Douglas Stuart St John (26 February 1928 – 11 July 1992) was a New Zealand sportsman who played field hockey for the New Zealand national team[1] and first class cricket for Otago and Wellington between the 1946–47 and 1956–57 seasons. A right-handed batsman, St. John played 34 first-class matches, scoring 1,236 runs at 20.94 with five half-centuries.[2][3]
St. John made his debut on 1 January 1947, against Auckland. Batting at six for Otago, he scored 28 and 31, and took two catches but could not stave off a one wicket defeat.[6] He went on to play two more matches that season; scoring eight and eight not out against Wellington on 31 January,[7] six and 25 in a drawn game against the Marylebone Cricket Club on 25 March.[8] He ended his first season with 106 runs from three matches at 21.20, with a best of 31.[9]
At the start of the next season, St. John scored 85 and five not out against Wellington on Christmas Day.[10] He would go on to play five matches in total, scoring a career-best 278 runs at 34.75, with two half centuries.[9] He was selected to play for South Island in the match against North Island at the end of the season, scoring 47 and 63.[11] His batting and sharp fielding in the match were noted, and he was named alongside John Reid as a promising player who might be selected to tour England in 1949.[12]
He struggled with the bat during the next few seasons, scoring only 102 runs during 1948/49 at 20.40 with a best of 53, and 117 during 1950/51 at 16.71, followed by 92 runs at 13.13 and 146 runs at 18.25 during his first two seasons at Wellington.[9] He improved, however, during the 1954/55 season, where he scored 213 runs at 21.30, including a career-best 88 in 116 minutes against Central Districts on 7 January 1955.[9][13] Opening the batting – as he often did after moving to Wellington – St. John's 88 was bettered only by Test cricketer John Reid's 106 as Wellington pursued Central Districts' first innings score of 183 all out. St. John made 15 more runs in the second innings as Wellington reached victory by four wickets.[14]
The following season was to be his last, however, and saw St. John play five matches, scoring 182 runs at 20.22 with a best of 52 – his only half century of the season,[9] which came in his final match. He bowed out on 10 February 1956, against a touring West Indies side that included Garfield Sobers. St. John scored his 52 in the first innings before being caught by Sobers, and made 19 as Wellington were forced to follow on and fell to an innings defeat.[15]
St. John worked as a solicitor.[1] He died at Ōtāne in Hawke's Bay in 1992 at the age of 64.[2] An obituary was published in the 1996 edition of the New Zealand Cricket Almanack.[1]
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Douglas Stuart St John 26 February 1928 11 July 1992 was a New Zealand sportsman who played field hockey for the New Zealand national team 1 and first class cricket for Otago and Wellington between the 1946 47 and 1956 57 seasons A right handed batsman St John played 34 first class matches scoring 1 236 runs at 20 94 with five half centuries 2 3 Douglas St JohnPersonal informationFull nameDouglas Stuart St JohnBorn 1928 02 26 26 February 1928Nelson New ZealandDied11 July 1992 1992 07 11 aged 64 Ōtane Hawke s Bay New ZealandBattingRight handedRoleBatsmanDomestic team informationYearsTeam1946 47 1950 51Otago1952 53 1955 56WellingtonFC debut1 January 1947 Otago v AucklandLast FC10 February 1956 Wellington v West IndiesCareer statisticsCompetition First classMatches 34Runs scored 1 236Batting average 20 94100s 50s 0 5Top score 88Balls bowled 84Wickets 0Bowling average 5 wickets in innings 10 wickets in match Best bowling Catches stumpings 21 Source CricketArchive 15 September 2009Career editDoug St John was born at Nelson in 1928 and attended Otago Boys High School where he won the award for most improved player in the cricket team in his second last year 1944 1 4 He went on to study commerce at the University of New Zealand 5 St John made his debut on 1 January 1947 against Auckland Batting at six for Otago he scored 28 and 31 and took two catches but could not stave off a one wicket defeat 6 He went on to play two more matches that season scoring eight and eight not out against Wellington on 31 January 7 six and 25 in a drawn game against the Marylebone Cricket Club on 25 March 8 He ended his first season with 106 runs from three matches at 21 20 with a best of 31 9 At the start of the next season St John scored 85 and five not out against Wellington on Christmas Day 10 He would go on to play five matches in total scoring a career best 278 runs at 34 75 with two half centuries 9 He was selected to play for South Island in the match against North Island at the end of the season scoring 47 and 63 11 His batting and sharp fielding in the match were noted and he was named alongside John Reid as a promising player who might be selected to tour England in 1949 12 He struggled with the bat during the next few seasons scoring only 102 runs during 1948 49 at 20 40 with a best of 53 and 117 during 1950 51 at 16 71 followed by 92 runs at 13 13 and 146 runs at 18 25 during his first two seasons at Wellington 9 He improved however during the 1954 55 season where he scored 213 runs at 21 30 including a career best 88 in 116 minutes against Central Districts on 7 January 1955 9 13 Opening the batting as he often did after moving to Wellington St John s 88 was bettered only by Test cricketer John Reid s 106 as Wellington pursued Central Districts first innings score of 183 all out St John made 15 more runs in the second innings as Wellington reached victory by four wickets 14 The following season was to be his last however and saw St John play five matches scoring 182 runs at 20 22 with a best of 52 his only half century of the season 9 which came in his final match He bowed out on 10 February 1956 against a touring West Indies side that included Garfield Sobers St John scored his 52 in the first innings before being caught by Sobers and made 19 as Wellington were forced to follow on and fell to an innings defeat 15 St John worked as a solicitor 1 He died at Ōtane in Hawke s Bay in 1992 at the age of 64 2 An obituary was published in the 1996 edition of the New Zealand Cricket Almanack 1 References edit a b c d McCarron A 2010 New Zealand Cricketers 1863 64 2010 p 117 Cardiff The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians ISBN 978 1 905138 98 2 Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians Retrieved 2023 06 05 a b Douglas St John CricInfo Retrieved 2009 09 15 Doug St John CricketArchive Retrieved 2009 09 15 Plea to Youth Evening Star 15 December 1944 p 6 Commerce Examinations Evening Star 23 December 1946 p 5 Auckland v Otago Plunket Shield 1946 47 Cricket Archive 4 January 1947 Retrieved 2009 09 15 Otago v Wellington Plunket Shield 1946 47 Cricket Archive 3 February 1947 Retrieved 2009 09 15 Otago v Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club in New Zealand 1946 47 Cricket Archive 18 March 1947 Retrieved 2009 09 15 a b c d e First class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Douglas St John Cricket Archive Retrieved 2009 09 15 Wellington v Otago Plunket Shield 1947 48 Cricket Archive 29 December 1947 Retrieved 2009 09 15 South Island v North Island 1947 48 CricketArchive Retrieved 2019 09 19 Sports Commentary Otago Daily Times 12 February 1948 p 5 Wellington in Good Position Press 8 8 January 1955 Central Districts v Wellington Plunket Shield 1954 55 Cricket Archive 10 January 1955 Retrieved 2009 09 15 Wellington v West Indians West Indies in New Zealand 1955 56 Cricket Archive 13 February 1956 Retrieved 2009 09 15 External links editDouglas St John at ESPNcricinfo 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