CENTRAL DISTRICTS CRICKET would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Central Stags cap 124 and CD Alumni member 𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓 '𝐉𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐎' 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 who passed away early Sunday. 

Jumbo - a nickname given to him by Alan Hounsell in their Christchurch Boys' High days, always stayed in touch with the game and, in recent years, he was a familiar presence enjoying the action and a yarn whenever we played in Whangārei, as well as at Alumni events around the country.

His own playing career included some incredible highlights.

He was a member of the 1978 BLACKCAPS team that famously beat England in a Test match for the first time (after 48 years) at the Cello Basin Reserve - that's Jumbo in the middle of the photo, flanked by Geoff Howarth and Mark Burgess

An opening batsman, Jumbo played nine Tests and two ODIs for NZ between 1976 and 1978, and was named a 1978 NZ Cricket Almanack Player of the Year.

Elsewhere, the late sports journalist Garry Frew wrote that Anderson was "a dashing batsman, particularly strong off the back foot, always willing to play his favourite shot - the square cut - no matter what the situation of the match.

"Confidence seemed to ooze from him as hefaced up to even the fiercest bowlers."

As uncompromising on the field as he was affable off it, he had been selected to tour England in 1973 but didn't get a cap for his country until he toured Pakistan in 1976, playing his first three Tests.

Having grown up in Christchurch, his work in the insurance business later took him around New Zealand.

His peripatetic Domestic career saw debut for Canterbury in December 1967, going on to represent Northern Districts and Otago, before landing in the good country of CD - where he played Hawke Cup and Chapple Cup cricket for Manawatū, and enjoyed his best first-class and List A form with the Stags, from the 1977/78 to 1981/82 summers.

Jumbo scored four of his five Plunket Shield centuries with us, and of course earned his recall for that famous Test at the Basin where he top-scored in NZ's second innings that featured a brutal contest with England's Bob Willis. Willis meanwhile took 5/32 before Richard Hadlee took 6/26 in the last innings to see New Zealand to the 72-run victory.

Jumbo averaged 37.60 in his 30 first-class matches in the CD baggy green, with a top score of 127 (his first-class best was 155 for New Zealand against Scotland).

He made his career-best unbeaten 66* in the one-day format for the Stags, too.

Jumbo's contribution to CD cricket didn't end there, with son 𝐓𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 proving to be an even better leg-spinner than his old man and representing the Stags and New Zealand U19.

Jumbo's father and Tim's grandfather '𝐌𝐀𝐂' 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 was also a fine cricketer - another leg-spinner, and an opening batsman who played Test cricket for New Zealand in Walter Hadlee's 1946 side.

We will really miss Jumbo's gregarious warmth and personality, and Tim and his twin brother Ben and sister Amy, mother Jane, and all the family are in our thoughts at this sad time. 

Jumbo's funeral will be held at 2PM on Saturday, 7 June at Morris & Morris in Whangārei.

• Read NZC's tribute here

• Read Stuff journalist Mark Geenty's tribute here

Article added: Monday 2 June 2025