David Ashby (cricketer)

David Alexander Ashby (11 June 1852 – 2 June 1934) was an English-born cricketer who played first-class cricket for Surrey in England in 1874, and Canterbury in New Zealand from 1876 to 1890.

David Ashby
Personal information
Full nameDavid Alexander Ashby
Born(1852-06-11)11 June 1852
Beddington, Surrey, England
Died2 June 1934(1934-06-02) (aged 81)
Christchurch, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast-medium
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1874Surrey
1875-76 to 1889-90Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 17
Runs scored 468
Batting average 17.33
100s/50s 0/2
Top score 59
Balls bowled 1894
Wickets 53
Bowling average 11.05
5 wickets in innings 4
10 wickets in match 1
Best bowling 6/27
Catches/stumpings 12/0
Source: CricketArchive, 20 February 2017

Life and career

Ashby was born in Surrey and played for the county in 1873 and 1874. He moved to New Zealand, arriving in 1875, and took a job at a Christchurch flour mill operated by William Wood, where he worked for the next 50 years.[1] He became a regular member of the Canterbury team.

An all-rounder who batted at various positions in the order and opened the bowling, he played a major part in Canterbury's spectacular victory over Auckland at the Auckland Domain ground in 1877-78. Canterbury batted first and made 93 (Ashby 12), Auckland replied with 135 (Ashby 4 for 42), and Canterbury made 163 in their second innings (Ashby 32, the second-highest score in the match). Auckland needed 122 to win, but Ashby took 5 for 2, he and Billy Frith (3 for 3) skittling Auckland for 13, a total that included eight byes.[2][3]

He was a member of the Canterbury side that inflicted the only defeat on the touring Australian team in 1877-78.[1] A month later he took his best bowling figures, 6 for 27 (all bowled) in Canterbury's annual match against Otago, at the South Dunedin Recreation Ground.[4] He made his highest first-class score in 1879-80 at Dunedin's Caledonian Ground. Captaining the side, he won the toss and batted, and scored 59 out of Canterbury's total of 190. He hit one ball out of the ground; the stroke was later measured at 130 yards.[5] He and Billy Frith's brother Charlie then bowled Otago out for 105 and 99, and Canterbury won by nine wickets.[6]

He took part in New Zealand's first overseas cricket tour, when Canterbury visited Victoria and Tasmania in 1878-79 and played several non-first-class matches.[7][8] After his playing career ended he became an umpire, standing in a first-class match in Christchurch in 1901.[9] He was one of the 14 players chosen in 1927 by the New Zealand cricket historian Tom Reese as the best New Zealand cricketers before the First World War.[10]

He and his wife Mary Jane (née Haddrell), whom he married in 1882, had a son and three daughters.[11] They lived in the Christchurch suburb of Riccarton. At his funeral all the pall-bearers were employees of Wood Brothers flour mill.[12]

References
  1. Croudy, Brian (1985). "Some Early New Zealand Identities". The Cricket Statistician (52): 6–9. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  2. "Auckland v Canterbury 1877-78". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  3. "Old Cricketer Dead". Evening Post. CXXVII (129). 2 June 1934. p. 5.
  4. "Otago v Canterbury 1877-78". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  5. Fowke, Johnny (10 February 1920). "Reminiscences of the Sporting World". Star (19869): 4. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  6. "Otago v Canterbury 1879-80". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  7. The Oxford Companion to Australian Cricket, Oxford, Melbourne, 1996, p. 383.
  8. "Miscellaneous Matches played by David Ashby". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  9. "David Ashby as umpire in first-class matches". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  10. "New Zealand Cricket: Mr. T. W. Reese's book". Otago Daily Times: 3. 8 April 1927.
  11. "Mr David Ashby". Press. LXX (21181). 4 June 1934. p. 6.
  12. "Mr D. A. Ashby". Press. LXX (21182). 5 June 1934. p. 14.
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