Syd Ward (cricketer)

Sydney William "Syd" Ward (5 August 1907 – 31 December 2010) was an Australian-born New Zealand cricketer. Ward was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. He was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and, from the death of Frank Shipston on 6 July 2005 until his death, was considered the oldest living first-class cricketer and the second oldest ever, behind Jim Hutchinson.[1] Following his death, Cyril Perkins became the oldest living first-class cricketer.[2]

Syd Ward

Syd Ward in December 1933
Personal information
Full name	Sydney William Ward
Born	(1907-08-05)5 August 1907 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died	31 December 2010(2010-12-31) (aged 103) Featherston, New Zealand
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1929/30–1937/38	Wellington
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 10 Runs scored 282 Batting average 14.84 100s/50s  –/1 Top score 61 Balls bowled 36 Wickets  – Bowling average  – 5 wickets in innings  – 10 wickets in match  – Best bowling  – Catches/stumpings 9/-
Source: Cricinfo, 9 July 2010

Ward was born in Australia, but moved to New Zealand at some point prior to playing first-class cricket for Wellington. His first-class debut for Wellington came in the 1929/30 Plunket Shield against Otago.[3] From 1929/30 to 1937/38, he represented Wellington in 10 first-class matches, with his final first-class match coming against Canterbury.[4] In his 20 first-class innings, he scored 282 runs at a batting average of 14.84, with a single half century high score of 61, which came against Auckland in the 1934/35 season.[5] In 1937-38 he was the leading batsman in Wellington senior club cricket, with 642 runs at an average of 64.20 for Kilbirnie, who won the championship.[6][7]

Outside of cricket, there is an indication that Ward played football for Waterside, who won the 1940 Chatham Cup, with Ward scoring a goal in the final against Mosgiel as Waterside ran out 6-2 winners. This was the team's third straight title.

Ward worked as a jeweller and watchmaker in Wellington until 1982, then retired to the Wairarapa farming village of Kaiwaiwai, between Featherston and Martinborough.