Ian_Cromb

Ian Cromb

Ian Cromb

New Zealand cricketer

Ian Burns Cromb (25 June 1905 – 6 March 1984) was a New Zealand cricketer who played in five Tests from 1931 to 1932, including all three Tests of the 1931 tour of England.[1]

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Cromb was born in Christchurch and attended Christchurch Boys' High School.[2] He was an all-rounder: an aggressive batsman and a fast-medium bowler in his younger days and a spin bowler later in his career.[3] He played for Canterbury from 1929–30 to 1946–47, captaining the side from 1935–36 to 1937-38 and again from 1945–46 to 1946–47, and he also captained New Zealand in the four-match series against the visiting MCC in 1935–36.[4] As a captain, he had a "penchant for the unexpected".[3]

Cromb made his highest first-class score of 171 in Canterbury's innings victory over Wellington in the 1939–40 Plunket Shield, after taking five wickets in Wellington's first innings.[5] His best bowling figures were 8 for 70 for the New Zealanders against Middlesex in 1931.[6] Two weeks earlier he had taken 6 for 46 in the New Zealanders' innings victory over the MCC at Lord's.[2] After he retired from playing he was a coach, administrator and selector.[3][7] He served as president of the Canterbury Cricket Association in the 1970s.[8]

In 1930 Cromb opened a sporting goods shop in Cashel Street, Christchurch, in partnership with his fellow Canterbury and New Zealand cricketer Bill Merritt.[9] The shop was still operating under the same name in the 1990s.[10]

Cromb was also a prominent golfer, winning the South Island championship and several Canterbury championships. He helped launch the career of the New Zealand champion golfer Bob Charles.[11] Together they had a golfing tour of the United States and Great Britain between January and August 1958, Charles playing in several of the major tournaments.[12][13]

Cromb married Valmai Kelly in Wellington in February 1935.[14] She died in July 1956; they had a son and two daughters.[15] Cromb died in a car accident in Christchurch in March 1984, aged 78.[8]

References

  1. [1]
    Seconi, Adrian (13 January 2013). "Cricket: The greatest 11 players NZ forgot". ODT. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  2. [2]
    R. T. Brittenden, Great Days in New Zealand Cricket, A. H. & A. W. Reed, Wellington, 1958, pp. 74–79.
  3. [3]
    "A Gathering of a Clan". Press: 20. 1 December 1977.
  4. [4]
    Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, pp. 136–39.
  5. [5]
    "Wellington v Canterbury 1939-40". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  6. [6]
    "Middlesex v New Zealanders 1931". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  7. [7]
    "Mr I. B. Cromb Busy With School Cricket Coaching". Press: 6. 19 November 1957.
  8. [8]
    Tony McCarron, New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64 – 2010, ACS, Cardiff, 2010, p. 38.
  9. [9]
    "Short Runs and Byes". Star: 9. 5 December 1930.
  10. [10]
    "The Mainland Touch". Nga Taonga. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  11. [11]
    Wisden 1985, pp. 1191–92.
  12. [12]
    "World Tour Begins". Press: 5. 6 January 1958.
  13. [13]
    "Return of R. J. Charles". Press: 2. 8 August 1958.
  14. [14]
    "Wedding of Canterbury and New Zealand Cricketer". Press: 3. 15 February 1935.
  15. [15]
    "Deaths". Press: 1. 17 July 1956.
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