Douglas William Bowden (19 July 1927 – 20 January 2021)[1] was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Central Districts in New Zealand from 1950 to 1957.[2]

Doug Bowden
Personal information
Full name
Douglas William Bowden
Born(1927-07-19)19 July 1927
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Died20 January 2021(2021-01-20) (aged 93)
Taupō, New Zealand
BattingLeft-handed
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1950/51–1957/58Central Districts
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 16
Runs scored 475
Batting average 16.96
100s/50s 0/1
Top score 60
Catches/stumpings 9/–
Source: Cricinfo, 2 February 2018

Career

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Bowden was born in Palmerston North and attended Palmerston North Boys' High School, where he captained the first XI in 1945.[1] He opened the batting with Ted Meuli in Central Districts' inaugural first-class match, at the start of the 1950–51 season, but was not successful. He next played in 1953–54, when Central Districts won the Plunket Shield for the first time, then played most of Central Districts' matches until 1957–58. His only fifty came in 1953–54, when he made 60, adding 103 for the second wicket with John Guy, in the victory over Canterbury.[3]

He also played in the Hawke Cup for Manawatu from 1945–46 to 1957–58, and for Bay of Plenty in 1963–64. He set a Manawatu record in a Hawke Cup elimination match in 1953–54 when he scored 234 in 348 minutes to help Manawatu overtake Hawke's Bay's first innings total of 492.[4]

He worked in insurance for North Island Motor Union. He died in Taupō, where he was living with his wife Christina, on 20 January 2021, aged 93.[1] At the time, he was Central Districts' oldest surviving player.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Heagney, George (21 January 2021). "Pioneering CD cricketer Doug Bowden dies after long innings". Stuff. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  2. ^ Booth, Lawrence (1 May 2022). Wisden Cricketer's Almanack (159th Edition). p. 199. ISBN 9781472991102.
  3. ^ "Central Districts v Canterbury 1953–54". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Manawatu v Hawke's Bay 1953–54". CricketArchive. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Farewell to one of our originals". Central Districts Cricket. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
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