Cricket: One of its top servants dies

By D. J. CAMERON

Gordon Burgess, an outstanding and widely respected Auckland and New Zealand cricket administrator over the past 40 years, has died, aged 81.

Burgess was a delegate, chairman, president and life member of the Auckland Cricket Association and delegate to, president and life member of the New Zealand Cricket Council.

The competition from outstanding batsmen and his Army duties in the Second World War allowed Burgess only a brief first-class cricketing career, spanning seven Auckland matches between 1940 and 1954.

Yet in administration, he made an international impact far greater than he might have achieved as a player, or as father of Mark Burgess, one of the most gifted post-war Auckland and New Zealand cricketers and a national soccer representative.

When New Zealand won their first test, against the West Indies at Eden Park in 1956, Burgess, a most promising Auckland Cricket Association administrator, was manager of the New Zealand side.

Thirteen years later, he was again the New Zealand manager when the New Zealanders beat Pakistan 1-0 in a three-test series, and gained New Zealand's first test rubber win.

The final act of the drama had a special Burgess touch. New Zealand, 17 ahead on the first innings, collapsed on the last day and at 101 for eight and with four-and-a-half hours to play faced a defeat which would have rubbed out the glory of a series win.

Then Mark Burgess and his Auckland team-mate Bob Cunis held together in a 96-run partnership for the ninth wicket, undeterred by 40,000 furious Pakistani spectators. Burgess reached 119 not out, Cunis a dogged 23, the draw was gained, the test rubber won.

Later that night, Gordon Burgess and his room-mate, Dick Brittenden, the eminent New Zealand cricket writer, took turns at reading and rereading the scorebook, their eyesight evidently improved by a steady application of gin.

Burgess started his senior cricket with the Eden club in 1935, and moved on to the Auckland Cricket Association management committee in 1957, later filling the positions of chairman, president, life member and, at the time of his death, patron.

He became a board member of the New Zealand Cricket Council in 1962, president from 1978 to 1981, was made a life member in 1981 and an OBE for services to cricket in 1989.

Eden Park became his spiritual home. He was for 17 years a member of the park board of control and, from 1978 to 1999, a member of the Eden Park Trust Board, and a strong protector of the park's tradition as home for cricket and rugby.

Meticulous and conscientious in his administrative work, he could also be forthright when needed. In 1972 Burgess was made an honorary member of the MCC, an honour more often bestowed on international players.

He is survived by his wife, June, sons Mark and Paul, and daughter Libby.