Barry Sinclair

Barry Sinclair
	Sinclair in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Barry Whitley Sinclair
Born	23 October 1936; Wellington, New Zealand
Height	5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Batting	Right-hand bat
Bowling	Right-arm bowler
International information
National side	New Zealand (1963–1968);
Test debut (cap 94)	23 February 1963 v England
Last Test	7 March 1968 v India
Career statistics
	Source: Cricinfo, 1 April 2017

Barry Whitley Sinclair MNZM (born 23 October 1936) is a former New Zealand cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a specialist batsman from 1962–63 to 1967–68. He was educated at Rongotai College in Wellington.^[1]

Domestic career

Sinclair played for Wellington from 1955–56 to 1970–71. His first century came against Northern Districts in 1963–64, when he made 102 not out, out of a team total of 138 for 5, to take Wellington to a five-wicket victory almost single-handedly.^[2] His highest first-class score was 148, captaining Wellington against the Australians in 1966–67, out of a total of 365 for 7 on the first day.^[3]

International career

Sinclair scored three of his six first-class centuries in Tests, though never played in a winning Test side. He captained New Zealand in three Tests (the Second and Third Tests against England in 1965–66, and the First Test against India in 1967–68) and also in the four-match series against the visiting Australian team in 1966–67 and on the brief tour to Australia in 1967–68. He retired from international cricket in 1968 to concentrate on work.^[1]

His highest Test score was 138 against South Africa in Auckland in 1963–64, made in 345 minutes out of a team total of only 263. It was the only century by either side in the three-Test series, and was at the time the highest Test score by a New Zealander in New Zealand.^[4] He took two Test wickets in ten overs, both against Pakistan in Lahore in 1964–65.

Because of his short stature he was sometimes targeted by opposing pace bowlers, but he learned how to handle short-pitched deliveries. He was a neat, tidy batsman notable for his cutting and on-drives.^[1] Christopher Martin-Jenkins described him thus: "Fair-haired and one of the smallest cricketers ever to appear [for] New Zealand, Barry Sinclair was a sound and often fluent right-handed batsman with an indomitable spirit and an excellent field at cover."^[5]

After cricket

In 2010 he was made the inaugural patron of the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association.^[6] In 2015 he was voted a Legend of Wellington Sport.^[1]

In the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours, Sinclair was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to cricket.^[7]

International centuries

Test centuries

Test centuries of Barry Sinclair
No	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year	Result
[1]	138	6	South Africa	Auckland, New Zealand	Eden Park	1964	Drawn
[2]	130	12	Pakistan	Lahore, Pakistan	Gaddafi Stadium	1965	Drawn
[3]	114	19	England	Auckland, New Zealand	Eden Park	1966	Drawn

References

1 2 3 4 Romanos, Joseph (3 March 2016). "Barry Sinclair cricket biography launched". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
↑ Northern Districts v Wellington, 1963–64. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 27 May 2018.
↑ Wellington v Australians, 1966–67. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 27 May 2018.
↑ Wisden 1965, p. 841.
↑ C. Martin-Jenkins, The Complete Who's Who of Test Cricketers, Rigby, Adelaide, 1983, p. 404.
↑ NZCPA announces Barry Sinclair in New Patron Role Archived 14 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
↑ "Queen's 90th birthday honours list 2016". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.