Barry Sinclair, former New Zealand test cricket captain, has died at the age of 85 years this morning.
Sinclair was one of the best batsmen for the country in the 1960s, and was only the third player to complete 1,000 test runs for New Zealand, after Bert Sutcliffe and John Reid.
For non-cricket fans, don’t confuse him with Barry Sinclair of the Scottish Rugby team who passed away around six months ago.
The whole cricket world is saddened to hear the passing of the legendary test batsman. A lot of fans are also concerned about what led to his departure from this world.
What was the cause of Barry Sinclair’s death?
Barry Sinclair died at the age of 85 years on Sunday morning. His family and the NZCPA announced the tragic news of his passing.
However, the exact cause of his death hasn’t been announced. The family has chosen to not make Barry Sinclair’s cause of death public.
It’s being speculated that the former cricketer was dealing with multiple heath issues due to his old age. Some users are also claiming that he died after a heart attack.
Although there are no confirmed reports or solid sources to back such statements. Once the Sinclair family decides to provide some official words, we’ll update this post.
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How did Barry Sinclair die?
Barry Sinclair died a natural death on Sunday at his home. It’s believed that the old age related health issues and his worsening condition led to the departure of his soul.
Sinclair was one of the great cricket players that New Zealand has ever witnessed. He was often targeted by pacers with bouncers due to his short stature.
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His career was captured in a biography written by Bill Francis, Auckland broadcaster. It was published in 2016 as “Pursuit of Excellence: The Barry Sinclair Story.”
The story revealed how the opposing pace bowlers targeted Barry alongside the burden of taking over test captaincy from John Reid.
“There have not been many New Zealand batsmen smaller of stature than Sinclair, few larger in heart,” wrote Dick Brittenden in his book “Big Names in New Zealand Cricket.”
Barry Sinclair, former New Zealand Cricket Player, passed away this morning
Barry Sinclair passed away on the morning of Sunday, July 10, 2022, at his home. At the time of his death, the former New Zealand cricket was 85 years old.
“We were all very sad to hear of Barry’s passing this morning. We have been blessed to have him involved with the NZCPA for so many years,” said Heath Mills, NZCPA Chief Executive.
“Barry was one of the first past players to sign up to our organization and loved being involved and helping the current players achieve a better environment in the game,” he added.
“We are going to miss him greatly,” he concluded.
Ever since the news of Sinclair’s passing broke, cricket fans, associates, and players have been expressing grief all over social media.
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Barry was one of the most influential figures in New Zealand’s cricket history. He was one of the pillars in the country’s test batting lineup in the 1960s.
Barry Sinclair Early Life and Cricket Career
Barry Whitley Sinclair was born on October 23, 1936, in Wellington, New Zealand. He attended the Rongotai College in Wellington to complete his education.
At 18 years of age, Sinclair got selected for Wellington and played 118 first class games for the team. He scored six centuries and 38 half-centuries at an average of 32.87 during this stint.
After six years, Sinclair got selected for the New Zealand cricket team and made his debut at the age of 26 years. Two years later, Sinclair was made the captain of the test team against England.
Barry went on to play 21 test matches for the New Zealand cricket team and captained the side in three of them. He scored three centuries againsts South Africa, Pakistan, and England.
His 138 against South Africa in Auckland 1963-64 was the highest test score by a New Zealand batsman in an inning at that time. In 1968, Barry announced his retirement from international cricket after concluding a test against India.
In 2010, Sinclair became the inaugural patron of the NZCPA (New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association). He was also voted a “Legend of Wellington Sport” in 2015.
In 2016, the late cricketer was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to cricket.
We are sad to hear the passing of the legendary cricket. Our condolences and prayers go out to the departed soul.
I was very saddened to hear of Barry’s death today. I played with Barry in the early 1960’s and many times during winter we used to practice throw downs. An excellent extra cover fielder in the era of the Neil Harvey’s and Colin Bland.
Robin Park