FRANK WILLIAMS DEAD

Evening Star, Issue 25845, 16 July 1946, Page 4

FRANK WILLIAMS DEAD

WELL-KNOWN CRICKET PERSONALITY

Mr Frank Williams, who died to-day. was well-known in the cricket 'world throughout New Zealand as a player, selector, and umpire. For 11 years, from 1898 to 1909, be kept wickets for Otago, and the quality of his work was revealed in the large number x»f batsmen whom he had helped to dismiss and in the small number qf extras he had allowed He had po pre-

tensions to being a good batsman, but as a “ tail-ender ” he occasionally hit up a useful score in the characteristically breezy manner which won him the nickname of "Hash.” He succeeded W. Hay don and A. G. Rains as Otago "’keeper,” and , his contemporaries in representative cricket included A. Downes, A H Fisher, H. G- Siedeberg, and G. G. Austin It was in 1901) that J. W Condliffe, who was a good batsman, cjime into the Otago eleven as wicketkeeper, to stay there until he returned to Wellington some-years later. Frank Williams " kept ” for Albion in .' club matches for over 20 years, and was one of that old club’s well-remembered personalities, ; He was a member of the Otago' Cricket Association; committee for a period, was for several seasons a selector—sometimes sole selector— of Otago teams, and was one of the selec-' tors who chose the two New Zealand teams which have toured England. He also officiated as umpire in olnb and representative matches after giving up active participation in the game. In addition t,o being a first-class player, Frank 'Williams was a thorough sportsman, always popular am6ngst*his fellowplayers and. with the public. In la to years he was an active member of the l gt. Kilda Bowling Club. Formerly engaged in the tailoring .business in DunI edin, Mr Williams retired some years 'ago. ,