Versatile sportsman

Press, 18 July 1984, Page 46

Versatile sportsman

One of Otago’s sporting personalities has died. Ron Silver, an opening bowler for the Otago Plunket Shield team in 13 matches between 1935-36 and 1945-46, and an Otago rugby full-back 16 times, was 75 when he died at Dunedin.

He belonged to the Union rugby club and played his cricket for Albion. He was in Christchurch briefly during the Second World War. In 1941 he played a few games for. the Army side, which included two All Blacks, Fred Allen and Jack Rankin. Against Wigram in the senior championship Silver converted five tries, and he had four conversions against Linwood. Silver played 14 firstclass cricket matches in all, taking 49 wickets at 27.2 runs each. He had a spectacular contribution to Otago’s cricket match with Wellington in the 1945-46 season. He took four for 83 as Wellington totalled 322 in the first innings of the game. Otago, was 153 for nine wickets when Silver came out to join Lankford Smith. Silver made 27 not out in this lastditch stand of 84, which took Otago to 237.It was all Silver after that. He took six for 20 when Wellington was bundled out for 42, and Otago won the match by seven wickets.