Former New Zealand skipper Barry Sinclair passes away at 85

Former New Zealand skipper Barry Sinclair passed away at the age of 85. The yesteryear batter had led the Kiwis in three Tests and also became only the third player from the country to score 1000 runs after Bert Sutcliffe and John R Reid. In his five-year international career from 1963 to 1968, Sinclair represented the Black Caps in 21 Test matches and went on to amass 1148 runs. Meanwhile, the cause of his death is unknown.

In his short cricketing career at the highest level, Sinclair scored three centuries which came against different oppositions – England, South Africa, and Pakistan. Apart from making a mark in international cricket, the late batter also made his presence felt in first-class cricket, scoring 6114 runs in 118 outings including six centuries and 38 half-centuries.

We were all very sad to hear of Barry’s passing: NZPCA CEO

“We were all very sad to hear of Barry’s passing,” Heath Mills, the chief executive of the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association, said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “We have been blessed to have him involved with the NZCPA for so many years. Barry was one of the first past players to sign up to our organisation and loved being involved and helping the current players achieve a better environment in the game. We are going to miss him greatly”.

Sinclair led New Zealand thrice. The first occasion was in a 1966 Test match against England where he took up captaincy duties from an injured Murray Chapple in Dunedin and once again led the Kiwis from the front in the last game of the very same series. Coincidentally, it was in that particular series that Sinclair surpassed 1000 runs when he scored a century against England. The late cricketer registered his highest individual Test score of 138 against South Africa in Auckland during the 1963–64 season.

In the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Sinclair was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.