DEATH OF MR D. REESE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27065, 13 June 1953, Page 8

DEATH OF MR D. REESE

BUSINESSMAN AND CRICKETER Mr Dan Reese, one of Canterbury’s best-known businessmen and cricketers, died in Christchurch yesterday. He was 74 years of age. Mr Reese was a former New Zealand cricket captain, and a leading cricket administrator. Mr Reese was born at Christchurch in 1879. Both his parents had migrated to New Zealand from Lanark, Scotland. He was educated at the Christchurch West High School and the Canterbury University College School of Engineering. In 1894 he began his career as an apprentice with Andersons, Ltd., and in 1900 went to Melbourne, where he took up a draughtsman’s position in an engineering office. He went to England in 1903, and after

spending three years as a marine engineer in the Far East, West Indies, American-Canadian coastal and transAtlantic trades, obtained his chief engineer’s certificate in England in 1906. Mr Reese returned to New Zealand ; in 1907 and joined his brother, Mr T. ; W. Reese, in the business that has L since been carried on under the name ; of Reese Brothers, Ltd. Mr Reese was interested in a sawmilling venture at Port Craig, at the extreme south of the South Island, and was also a shipowner. From 1931 ■ to 1934 he was a member of the Government Railways Board. He was also a director of the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company. In 1948 Mr Reese wrote a book, “Was • It All Cricket,” which dealt with his business and sporting reminiscences. Career aa Cricketer Mr Reese was regarded as one of the best all-rounders and captains New Zealand has produced. A slow lefthand bowler t a polished batsman, and a splendid field, particularly in his earlier cricket days. he led Canterbury and New Zealand teams with outstanding success. His career in first-class cricket began when he was only 16, in 1895-96. In the following season he made 96 in a match against Wellington, and from that time his success was consistent, and often spectacular. He made many scores of over 50, and frequently took five or six wickets in an innings. In 1898-99, he went to Australia with a New Zealand team, and he made 88 in the match against Victoria. In New Zealand in the 1902-03 season, Mr Reese scored 111 for Canterbury against a strong English team, and against the same side scored 148 for New Zealand. He was lost to New Zealand cricket for several years because of his departure for overseas, but on his return he again became one of-the country’s leading players. In 1909-10 he scored 108 for Canterbury and 69 not out for New Zealand against a visiting Australian team, and he played a leading role, with scores of 80 and 67 not out, in* a dramatic and successful challenge by Canterbury for the Plunket Shield, against Auckland, in 1910-11. Two years later he made another century against a South Melbourne team, and in 1913-14 he led a New Zealand team to Australia. His batting was a feature of the tour. He made 47 and 12 against Victoria and 96 and 130 not out against South Australia. Against Queensland, his bowling was splendid—seven for 53 in the first innings, two for 15 in the second. When he was in England, Mr Reese played with the London City and Essex teams, and took part in matches under the captaincy of Dr. Grace. Mr Reese played little cricket after the First World War, but he played a full part in the administration of the game and he was an interested spectator at matches at Lancaster Park up to last season.

In his first-class career in New Zealand, and for New Zealand teams overseas, Mr Reese scored more than 3000 runs and took more than 200 wickets. ►

Mr Reese was a member of the Lancaster Park Board of Control from 1907 to 1921, and of the Canterbury Cricket Association from 1907 to 1912. For 21 years, from 1908 to 1929, he was a member of the executive cf the New Zealand Cricket Council, president of the Canterbury, association for many years, and was twice president of the New Zealand Cricket Council. Mr Reese was also a prominent Rugby football player. A centre threequarters, he represented Canterbury on several occasions.

His brother, Mr T. W. Reese, who was the first senior monitor at the Christchurch Boys’ High School, and New Zealand’s first cricket historian and statistician, died several years ago.