Lance Pearson

{{Short description|New Zealand cricketer and basketball player (1937–2019)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2016}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Lance Pearson

| image =

| country = New Zealand

| fullname = Launcelot Robert Pearson

| birth_date = {{birth date|1937|1|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|7|20|1937|1|1|df=yes}}

| death_place = Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm off break

| role = Batsman

| club1 = Otago

| year1 = {{nowrap|1961/62–1970/71}}

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 31

| runs1 = 1,348

| bat avg1 = 23.64

| 100s/50s1 = 1/6

| top score1 = 140

| deliveries1 = 116

| wickets1 = 1

| bowl avg1 = 70.00

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 1/6

| catches/stumpings1 = 26/–

| date = 15 October

| year = 2019

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/38183.html ESPNcricinfo

}}

Launcelot Robert Pearson (1 January 1937 – 20 July 2019){{cite web |title=Launcelot Robert Pearson (Lance) |url=https://tributes.co.nz/ViewMyTribute.aspx?id=14552 |website=Tributes Online |accessdate=15 October 2019}} was a New Zealand cricketer and basketballer.

Pearson was born at Dunedin in 1937 and educated at King's High School in the city.McCarron A (2010) New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64–2010, p. 105. Cardiff: The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. {{isbn|978 1 905138 98 2}} ([https://archive.acscricket.com/cricketers_series/new_zealand_cricketers_1863-64_2010/index.html Available online] at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 5 June 2023.) He played 31 first-class matches for Otago between the 1961–62 and 1970–71 seasons.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/38183.html |title=Lance Pearson |accessdate=21 May 2016 |work=ESPNCricinfo}} An opening batsman, his highest score, and only first-class century, was 140 in Otago's victory over Auckland in 1969–70.{{cite web |title=Otago v Auckland 1969–70 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/30/30613.html |website=CricketArchive |accessdate=15 October 2019}} In the first match of the senior club season in Dunedin in 1966–67, he scored 203 for Kaikorai in just over three hours, with 20 fours and 13 sixes.{{cite journal |title=13 Sixes Included In Double Century |journal=Press |date=17 October 1966 |page=16 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19661017.2.176}}

Pearson was prominent in basketball in Otago for most of his life as a player, coach and administrator. He captained Otago to national titles in 1968 and 1970. He was made a life member of Basketball Otago in 2019.{{cite news |last1=Cheshire |first1=Jeff |title=Pearson huge influence both on and off court |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/basketball/pearson-huge-influence-both-and-court |accessdate=15 October 2019 |work=Otago Daily Times |date=2 July 2019}} Pearson died later in the year at Dunedin. He was aged 82.