Cricket: NZ tormentor from 26-all out dies

Yorkshireman Bob Appleyard. Photo / Getty Images.

An English spinner inextricably linked with one of New Zealand cricket's grimmest days has died.

Yorkshireman Bob Appleyard, who was 90, was limited by ill health and injury to nine tests in the mid-1950s, in which he took 31 wickets at just 17.8 apiece.

But he will be remembered in New Zealand for his part in the test at Eden Park in March 1955, when New Zealand were dismissed for a still-world record low of 26 in their second innings.

Appleyard took four for seven - seven for 45 in the match - as New Zealand were rolled in 27 overs, to lose the test by an innings and 20 runs.

Appleyard bowled offspin at a brisk pace, was noted for his accuracy and, in favourable conditions, was regarded as often near unplayable. He took 708 first-class wickets at an outstanding 15.48, despite playing only five full English county seasons.

In the Eden Park test he was twice on a hat-trick, once in each innings, both times dismissing Tony MacGibbon and Ian Colquhoun in successive balls, and both times denied the hat-trick by legspinner Alec Moir.

Appleyard's career was cut short by tuberculosis and a chronic shoulder injury. His personal life was marked by repeat tragedies. At 13 his younger sister died of diptheria, two years later his father, step mother and two younger sisters were found gassed in the bathroom of their house, and later a son and grandson both died at an early age of leukaemia.

When New Zealand's second innings began, they trailed England by just 46 and having lost the first test in Dunedin by eight wickets, there were hopes of setting England a reasonable target.Instead, four batsmen made ducks, three others made one. Bert Sutcliffe got 11 and Geoff Rabone made 7.

England were a particularly formidable side, having just retained the Ashes in Australia, and boasted celebrated batsmen including captain Len Hutton, Peter May, Tom Graveney and Colin Cowdrey, while the bowling was spearheaded by speedster Frank Tyson and Brian Statham.

Four years ago Australia were 21 for nine against South Africa at Cape Town.
However they escaped the ignominy of taking over one of cricket's most unwanted records when Nathan Lyon and Peter Siddle added 26 for the final wicket.