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Full name Geoffrey Philip Howarth
Born March 29, 1951, Auckland
Current age 57 years 118 days
Major teams New Zealand,Auckland,Northern Districts,Surrey
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
Other Coach
Relations Brother - HJ Howarth
Batting and fielding averages
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
BF
SR
100
50
6s
Ct
St
Tests
47
83
5
2531
147
32.44
6
11
1
29
0
ODIs
70
65
5
1384
76
23.06
2301
60.14
0
6
16
0
First-class
338
584
42
17294
183
31.90
32
229
0
List A
279
263
12
6016
122
23.96
2
29
76
0
Bowling averages
Mat
Inns
Balls
Runs
Wkts
BBI
BBM
Ave
Econ
SR
4w
5w
10
Tests
47
20
614
271
3
1/13
1/13
90.33
2.64
204.6
0
0
0
ODIs
70
7
90
68
3
1/4
1/4
22.66
4.53
30.0
0
0
0
First-class
338
3593
112
5/32
32.08
1
0
List A
279
682
487
24
4/16
4/16
20.29
4.28
28.4
1
0
0
Career statistics
Test debut
New Zealand v England at Auckland, Feb 20-25, 1975 scorecard
Last Test
West Indies v New Zealand at Kingston, May 4-8, 1985 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut
New Zealand v England at Dunedin, Mar 8, 1975 scorecard
Last ODI
West Indies v New Zealand at Bridgetown, Apr 23, 1985 scorecard
ODI statistics
First-class span
1971 - 1985/86
List A span
1971 - 1985/86
Profile
One of New Zealand's first fully professional cricketers, Geoff Howarth overcame many disappointments to become a successful Test batsman and an outstanding captain. A neat right-hander with some delightful off-side strokes, he was especially severe on the half-volley, which he would drive unerringly. The younger brother of Hedley Howarth, Geoff was also a fine fielder and a useful offspinner. In 1969 he started a long and frustrating apprenticeship at Surrey, and it was not until 1972-73 that he represented a New Zealand provincial side. Useful performances in the Prudential World Cup of 1975 hinted at his quality, but it was not until 1977-78, possibly his last chance, that he revealed his true ability. He scored 122 and 102 against England at Auckland, saving New Zealand on a worsening wicket. Confident, and sure of his place at last, he kept New Zealand afloat in a seething tide of English seamers in 1978, and in 1980 he captained New Zealand to an outstanding series win over West Indies. Further triumphs followed, including the first win on English soil in 52 years, and Howarth's astute captaincy and personable nature had a lot to do with it. His career ended in a sad anticlimax in 1985. By then wearing glasses, he was supposedly Surrey's captain, but was not chosen for any Championship matches. Nor was he reinstated as captain of New Zealand. He was awarded the MBE in 1981, and the OBE in 1984, and for a time in the early 1990s was coach and manager of the national team. Christopher Martin-Jenkins
Adapted by Wisden from World Cricketers: A Biographical Dictionary (Oxford, 1996).
