Charlie Oliver
Encyclopedia
Charles Joshua Oliver was a New Zealand
rugby union
international who also represented his country in first-class cricket
.
Wanganui born Oliver played as a specialist right-handed batsman and from 35 first-class matches scored 1301 runs at 23.23, with a best of 91. He represented Canterbury
in domestic cricket, having debuted for them in the 1923/24 Plunket Shield. In the 1925/26 season he was a member of the New Zealand side which toured Australia and he made half centuries against Victoria and South Australia. He also toured the British Isles in 1927 with the national side. He claimed the only wicket of his first-class career during this tour, that of Sussex bowler Reginald Hollingdale.
New Zealand didn't gain Test status in cricket until 1930 and by then he had decided to focus on his rugby, thus missing out on a chance to become a Test 'double international'.
Oliver's early rugby had been played with Merivale before he made his way into the Canterbury
side. He toured Australia in 1929 and made his Test debut for the All Blacks
in a match against Australia at Sydney, aged 23. For the 1935/36 tour of Great Britain, Oliver was vice-captain and appeared in four Tests. By the time he retired he had amassed seven Test caps and 33 All Black matches in all, for 58 points.
He spent the final years of his life in Australia and had a son-in-law, Dave Gillespie
, who was also an All Black.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
international who also represented his country in first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
.
Wanganui born Oliver played as a specialist right-handed batsman and from 35 first-class matches scored 1301 runs at 23.23, with a best of 91. He represented Canterbury
Canterbury Wizards
The Canterbury Wizards are a New Zealand first class cricket team based in Canterbury, New Zealand. It is one of six teams that make up New Zealand Cricket and has been the most successful domestic team in New Zealand history...
in domestic cricket, having debuted for them in the 1923/24 Plunket Shield. In the 1925/26 season he was a member of the New Zealand side which toured Australia and he made half centuries against Victoria and South Australia. He also toured the British Isles in 1927 with the national side. He claimed the only wicket of his first-class career during this tour, that of Sussex bowler Reginald Hollingdale.
New Zealand didn't gain Test status in cricket until 1930 and by then he had decided to focus on his rugby, thus missing out on a chance to become a Test 'double international'.
Oliver's early rugby had been played with Merivale before he made his way into the Canterbury
Canterbury Rugby Football Union
The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region, in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand...
side. He toured Australia in 1929 and made his Test debut for the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in a match against Australia at Sydney, aged 23. For the 1935/36 tour of Great Britain, Oliver was vice-captain and appeared in four Tests. By the time he retired he had amassed seven Test caps and 33 All Black matches in all, for 58 points.
He spent the final years of his life in Australia and had a son-in-law, Dave Gillespie
Dave Gillespie
Dave Gillespie was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League. After being severely injured in World War I, he was repatriated to Australia. He later died of his wounds, and was buried in Coburg Cemetery. His twin brother was Carlton premiership player...
, who was also an All Black.