Graham Dowling

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Graham Dowling

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

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Graham Thorne Dowling

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|3|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand

| international = true

| internationalspan = 1961–1972

| country = New Zealand

| testdebutagainst = South Africa

| testdebutdate = 26 December

| testdebutyear = 1961

| testcap = 93

| lasttestdate = 9 March

| lasttestagainst = West Indies

| lasttestyear = 1972

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium

| club1 = Canterbury

| year1 = {{nowrap|1958/59–1971/72}}

| columns = 3

| column1 = Test

| matches1 = 39

| runs1 = 2,306

| bat avg1 = 31.16

| 100s/50s1 = 3/11

| top score1 = 239

| deliveries1 = 36

| wickets1 = 1

| bowl avg1 = 19.00

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 1/19

| catches/stumpings1= 23/–

| column2 = FC

| matches2 = 158

| runs2 = 9,399

| bat avg2 = 34.94

| 100s/50s2 = 16/44

| top score2 = 239

| deliveries2 = 656

| wickets2 = 9

| bowl avg2 = 42.00

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 3/100

| catches/stumpings2= 111/–

| column3 = LA

| matches3 = 5

| runs3 = 163

| bat avg3 = 32.60

| 100s/50s3 = 0/1

| top score3 = 87

| deliveries3 = 32

| wickets3 = 0

| bowl avg3 = –

| fivefor3 = –

| tenfor3 = –

| best bowling3 = –

| catches/stumpings3= 2/–

| date = 1 April

| year = 2017

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/36837.html Cricinfo

}}

Graham Thorne Dowling {{post-nominals|country=NZL|OBE|size=85%}} (born 4 March 1937) is a former cricketer who played 39 Test matches for New Zealand and captained the national team in 19 of those matches. He led New Zealand to its first victory in a Test series, against Pakistan in November 1969. He was a specialist right-handed batsman who usually opened the innings. After his playing career, he became an administrator.

Domestic career

Dowling captained Canterbury from 1962–63 to 1971–72. He led Canterbury to victory in New Zealand's inaugural one-day competition in 1971–72, when he won the Man of the Match award in both the semi-final and the final.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/3/New_Zealand_Motor_Corporation_Knockout_Tournament_1971-72.html| title = New Zealand Motor Corporation Knockout Tournament 1971/72| publisher = CricketArchive|url-access=subscription | access-date =17 May 2018}}

International career

Dowling captained the New Zealand Test team in 19 consecutive matches from 1968 to 1972. He led New Zealand to its first Test victories over India and Pakistan.

His finest moment came at Christchurch in 1967–68 when he made a nine-hour 239 that led to New Zealand's first victory against India.Wisden 1969, pp. 855–56. It was his first match as captain, and he was the only player to score a double century on his captaincy debut until the feat was equalled by Shivnarine Chanderpaul against South Africa in 2005. At the time, his 239 was the highest Test score for New Zealand. Nevertheless, New Zealand lost the two remaining Tests of the series to go down 1–3.

Dowling led New Zealand in 12 Tests in 1969, including three victories. They beat West Indies in Wellington in March, and shared the three-Test series 1–1.R. T. Brittenden, "West Indies in New Zealand, 1968-69", Wisden 1970, pp. 903–12. On a long nine-Test tour from June to November, they lost to England 0–2, shared the series with India 1–1, then beat Pakistan 1–0, New Zealand's first victory in a Test series.Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, pp. 387–415.

He lost the middle finger of his left hand in 1970 after suffering an injury on the brief tour to Australia in 1969–70.Andy Quick, "Look Out Australia", Australian Cricket, January 1971, p. 47. On the tour to the West Indies in 1971–72 he suffered a back injury and had to return home after the Second Test. It was his last first-class match.

After cricket

Dowling was a partner in an accounting firm, which enabled him to arrange his work around his absences playing cricket.{{cite news |last1=Monga |first1=Sidharth |title=Cricket can teach you all about life |url=https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/532736/-cricket-can-teach-you-all-about-life |access-date=30 August 2023 |work=The Cricket Monthly |date=4 October 2011}}

Dowling was CEO of New Zealand Cricket. In the 1987 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to cricket.{{London Gazette |issue=50766 |date=31 December 1986 |page=34 |supp=3}} He was also an ICC match referee from 1995 to 2008, officiating in nine Tests and 16 one-day international matches.{{cite news |last1=Mukherjee |first1=Abhishek |title=Graham Dowling: Of leadership, diligence, and courage |url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/graham-dowling-of-leadership-diligence-and-courage-121422 |access-date=30 August 2023 |work=Cricket Country |date=5 March 2017}}