Graham Stuart Bunyard (17 October 1939 – 10 May 2018) was a South African cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1959 to 1963.

Graham Bunyard
Personal information
Full name
Graham Stuart Bunyard
Born(1939-10-17)17 October 1939
Port Elizabeth, Cape Province, South Africa
Died10 May 2018(2018-05-10) (aged 78)
Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape Province, South Africa
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1959–60 to 1960–61Transvaal
1962–63Rhodesia
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 14
Runs scored 192
Batting average 13.71
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 35
Balls bowled 2358
Wickets 48
Bowling average 22.54
5 wickets in innings 1
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 5/35
Catches/stumpings 7/–
Source: Cricinfo, 13 May 2018

A fast bowler, Bunyard made his first-class debut for Transvaal in the 1959–60 season, on the day before he turned 20. His first two wickets were Denis Compton and Godfrey Evans.[1] In his third match he took 5 for 35 against Rhodesia.[2] He finished the season with 23 wickets in seven matches at an average of 21.78.[3] He was one of the pace bowlers considered for selection for the tour to England in 1960 and later as a replacement during the tour when Geoff Griffin could no longer bowl, but he was not selected.[4]

Bunyard took 16 wickets at 24.31 in five matches in 1960–61 and toured England in 1961 with the South African Fezela XI of promising young players. He took 3 for 48 and 3 for 42 to help the Fezelas to an innings victory in the first-class match against Combined Services.[5] However, he played only one more first-class match, for Rhodesia two years later, when he was still only 23 years old. His last three wickets were Norm O'Neill, John Reid and Bill Alley.[6]

Bunyard became a tobacco farmer in Schagen, about 20 kilometres west of Nelspruit, in north-eastern Transvaal.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Transvaal v Commonwealth XI 1959–60
  2. ^ Rhodesia v Transvaal 1959–60
  3. ^ Graham Bunyard bowling by season
  4. ^ Alfred, pp. 149, 152 & 162.
  5. ^ Combined Services v South Africa Fezelas 1961
  6. ^ Rhodesia v International Cavaliers 1962–63
  7. ^ Nel, Thelma (29 March 2016). "Familiar voice ignites memories". Lowvelder. Retrieved 3 December 2016.

Sources

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  • Alfred, L. (2003) Testing Times: The Story of the Men who Made SA Cricket, Spearhead: Claremont, South Africa. ISBN 9780864865380.
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