Central Districts Cricket has been deeply saddened this week by the passing of CD Alumnus and Central Stags cap 141, DEREK STIRLING who gave so much back to the game after his own, impressive playing days.

Known as 'Billy', the big, strong pace bowler made both his first-class and one-day debut for the Central Stags in January 1982. He was 19 years old, and started in the Plunket Shield - known at the time as the Shell Trophy - with a hiss and a roar, with figures of 6/75 off just 20.1 overs on debut in the first innings in Tauranga.

Among those he dismissed were some pretty handy players, too. Geoff Howarth, Barry Cooper, and David White. He took another victim in the second innings to finish with seven for his first first-class match, and they remained his best first-class figures.

Stirling represented Central Districts in both formats from that 1981/82 summer up until 1988, and by 1983 he was on the national selectors' radar. He made a Young New Zealand development team that toured Zimbabwe, then his BLACKCAPS debut in March 1984 on tour in Sri Lanka, and his Test in Pakistan in November the same year.

As BLACKCAPS Test cap number 154, he also played Tests against the West Indies and England, but made just six appearances between 1984 and 1986 in an area when New Zealand's bowling stocks were very strong.

He is best remembered for his strong tour of Pakistan in which he toiled on unhelpful pitches, but took four for 88 at Karachi.

Stirling loved competing, and loved the game and the people he played with and against. His overall first-class career spanned 84 games, for a career tally of 206 wickets.

Stirling never played a Test on home soil, but among his highlights was being part of the first and second Test of the 1986 tour of England – the first time New Zealand beat England in a Test Series.

In total, he took 13 Test wickets at 46.23, and 206 first-class wickets at 33.72, eventually moving from CD to finish his career in Wellington in 1992. He played 42 first-class matches for the Stags, with 113 wickets and four bags; and 14 matches for Wellington.

In the List A one-day arena, he played 37 matches for the Stags, and took 53 wickets for the team with a best of 4/19. His career best was 4/10, taken for Young New Zealand on that tour of Zimbabwe.

Shell Cup winners the Central Stags - Derek Stirling at top right

He played in the 1984/85 Shell Cup national final that the Stags won (above), beating Wellington by 8 wickets; and also in the 1992 Final, for Wellington this time in one of the great Finals between two star-studded sides, losing to Canterbury by just three runs after Stirling had kept his team's chances alive by smashing 29 off 20 balls.

He played six ODIs on the 1984 tours of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and took 90 List A wickets at 22.26, averaging 14.39 with the bat.

He also played Hawke Cup cricket for Manawatū and Taranaki, and played professionally in England and Scotland as an overeseas contracted player, which also involved coaching.

Those were his playing days, but everyone who knew Billy knew there was much more to come. He continued to give back to the game, coaching at junior level.

He was a Manawatu Cricket Association staff coach, and also had one season as the Taranaki Junior staff coach. He coached junior teams at the Havelock North Cricket Club, then Hastings Boys’ High School.

Hawke's Bay & Manawatū observe a minute's silence

at Nelson Park ahead of their Furlong Cup match.

Stirling represented Manawatū and Taranaki

in Hawke Cup elimination matches

He coached the Hawke’s Bay Mavericks, and became a selector for the Hawke’s Bay senior men’s side. “I'm a much better coach than I was a player,” he said in a 2014 interview.

“The basic thought in my head is that if a lanky, skinny kid from Takaro Primary School in Palmerston North can play at Lord's or play for New Zealand, anyone can.”

Stirling joined the Hawke’s Bay Cricket Board, becoming its chair more than a decade ago, a position he held until this year, and also chimed in as a radio commentator at McLean Park over the year.

Born in Upper Hutt in 1961, growing up in Manawatū and going on to Palmerston North Boys' High, he passed away in Hastings from cancer, and is survived by his mother, Vera Glover; his wife Debbie, and their children Daniel, Annie, and Michael (Mick).

CDCA offers our condolences to all who knew Billy, and held him near and dear.

Family and friends are invited to a memorial service at Hastings Boys' High School, 800 Karamu Rd South, Hastings, on Monday, 18 December 2023 at 1.30PM. In lieu of flowers, donations to Cranford Hospice in memory of Derek would be gratefully received, and may be left at the service. Messages to the Stirling Family, c/o PO Box 439, Napier 4140.

Article added: Saturday 16 December 2023