John Hugh Phillipps CBE (born Auckland, 1 January 1898, died Wellington, New Zealand, 8 June 1977) was a New Zealand cricket administrator. He managed the New Zealand cricket team's tours of England in 1949 and 1958, and the MCC's tour of New Zealand in 1960-61.[1]
Life and career
editPhillipps served as a rifleman with the New Zealand forces in the First World War,[2] and in the Transport Corps in the Second World War as a lieutenant colonel. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1946 New Year Honours.[3]
Of his management of the 1949 team, Wisden commented: "No more efficient or courteous manager of a touring side can be imagined than Mr J.H. Phillipps."[4] He also played in the two-day match against Durham but did not bat or bowl.[5]
A benefit match for him was played in Wellington in December 1956, between Wellington and "J.H. Phillipps' XI", a team of players from the 1949 touring team. It was regarded as a first-class match at the time but was later downgraded by the New Zealand authorities,[6] perhaps because many of the Phillipps XI had by that time retired from first-class cricket.[7]
Phillipps worked for the Shell company in New Zealand for 35 years. He retired in December 1957, at which time he was staff manager.[8] He was also the chairman of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation's central advisory program, and was the first executive of Outward Bound New Zealand.[9]
After the ill-will caused during the MCC's tour of New Zealand in 1958-59, an MCC tour of New Zealand by a young side of Test aspirants was organised for the 1960–61 season, captained by the diplomatic Dennis Silk and managed by Phillipps.[10]
Phillipps was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1960 New Year Honours.[11] On 5 July 1960 he was one of 63 administrators and former players from overseas countries to be invited to become honorary life members of the MCC.[12]
His brief Wisden obituary described him as "a man universally loved and respected".[1] The Press in Christchurch described him as "efficient, confident, quick-minded and a fluent speaker".[9]
He is the grandfather of Martin Phillipps, founder of the New Zealand band The Chills.
References
edit- ^ a b Wisden 1978, p. 1080.
- ^ "John Hugh Phillipps". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 9 July 2022 – via Online Cenotaph.
- ^ Julia Millen, Salute to Service: A History of the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport and Its Predecessors, Victoria University Press, Wellington, 1997, p. 423.
- ^ Reg Hayter, "New Zealanders in England, 1949", Wisden 1950, p. 211.
- ^ "Durham v New Zealanders 1949". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "Wellington v J.H. Phillipps' XI 1956-57". CricketArchive. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "Martin Donnelly – Summer sun on a winter's day" by Trevor Chesterfield on Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ^ "Personal Items". Press: 12. 7 December 1957.
- ^ a b "N.Z. cricket personality dies". Press: 6.
- ^ D. J. Cameron, "Obituary: Colin Cowdrey", New Zealand Herald, 9 December 2000. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 January 1960, p. 42 Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- ^ "M.C.C. Honour Overseas Cricketers", Wisden 1961, p. 553.