Thomas Talbert Leon Austin (9 March 1857 – 11 February 1941), commonly known as Tal Austin, was a New Zealand cricketer and rugby union player. He played nine first-class cricket matches for the Otago cricket team, including one as captain, between 1878 and 1889, and made five appearances for the Otago rugby union team between 1879 and 1883.
| Birth name | Thomas Talbert Leon Austin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 9 March 1857 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Colony of Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 11 February 1941 (aged 83) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Russell, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Otago Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Gerald Austin (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Warehouseman, orchardist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Cricket information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | All-rounder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1877/78–1888/89 | Otago | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 29 January 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Biography
editBorn in Melbourne, Victoria, on 9 March 1857,[1] Austin was from a well-known cricketing family in Dunedin.[2] Along with his three brothers—Gerry, Ernest James ("Tern"), and Bob—he was a member of the Carisbrook cricket club in Dunedin for many years from the early 1870s.[2] He moved with his family to Dunedin while a young boy, but was sent to school in Hobart, Tasmania, before completing his education at Otago Boys' High School.[3]
Remembered as a "fine all-round player",[4] Austin made his cricketing debut for Otago playing against the touring England side in 1877.[3] The following year, he was a member of the Otago XXII that played out a draw against the visiting Australian team at the Caledonian Ground.[3] During a career that stretched over 12 seasons from 1877/78 to 1888/89, Austin played nine first-class matches for Otago, scoring a total of 186 runs, at an average of 12.40 and with a high score of 36.[1] As a bowler, he took 17 wickets, with an average of 17.82 and best bowling figures of 6 for 63.[1] In the field, he took five catches.[1] Austin captained the Otago side in one first-class match, against Canterbury at Carisbrook in the 1885/86 season,[5][6] and played as wicket-keeper in the first innings of a first-class game against Canterbury in 1883/84, taking three catches.[7]
Austin was a member of the Dunedin Rugby Football Club, and played five matches as a forward for the Otago provincial team from 1879 to 1883.[8][9]
On 15 November 1893, Austin married Clara Bertha Westwood at St Mark's Church, in the Auckland suburb of Remuera.[10] After working as a warehouseman in Dunedin, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch for many years,[8] in 1911 Austin took up a 20-acre (8 ha) block at Tasman, between Māpua and Motueka, and planted 15 acres (6 ha) of apple and pear trees in the first year.[11][12] He was the inaugural president of the Hills Fruitgrowers' Union, and a founding member and secretary of the Bluffs Fruitgrowers' Company Limited.[8]
Austin died at his daughter's home in Russell on 11 February 1941, and he was buried at Russell Cemetery.[8] His wife, Clara, died in 1954.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Thomas Austin". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Death of Mr E. J. Austin, well-known cricketer". Evening Star. 24 July 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ a b c "Obituary: Mr T. T. L. Austin". Evening Star. 15 February 1941. p. 12. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Cricket: notes and comments". Evening Star. 2 January 1942. p. 8. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Cricket: Canterbury v. Otago". Otago Daily Times. 30 December 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Otago v Canterbury: first-class matches in New Zealand 1885/86". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Otago v Canterbury: other first-class matches in New Zealand 1883/84". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Obituary: Mr T. T. L. Austin". Nelson Evening Mail. 5 April 1941. p. 7. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "The football tour". Evening Star. 23 September 1882. p. 2. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Marriages". Auckland Star. 1 December 1893. p. 4. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Breaking in a waste". The Dominion. 24 February 1912. p. 15. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Tasman". The Colonist. 15 April 1913. p. 6. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "Record of interment". Far North District Council. Retrieved 29 January 2021.