New Zealand’s Jock Edwards passes away at 64

Jock Edwards, the former New Zealand cricketer, who’s known for his fearless batting, passed away at the age of 64. The wicketkeeper made his debut for the Black Caps in an ODI against India back in February 1976, but his career could never take off. In the very next year, the Nelson-born forayed into Test cricket. But, after the Kiwis’ home series versus India in 1981, his career came to an end.

In eight Tests and six ODIs, Edwards could manage 377 and 138 runs respectively with three half-centuries. He last donned the national colours in a Test versus India in Christchurch. He had also played 67 first-class matches and 31 one-dayers for his domestic side Central Districts.

After he passed away, the Central Districts Cricket Association posted a heartfelt message on Monday on their official Facebook page. In a social media post, the association wrote, “Jock was a terrific teammate and an entertainer in the game whom we know will be hugely missed”.

Jock Edwards once hit a ball into a lake

Though he didn’t have the greatest of careers, going by numbers, he still managed to grab the headlines. Once he smacked a delivery from Ewen Chatfield into the lake at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth. During an interview back in 2011, Edwards told that some of the coaches tried to rein him in, but he didn’t budge.

“I remember when I opened against India in a one-day international, I was out to Bishen [Singh] Bedi for 41 and Glenn Turner [the other opening batsman] was still on three or four at the other end,” Edwards had said to the Nelson Mail. “I also remember opening with Graeme Lowans against Marlborough and I reached 100 and Graeme was 13,” he stated.

He also shared an incident when he hit one out of the Trafalgar Park in Nelson that ended up in Blenheim. “The ball landed on a TNL truck in Trafalgar St and the driver found it when he got to Spring Creek,” he had mentioned.

During the chat in 2011, he also expressed his desire to play the T20 format. “Yes, very much so. It’s more like a backyard game, I’d have loved it,” he said. Apart from India, Edwards also played against the likes of Australia and India at the highest level.