Central Districts Cricket is sending many happy returns to Central Stags cap number 28 JOHN GUY, now based in Melbourne.

Guy is still the only men's player in New Zealand history to have represented five of the six Domestic Major Associations, from an era in which many players would move around the country for work and the cricket window played in a condensed period over the holiday summer.

Guy sprang from Nelson and played Plunket Shield for us between 1953/54 (his first-class debut) and 1956/57, and came back again in 1962/63.

A left-hand opening bat, John's CD games included the big 1957 match against Australia at Pukekura Park in which Richie Benaud got him out both times, for 21 and 73. He'd had to retire hurt in the second innings on eight not out when the Stags were one down, and returned when the score was 58/3 to fight for the lads.

And of course, that's far from his only claim to fame. He played 12 Tests for the BLACKCAPS, including a century against India in Hyderabad. John's top score for the Stags was 115, his first-class career best (all teams), and he continued to contribute to the game long after he retired from playing - notably designing the famous shoulderless Excalibur bat that Central Stags cap 99 LANCE CAIRNS used to belt sixes out of the MCG (six of them, including a one-handed speccy against Dennis Lillee) for the BLACKCAPS against the Aussies on that unforgettable occasion in 1983!

Article added: Thursday 29 August 2024