CRICKETER DIES IN WELLINGTON

Southland Times, Issue 24273, 2 November 1940, Page 6

CRICKETER DIES IN WELLINGTON

MR J. S. HIDDLESTON FIRST CAME TO NOTICE IN INVERCARGILL One of Wellington’s best-known business men and sportsmen, Mr John Sydney Hiddleston, died suddenly in Wellington on Wednesday morning. Mr Hiddleston underwent an operation for hernia last week, and, although he recovered well, he suddenly collapsed on Wednesday. A son of Mrs Hiddleston, Palmerston North, and the late Mr J. F. C. Hiddleston, Mr Hiddleston was born in Southland 50 years ago. He began his business career with the Invercargill branch of Sargood, Son and Ewen Ltd., ana later served with the Dunedin and Wellington branches of the firm. Wellington he occupied a position as buyer for the clothing department of the firm.

He later entered business on his own account in Wellington as a manufacturers’ representative, and was connected with several Yorkshire concerns, as well as others in England and on the Contment, dealing mostly in woollens and silk piece goods. He was a member of the United Kingdom Manufacturers’ Association and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

As a boy, Mr Hiddleston’s outstanding ability as a cricketer in Invercargill attracted the attention of Mr C. G. Wilson, then manager of the Invercargill branch of Sargood, Son and Ewen Ltd., and Mr Wilson had much to do with developing the youth into one of New Zealand’s foremost cricketers. He early gained a place in the Otago Plunket Shield XI, but it was as a member of the Wellington representative team that he scored his greatest triumphs in Shield matches as a batsman. In all, he scored no fewer than eight centuries in Plunket Shield matches, two of them being double centuries in the one season. He played with the Wellington Cricket Club, and for several years was a fine all-round player, as he could bowl a useful slow off-break as well as run up long scores with the bat. CONSISTENT BATSMAN What a consistent batsman Mr Hiddleston was for Wellington is proved by the fact that in 46 innings in Shield games, once not out, he aggregated 2523 runs, at the splendid average of 56.06. Both in the 1923-24 and the 1925-26 seasons he aggregated over 500 runs. His eight centuries in Shield matches were compiled as follows: Against Auckland, 204, 163, 144; against Otago, 150, 121, 118; against Canterbury, 212, 114. That he was a useful bowler _ is proved by the fact that in Shield matches he took 45 wickets for Wellington for 868 runs, at an average of 19.68. His best bowling performance was eight for 59 against Canterbury in the 1918-19 season. Against the Australian team in 1921 he scored 46 and 38 at Wellington, and 17 and 67 at Auckland. Against ’ the English teams he scored 5, 38, 38 and 17; against the New South Wales team in 1924 he scored 23 and 27 for Wellington; and against the Melbourne Club team in 1927 he scored 84 and 35. On his retirement from cricket, Mr Hiddleston took up golf, and made such rapid strides at the game that he soon won a low handicap, and proved himself a good match player for the Manor Park Club, and later for the Miramar Club. Mr Hiddleston is survived by his wife and daughter, Mrs John Groves, Bush Grove, Masterton, as well as by his mother; two sisters, Mrs Frank Reynolds, of Masterton, and Mrs Owen Davies, of Christchurch; and a brother, Mr T. C. Hiddleston, Palmertson North.