Norman Woods
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Norman Thomas Woods |
| Born | 19 August 1936 Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand |
| Died | 15 July 2015 (aged 78) Balclutha, Otago, New Zealand |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Bowling | Left-arm medium |
| Role | Bowler |
| Domestic team information | |
| Years | Team |
| 1958/59–1965/66 | Otago |
| 1970/71–1973/74 | Central Otago |
Source: CricInfo, 29 May 2016 | |
Norman Thomas Woods (19 August 1936 – 15 July 2015) was a New Zealand cricketer. He played 18 first-class matches for Otago between the 1958–59 and 1965–66 seasons.[1]
Woods was born at Dunedin in 1936[2] and grew up in the Kaikora area of the city. He attended Kaikorai Primary School and Dunedin Technical College and as a schoolboy played for Kaikorai Cricket Club where he was coached by Bert Sutcliffe.[3][4] A left-arm "trundler" who could move the ball both ways and "cleverly" varied the pace of his bowling, Woods was considered a schoolboy cricketer of "outstanding promise".[4] Initial working as a draper, he completed his compulsory military training before being asked to play in th New Zealand colts trial match in December 1955.[3]
After taking six wickets for South Island colts in the North Island first innings, he was selected for the Colts side's tour of Australia which took place in early 1956.[3][5] After a "successful" tour[6] and playing for Otago XIs between late 1955 and 1957, and being considered "one of the most successful bowlers in Dunedin senior cricket" during the 1957–58 season,[7] Woods went on to make his first-class debut in December 1958. Once again he took six wickets in the first innings of his representative debut against Canterbury,[3][5] a performance that Christchurch paper The Press labelled "sensational".[8] He played regularly in the Otago First XI for four seasons, making 16 of his 18 first-class appearances between 1958–59 and 1961–62, including playing against touring English sides in both 1958–59 and 1960–61.[3][5]
Bowling off of a short run up, Woods "sort of looped the ball over slowly" and got wickets "with guile, flight and deception".[9] His bowling was often described as "slow-medium" paced,[10] although he was sometimes labelled a "spinner".[11] A final two first-class appearances came in 1965–66. In total Woods took 44 wickets in first-class cricket, with the 6/56 he took on debut his only first-class five-wicket haul. He played Hawke Cup cricket for Central Otago in 1970–71 and 1973–74.[3][5][9]
Woods worked for Arthur Barnett Ltd in Dunedin before moving to Alexandra in South Otago in 1966 and becoming a travel agent. He produced sports reports for radio station 4ZB and the Otago Daily Times. In later life he and his wife lived at Kaka Point where they owned a store, camping ground and post office and helped care for the Māori poet Hone Tuwhare.[3][12]
References[edit]
- ^ "Norman Woods". CricInfo. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
- ^ McCarron A (2010) New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64–2010, p. 142. Cardiff: The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. ISBN 978 1 905138 98 2 (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 5 June 2023.)
- ^ a b c d e f g Hepburn S (2015) South Otago's man for all sport, Otago Daily Times, 11 January 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ a b Outstanding promise of young cricketer, Otago Daily Times, issue 27554, 23 November 1950, p. 10. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 27 February 2024.)
- ^ a b c d Norman Woods, CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 February 2024. (subscription required)
- ^ People in the play, The Press, volume XCIII, issue 27896, 18 February 1956, p. 3. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 27 February 2024.)
- ^ People in the play, The Press, volume XCVI, issue 28436, 16 November 1957, p. 5. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 27 February 2024.)
- ^ Bolton 79, Guy 63 save Canterbury, The Press, volume XCVII, issue 28778, 26 December 1958, p. 13. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 27 February 2024.)
- ^ a b Colbert R (2011) My life with the extremely famous, Otago Daily Times, 9 August 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Otago Shield squad, The Press, volume C, issue 29710, 2 January 1962, p. 7. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 27 February 2024.)
- ^ Dunedin games, The Press, volume CII, issue 30291, 18 November 1963, p. 18. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 27 February 2024.)
- ^ Conway G (2009) Tuwhare's spirit lives on for friends, Otago Daily Times, 17 January 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2024.