Charles Boxshall (7 July 1862 – 13 November 1924) was an Australian-born New Zealand wicket-keeper who played first-class cricket from 1898 to 1915, and played 12 times for New Zealand in the days before New Zealand played Test cricket.
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Charles Boxshall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 July 1862 Brighton, Victoria, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 13 November 1924 (aged 62) Balmain, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1897/98–1914/15 | Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 19 November 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Early life and career
editBoxshall was one of the seven sons (and three daughters) of Thomas Boxshall, who was foreman of the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne.[1] He played club cricket in Melbourne before moving to Christchurch in the late 1890s. He made his first-class debut for Canterbury in February 1898 at the age of 35, opening the batting and top-scoring with 25 in his first innings.[2] In two matches in 1898-99 he made six stumpings off five different Canterbury bowlers.
Playing for New Zealand
editAfter those three matches Boxshall was selected to tour Australia with the New Zealand team in 1898-99 when Arnold Williams was unavailable.[3] He became the regular New Zealand wicket-keeper, playing in 12 of New Zealand's next 14 matches. His last matches for New Zealand came on the tour of Australia in 1913-14, when at 51 he was still the country's first choice as wicket-keeper. He was replaced later that season, when Australia toured New Zealand, by James Condliffe.
"Short and rotund," said Dick Brittenden, "he wore an ample white moustache, but as a wicket-keeper he was incredibly quick, so quick that there were some who said he could not do what he did and do it legally. A left-hander and a willing hitter, he was always given a tremendous reception when he came out to bat."[4] He often made useful runs in the lower order. In 1902–03, when Lord Hawke's XI thrashed South Island by an innings and 130 runs, Boxshall top-scored in each innings for South Island, with 15 and 40.[5] In 1908–09 against Otago, after Canterbury had lost their first nine wickets for 108, he came in at number 11 and put on 98 for the last wicket with Sydney Orchard.[6] He retired from first-class cricket in March 1915 at the age of 52.[7]
Although he did not begin his first-class career until he was 35, Boxshall became the first cricketer to play 50 first-class matches for a New Zealand provincial side.[8] He is also the oldest New Zealand first-class player, at 52 years 189 days on the last day of his last match.[9]
Later life
editIn New Zealand, Boxshall ran the Booklovers' Library in Christchurch's Cathedral Square.[10] When he returned to Australia in the early 1920s he lived in Sydney and had business interests in New Guinea oil.[11]
An obituary appreciation in the Christchurch Evening Post said he was "the most brilliant wicket-keeper ever seen in New Zealand, being quite as good as any man who has toured here with overseas teams".[12] In 1936 the New Zealand cricket historian Tom Reese declared that Boxshall was the greatest New Zealand wicket-keeper.[13]
References
edit- ^ The Australasian, 29 November 1924, p. 33.
- ^ Canterbury v Otago 1897-98
- ^ Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, p. 40.
- ^ R.T. Brittenden, Great Days in New Zealand Cricket, A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, 1958, p. 35.
- ^ "South Island v Lord Hawke's XI 1902-03". Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ^ Otago v Canterbury 1908-09
- ^ "Charles Boxshall Retires". Free Lance: 20. 13 March 1915.
- ^ Francis Payne & Ian Smith, eds, 2021 New Zealand Cricket Almanack, Upstart Press, Takapuna, 2021, p. 24.
- ^ Payne & Smith, p. 370.
- ^ The Press, 24 November 1924, p. 10.
- ^ The Referee, 3 December 1924, p. 12.
- ^ The Evening Post, 29 November 1924, p. 19.
- ^ "The Best N.Z. Eleven: Mr. T. W. Reese's choice". Press: 3. 3 April 1937.