Barry Sinclair

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Barry Sinclair

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=100%}}

| image = Barry Sinclair MNZM (cropped).jpg

| caption = Sinclair in 2016

| fullname = Barry Whitley Sinclair

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1936|10|23}}

| birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2022|07|10|1936|10|23}}

| height = {{convert|5|ft|3|in|cm|abbr=on}}

| international = true

| internationalspan = 1963–1968

| country = New Zealand

| testdebutagainst = England

| testdebutdate = 23 February

| testdebutyear = 1963

| testcap = 94

| lasttestdate = 7 March

| lasttestagainst = India

| lasttestyear = 1968

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm

| club1 = Wellington

| year1 = {{nowrap|1955/56–1970/71}}

| columns = 3

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 21

| runs1 = 1,148

| bat avg1 = 29.43

| 100s/50s1 = 3/3

| top score1 = 138

| deliveries1 = 60

| wickets1 = 2

| bowl avg1 = 16.00

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 2/32

| catches/stumpings1= 8/–

| column2 = FC

| matches2 = 118

| runs2 = 6,114

| bat avg2 = 32.87

| 100s/50s2 = 6/38

| top score2 = 148

| deliveries2 = 245

| wickets2 = 2

| bowl avg2 = 43.00

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 2/32

| catches/stumpings2= 45/–

| column3 = LA

| matches3 = 5

| runs3 = 118

| bat avg3 = 29.50

| 100s/50s3 = 0/0

| top score3 = 48

| deliveries3 = 0

| wickets3 = –

| bowl avg3 = –

| fivefor3 = –

| tenfor3 = –

| best bowling3 = –

| catches/stumpings3= 0/–

| date = 1 April

| year = 2017

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/38390.html Cricinfo

}}

Barry Whitley Sinclair {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=85%}} (23 October 1936 – 10 July 2022) was a New Zealand cricketer. He played 21 Test matches for New Zealand national team as a specialist batsman from 1962–63 to 1967–68, and captained the team from 1966 to 1968.

Early life

Sinclair was born in Wellington on 23 October 1936.{{cite web|title=Barry Sinclair profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/barry-sinclair-38390|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=11 July 2022}} He attended Rongotai College in his hometown.{{cite news|title=Barry Sinclair cricket biography launched|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/77451498/barry-sinclair-cricket-biography-launched|first=Joseph|last=Romanos|date=3 March 2016|publisher=Stuff|access-date=11 July 2022}} He was first selected to play for Wellington when he was eighteen.{{cite news|title=Cricket: Former New Zealand test captain Barry Sinclair dies aged 85|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/cricket-former-new-zealand-test-captain-barry-sinclair-dies-aged-85/UL4HFS44BMIIHG3KN7YA7K735U/|date=11 July 2022|access-date=11 July 2022|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald}}

Domestic career

Sinclair played for Wellington from 1955–56 to 1970–71. His first century came against Northern Districts in 1963–64, when he made 102 not out, out of a team total of 138 for 5, to take Wellington to a five-wicket victory almost single-handedly.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/26/26585.html Northern Districts v Wellington, 1963–64]. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 27 May 2018. His highest first-class score was 148, captaining Wellington against the Australians in 1966–67, out of a total of 365 for 7 on the first day.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/28/28625.html Wellington v Australians, 1966–67]. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 27 May 2018.

International career

Sinclair scored three of his six first-class centuries in Tests, though never played in a winning Test side. He captained New Zealand in three Tests (the Second and Third Tests against England in 1965–66, and the First Test against India in 1967–68) and also in the four-match series against the visiting Australian team in 1966–67 and on the brief tour to Australia in 1967–68. He retired from international cricket in 1968 to concentrate on work.

Sinclair's highest Test score was 138 against South Africa in Auckland in 1963–64, made in 345 minutes out of a team total of only 263.{{cite web |title=3rd Test, Auckland, March 13 – 17, 1964, South Africa tour of New Zealand |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-tour-of-new-zealand-1963-64-61845/new-zealand-vs-south-africa-3rd-test-62946/full-scorecard |website=Cricinfo |access-date=11 July 2022}} It was the only century by either side in the three-Test series; at the time, it was the highest Test score ever attained by a New Zealander in New Zealand.Wisden 1965, p. 841. He took two Test wickets in ten overs, both against Pakistan in Lahore in 1964–65, after scoring 130 in the first innings.{{cite web |title=2nd Test, Lahore, April 02 – 07, 1965, New Zealand tour of Pakistan |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/new-zealand-tour-of-pakistan-1964-65-62109/pakistan-vs-new-zealand-2nd-test-62975/full-scorecard |website=Cricinfo |access-date=11 July 2022}}

Sinclair's short stature was sometimes exploited by pace bowlers. However, he learned how to handle short-pitched deliveries. He was a neat, tidy batsman notable for his cutting and on-drives. Christopher Martin-Jenkins described him thus: "Fair-haired and one of the smallest cricketers ever to appear [for] New Zealand, Barry Sinclair was a sound and often fluent right-handed batsman with an indomitable spirit and an excellent field at cover."C. Martin-Jenkins, The Complete Who's Who of Test Cricketers, Rigby, Adelaide, 1983, p. 404.

Later life

Sinclair was made the inaugural patron of the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association in 2010.[http://www.procricket.co.nz/nzcpa/President_Named.html NZCPA announces Barry Sinclair in New Patron Role] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114095025/http://www.procricket.co.nz/nzcpa/President_Named.html |date=14 January 2015 }} Retrieved 3 June 2013. Five years later, he was voted a Legend of Wellington Sport. In the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours, Sinclair was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to cricket.{{cite web | url=http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/qb2016-list | title=Queen's 90th birthday honours list 2016 |date=6 June 2016 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=6 June 2016}}

Sinclair died on 10 July 2022 aged 85.