Bevan Congdon Cricketer
Bevan (Bev) Ernest Congdon OBE (born 11 February 1938) is a former New Zealand all-rounder who played 61 Test matches from 1965 to 1978. He was captain of the New Zealand Test and ODI team from 1972 to 1974. Congdon was the first New Zealand captain to record a victory over Australia. Congdon was a medium-pace bowler who rarely bowled until mid way through his career. His finest moments in Tests where in England in 1973 when he scored 176 at Trent Bridge and 175 at Lord's in successive Tests, and during the determined foray by the Kiwis to the West Indies in 1972, when he took over the captaincy from Graham Dowling. In the former match, New Zealand chased 479 in the final innings, falling short by only 38 runs. At the time, this was a record for a highest score in the fourth innings to lose a match. The innings at Lord's contributed to New Zealand making 551, their highest score in Tests at the time. Asked afterwards how he prepared for Test cricket in his remote, intemperate South-Island hometown, he replied that net pitches in Motueka prepared one for anything.