William Cotterill

{{short description|New Zealand cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = William Cotterill

| image =

| caption =

| country = New Zealand

| fullname = William John Cotterill

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1863|3|25|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1946|10|30|1863|3|25|df=yes}}

| death_place = Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand

| family = Arthur Cotterill (brother)
Henry Cotterill (brother)
Edward Cotterill (brother)

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling =

| club1 = Canterbury

| year1 = 1881–82 to 1893–94

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 13

| runs1 = 336

| bat avg1 = 15.27

| 100s/50s1 = 0/1

| top score1 = 74*

| deliveries1 = –

| wickets1 = –

| bowl avg1 = –

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = –

| catches/stumpings1 = 6/0

| date = 1 March 2019

| source = http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/21/21696/21696.html CricketArchive

}}

William John Cotterill (25 March 1863 – 30 October 1946) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1882 to 1894.

William Cotterill was one of the 17 children of the Rev. George Cotterill, who became Canon of Christchurch.{{cite web |title=Person Page – 44790 |url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p44790.htm#i447896 |website=The Peerage |accessdate=7 March 2019}} He and his seven brothers were educated at Christ's College, Christchurch, and five of them played first-class cricket in New Zealand.Greg Ryan, [https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/4691 Where the Game Was Played by Decent Chaps], PhD thesis, University of Canterbury, 1996, p. 147.

Cotterill was a right-handed batsman. He captained the Christ's College cricket team in 1880, scoring 252 runs at an average of 36, which was believed to be the best seasonal batting average by a player at the school to that time.{{cite news | work= Star | date=12 May 1881 | page=3 | title= The past cricket season| url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS18810512.2.20}} His best first-class score was 74 not out in Canterbury's victory over Otago in 1884–85, when the next-highest score in the match was 36. He was the only Canterbury batsman to play the bowling of Frank Cooke (who took 9 for 73) with any success, and was carried shoulder-high to the pavilion when the innings ended.{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/2/2914.html| title = Canterbury v Otago 1884–85| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =1 March 2019}}{{cite news | work= Lyttelton Times | date=29 December 1884 | page=5 | title= Interprovincial match| url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18841229.2.27}}

Cotterill moved from Christchurch to Invercargill in 1892 in his work for the New Zealand Shipping Company.{{cite news | work= Otago Witness | date=29 September 1892 | page=30 | title= Cricket| url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW18920929.2.77}} In 1896 he moved to Timaru to take up the position of Timaru manager for the company.{{cite news | work= Timaru Herald | date=20 July 1896 | page=2 | title= Town & Country| url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD18960720.2.10}} He retired from the position in 1920 after 39 years with the company.{{cite news | work= Timaru Herald | date=11 March 1920 | page=7 | title= Personal| url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19200311.2.34}} While in the position he also performed "with tact and ability" as chairman of the local Wharf Labourers' Dispute Committee.{{cite news | work= Timaru Herald | date=8 June 1920 | page=5 | title= Valedictory: Mr. W. J. Cotterill: Watersiders' appreciation| url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19200608.2.16}}

Cotterill died in Timaru in October 1946, aged 83. His wife Maud predeceased him.{{cite journal |title=Deaths |journal=Press |date=31 October 1946 |page=1 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19461031.2.2.3}}