Richard died in Christchurch in July 2024 and will be much missed and fondly remembered by a generation of Christ’s College cricketers, and cricketing friends around the world.
He was a talented left-handed batsman who played for the Christ’s College 1st XI and later as a wicketkeeper for Cambridge University before returning to New Zealand to begin a long teaching career at Christ’s. Here, as a popular Deputy Head and Acting Headmaster, he was a positive influence on many young lives, often bringing a light touch to a difficult job.
He was in charge of a successful 1st XI for many years, along the way clocking up thousands of miles jogging around the boundary in between short, sharp pep talks (“you won’t be scoring many runs back in the hutch, now play straight!”). He had little hesitation in selecting younger players and throwing them in at the deep end to test their talent. Among these was 15 year-old Ben Dormer and it was on the team’s Australian tour in 1993 that seeds were sown for what would become The Willows Cricket Club the following year, with Richard a founding member.
Richard and his wife Jill travelled extensively after retirement, often linking up with cricketing friends in faraway places. He was a genial and intelligent presence who gave a huge amount of his time to young people, very much embodying the spirit of the Club.