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Full name Eric William Thomas Tindill
Born December 18, 1910, Nelson, Nelson
Current age 97 years 295 days
Major teams New Zealand,Wellington
Also known as Snowy
Batting style Left-hand bat
Fielding position Wicketkeeper
Other Umpire
Relations Son - P Tindill
Batting and fielding averages
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
100
50
6s
Ct
St
Tests
5
9
1
73
37*
9.12
0
0
0
6
1
First-class
69
116
13
3127
149
30.35
6
12
96
33
Bowling averages
Mat
Inns
Balls
Runs
Wkts
BBI
BBM
Ave
Econ
SR
4w
5w
10
Tests
5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
First-class
69
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Career statistics
Test debut
England v New Zealand at Lord's, Jun 26-29, 1937 scorecard
Last Test
New Zealand v England at Christchurch, Mar 21-25, 1947 scorecard
Test statistics
First-class span
1932/33 - 1949/50
Umpiring statistics
Only Test
New Zealand v England at Christchurch, Feb 27-Mar 2, 1959 scorecard
Test matches
1
Test statistics
Profile
Eric Tindill is one of seven players to have represented New Zealand at both rugby and cricket (the others are Bill Carson, George Dickinson, Brian McKechnie, Charlie Oliver, "Curly" Page and Jeff Wilson) and the only one to have appeared in Test matches in both. Tindill also refereed rugby and cricket Tests - he was an umpire in the Christchurch Test against England in 1958-59.
"Snowy" Tindill played for Wellington between 1932-33 and 1949-50 as a lively left-hand batsman - he often opened the innings - and a more than competent wicketkeeper. In rugby he represented Wellington as a half-back from 1932 to 1945. Tindill toured England with the All Blacks in 1935-36, making his only Test appearance in the famous `Obolensky match' at Twickenham when New Zealand lost 0-13. He returned to England 18 months later with the New Zealand cricketers, making his [cricket] Test debut at Lord's and playing in all three Tests on the tour. He also toured Australia twice, with the cricket side in 1937-38 and with the All Blacks six months later.
Although his rugby career ended in 1945 (by which time he was 35), he continued playing cricket and played in the one-off Test against Australia in 1945-46. Also in that side was Don Cleverley - Tindill became the oldest living Test cricketer on Cleverley's death in February 2004 (he is also the oldest survivng All Black). The last of his five Tests was against England in 1946-47. Tindill's Test average - 73 runs at 9.12 - did not do justice to his batting, and his career figures - 3127 runs at 30.35 including six hundreds - paint a truer picture.
After retirement he continued his involvement with sport as a referee and administrator, and was a selector for Wellington and New Zealand. Tindill also represented Wellington at table tennis and, with fellow tourist Charlie Oliver, wrote a best-selling book - The Tour of the Third All Blacks - about the 1935-36 trip. Martin Williamson
