for services to cricket.

Neely was born in Wellington in 1935 and said in 2011 that he was a softball-playing 11-year-old pupil at Miramar South School in 1946 when a teacher took him and a group of classmates to his first test at the Basin Reserve between New Zealand and Australia.

He attended Rongotai College from 1947 to 1953 and in his first year as Wellington’s captain, led the province to Plunket Shield victory.

Neely was appointed as a selector of the New Zealand men’s side in 1979 and was convener until 1993. He was awarded life membership of New Zealand Cricket in 1995 and was a trustee of the New Zealand Cricket Museum.

Neely co-authored ‘Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985’ with Richard King and Francis Payne, recognised as the definitive story of New Zealand men’s test cricket, with the book updated in 2008.

He edited the NZ Cricket Annuals from 1973-1991.