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Ian Cromb
Ian Burns Cromb (25 June 1905 – 6 March 1984) was a New Zealand cricketer who played in five Tests from 1931 to 1932, including all three Tests of the 1931 tour of England.[1] Cromb was born in Christchurch and attended Christchurch Boys' High School.[2] He was an all-rounder: an aggressive batsman and a fast-medium bowler in his younger days and a spin bowler later in his career.[3] He played for Canterbury from 1929–30 to 1946–47, captaining the side from 1935–36 to 1937-38 and again from 1945–46 to 1946–47, and he also captained New Zealand in the four-match series against the visiting MCC in 1935–36.[4] As a captain, he had a "penchant for the unexpected".[3] Cromb made his highest first-class score of 171 in Canterbury's innings victory over Wellington in the 1939–40 Plunket Shield, after taking five wickets in Wellington's first innings.[5] His best bowling figures were 8 for 70 for the New Zealanders against Middlesex in 1931.[6] Two weeks earlier he had taken 6 for 46 in the New Zealanders' innings victory over the MCC at Lord's.[2] After he retired from playing he was a coach, administrator and selector.[3][7] He served as president of the Canterbury Cricket Association in the 1970s.[8] In 1930 Cromb opened a sporting goods shop in Cashel Street, Christchurch, in partnership with his fellow Canterbury and New Zealand cricketer Bill Merritt.[9] The shop was still operating under the same name in the 1990s.[10] Cromb was also a prominent golfer, winning the South Island championship and several Canterbury championships. He helped launch the career of the New Zealand champion golfer Bob Charles.[11] Together they had a golfing tour of the United States and Great Britain between January and August 1958, Charles playing in several of the major tournaments.[12][13] Cromb married Valmai Kelly in Wellington in February 1935.[14] She died in July 1956; they had a son and two daughters.[15] Cromb died in a car accident in Christchurch in March 1984, aged 78.[8] References
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