A CRICKETER’S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 22106, 13 August 1935, Page 13

A CRICKETER’S DEATH

FORMER OTAGO CAPTAIN M A. E. GEDDES’S CAREER News of the sudden death yesterday of Air A. E. Geddes, ouo of Otago’s best-known cricketers of more than 30 years ago, came as a shock to the sporting community, and his passing was all the more tragic because of the fact that his son, A. 11. Geddes, is at present in Australia as a member of the New Zealand cross-country team. Mr Geddes, who was 63 years of ago, was one of the most stylish left-hand batsmen of his day, and also a most effective left-hand leg-break bowler. With the Dunedin ami Albion Cricket Clubs he rendered good service, and he also played many fine innings lor Otago. Mis bowling figures were often really striking, and as a captain he was so highly thought of that one season, when ho was playing second grade cricket, he was called upon to lead the Otago representative eleven. Like many other good’Otago cricketers, Mr Albert Geddes was Australianborn, and before coming to New Zealand ho played much cricket on the other side, and also took part in the Australian code of football. He was a member- of the Arlington Cricket Club in Melbourne, and played in the local district cricket competition in_ Hawthorn. Although he was only 16 years of ago at the time, he headed the batting averages for the whole competition. . . .

Later Mr Geddes was given an invitation to join the famous Melbourne Cricket Club, but as he went to the country about that time he did not have the opportunity of taking part in first-class cricket in Melbourne. He coached and played for the Beechworth Club, near the New South Wales border, and also played Australian football with the Beechworth Wanderers, whom ho captained. He also captained a team called Yackandandah. He established a rather unique record in that he captained the Beechworth Cricket Club and the two football clubs referred to during one year, in which none of the three teams suffered defeat. From Beechworth Mr Geddes went to Western Australia and captained East Perth in senior cricket, and in a (match against Australia he made a score of 124 not out. After two years in Western Australia he came to Dunedin in 1898 and joined the Dunedin Cricket Club. He played for Dunedin for two or three seasons, and in one of his first games here scored 135 against Grange, the innings being described as a polished effort. •

Prom Dunedin Mr Geddes went to Albion, and later he played for Port Chalmers in junior grade cricket for two or three seasons while living there, being the first man to make a century on the Port Chalmers ground, his score of 103 not out being put together against a Dunedin team. While still playing junior cricket he had the distinction one season of captaining Otago in all its representative matches. He made Ins first appearance for Otago in 1898, and against Southland took six wickets for 14 runs and one for 7. In the return game at Dunedin Geddes took five for IS. In the 18991900 season he headed the Otago batting averages, compiling 123 runs with an average of 20, Mr Geddes captained Otago in one memorable match against Canterbury at Hagley Park. On a perfect wicket Otago failed unaccountably and was dismissed for 127. Canterbury did still worse, however., and was out for 67. In the second innings, however, Otago made 248, Geddes and •G. G. Austin helping to break the_ back of the Canterbury bowling while they were at the wickets for two hours, though they made only 11 and 26 respectively. The match ended in Canterbury’s defeat by 135 runs, R. Wilkie making 73. for Otago. In a match with the Melbourne Cricket Club Geddes brought off a great catch to dismiss the late Harry Graham before he had scored. Geddes also caught Graham in the sepond innings after he had made 42, and he himself compiled 40 in the second innings. Playing for an Otago thirteen against the first New Zealand team to tour Australia, ho made 30. In the 1900-01 season he was associated in an opening stand of 236 with J. Baker against Hawke’s Bay, Baker giving a faultless exhibition for 103, while Geddes made 77.

Mr Geddes played full-hack for Port Chalmers in junior Rugby for two or three seasons, and subsequently played an occasional game of Rugby and cricket in Southland. In more recent years he took a keen interest in amateur athletics, in which his son has won high honours. Ho was a vice-presi-dent of Civil Service Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club at the time of his death, and in this sport, as in all others with which he was associated, he showed a ready spirit of helpfulness and co-operation. , He was a man who was greatly admired for his sterling qualities as a sportsman and a citizen, and to his widow and family of two sons sympathy will be extended in their bereavement.