Bernie Clark Explained

Bernie Clark
Country:New Zealand
Fullname:James Bernard Clark
Birth Date:25 September 1910
Birth Place:Dunedin, New Zealand
Death Place:Auckland, New Zealand
Family:James Clark Baker (father)
Batting:Left-handed
Role:Wicket-keeper
Club1:Otago
Date:7 May
Year:2016
Source:http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/36704.html ESPNcricinfo

James Bernard Clark (25 September 1910  - 21 January 2003), known as Bernie Clark, was a New Zealand cricketer. He played three first-class matches for Otago between the 1933–34 and 1934–35 seasons.[1]

Clark was born at Dunedin in 1910 and educated at Otago Boys' High School.[2] His father, James Clark Baker, played 41 first-class matches for Otago from 1889–90 to 1906–07.[3]

Clark played as a wicket-keeper in club cricket for the Old Boys side, making his First Grade club debut during the 1932–33 season. He was described as being "amongst the best wicket-keepers in Dunedin" who kept "soundly" and showed "great promise".[4] Clark's batting was considered a strength[5] and he made his debut for Otago against Wellington in the side's final Plunket Shield match of the 1933–34 season. Playing as the side's wicket-keeper, he scored 25 runs in the first innings of the match, his highest first-class score, and retained his place for the first two matches of the following season before losing his place to Francis Toomey for the final match of the 1934–35 season.[6] He scored a total of 63 runs and took five catches in his three first-class matches.[7]

Professionally, Clark worked as an accountant. He died at Auckland in 2003 aged 92; following his death obituaries were published in the New Zealand Cricket Almanack and by Wisden.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: James Clark . 7 May 2016 . ESPNCricinfo.
  2. McCarron A (2010) New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64–2010, p. 33. Cardiff: The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians.
  3. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/16/16917/16917.html James Baker
  4. Cricket, Evening Star, issue 21559, 3 November 1933, p. 4. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 17 June 2023.)
  5. Plunket Shield Cricket, Evening Star, issue 21896, 6 December 1934, p. 13. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 17 June 2023.)
  6. Plunket Shield, Evening Star, issue 21956, 16 February 1935, p. 8. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 17 June 2023.)
  7. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/21/21644/21644.html Bernie Clark