Verdun Scott

Verdun Scott
Personal information
Full name Verdun John Scott
Born 31 July 1916
Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand
Died 2 August 1980(1980-08-02) (aged 64)
Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand
Playing information
Position Utility Back
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
North Shore
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Auckland
1939 New Zealand 1

Verdun John Scott (31 July 1916 – 2 August 1980) was a sportsman who represented New Zealand in both Test cricket and rugby league. As of 2012 he is the only player to have done so.[1]

Rugby league career

Scott began playing rugby league in the mid 1930s, favouring league over soccer where he had previously represented "Auckland B".[2] In league Scott quickly made the Auckland rugby league team and in 1939 was selected for the New Zealand Kiwis touring squad to England. He played in one Test match before the start of World War II cut short the tour. He was one of five players who did not play in the two club matches the Kiwis played before the tour was cancelled.[1]

World War II

Verdun Scott
Cricket information
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm bowler
International information
National side
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 10 80
Runs scored 458 5620
Batting average 28.62 49.73
100s/50s 0/3 16/23
Top score 84 204
Balls bowled 18 738
Wickets - 10
Bowling average - 27.10
5 wickets in innings - 0
10 wickets in match - 0
Best bowling - 3/22
Catches/stumpings 7/- 42/-
Source: CricketArchive

During the Second World War, Scott served in Egypt and Italy.[1] After the War, Scott was part of the North Shore Albions side that won the Auckland Rugby League's Roope Rooster and Stormont Shield in 1945.[3]

Cricket career

A burly and upright right-handed opening batsman with little or no backlift, Scott started his cricketing career by scoring a century on first-class debut for Auckland versus Canterbury in 1937-38. He made his Test debut against Australia in the match arranged after the Second World War in March 1946 and was top scorer in the first innings with 14 out of a total of just 42. New Zealand totalled just 96 runs in the two completed innings.

He was one of the more reliable batsmen on the New Zealand tour of England in 1949, and played in all four Tests. Though his top score in these games was only 60, he and left-handed opening partner Bert Sutcliffe gave the touring team a solid start in three matches, with partnerships of 122, 89 and 121. He later played in home Tests against England and the West Indies, reserving his best Test performance for his last game, when he made 84 out of New Zealand total of 160 in reply to the West Indies 546 for six wickets, a four-hour innings that took up enough time for bad light and rain to come to his side's rescue. In all, he played ten Tests for New Zealand.

Scott played for Auckland from 1937-38 to 1952-53. He was a prolific scorer in Plunket Shield cricket, and in all first-class cricket averaged only just under 50 runs per innings. His highest score was 204 against Otago in 1947-48.

Scott died at Devonport, New Zealand on 2 August 1980.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Coffey and Wood The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League ISBN 1-86971-090-8
  2. ↑ Outstanding in three sports North Shore Times Advertiser, 19 July 1979
  3. ↑ Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009, 2009. ISBN 978-1-86969-366-4, p.130.


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