Francis O'Brien (cricketer)

Francis Patrick O'Brien (11 February 1911 – 22 October 1991) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1932 to 1946 and for Northamptonshire in 1938 and 1939.

Francis O'Brien
Personal information
Full name
Francis Patrick O'Brien
Born(1911-02-11)11 February 1911
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Died22 October 1991(1991-10-22) (aged 80)
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium-pace
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1932–33 to 1945–46Canterbury
1938 to 1939Northamptonshire
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 66
Runs scored 2649
Batting average 24.52
100s/50s 4/10
Top score 164
Balls bowled 1160
Wickets 14
Bowling average 46.78
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 2/14
Catches/stumpings 34/0
Source: Cricinfo, 23 April 2020

A hard-hitting, tall and elegant middle-order batsman, O'Brien was one of three New Zealanders in the Northamptonshire team in 1938 and 1939, alongside Ken James and Bill Merritt, but he was unable to carry his New Zealand form into county cricket, scoring only 1306 runs in 40 matches.[1][2] In 1940–41, when Canterbury needed to score 303 in 160 minutes to beat Otago, O'Brien made 101 and added 210 for the second wicket in 82 minutes with Walter Hadlee, and Canterbury won, scoring the required runs in 35 overs.[2][3] In an innings victory over Otago in 1943-44 he scored 164 in four hours.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Francis O'Brien". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b Wisden 1992, p. 1265.
  3. ^ "Canterbury v Otago 1940-41". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Canterbury v Otago 1943-44". CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
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