| Sam Wells | |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Fullname: | Samuel Raymond Wells |
| Birth Date: | 13 July 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand |
| Batting: | Left-handed |
| Bowling: | Right-arm medium |
| Role: | All-rounder |
| Club1: | Otago |
| Columns: | 3 |
| Column1: | FC |
| Matches1: | 63 |
| Runs1: | 2,707 |
| Bat Avg1: | 31.11 |
| 100S/50S1: | 4/20 |
| Top Score1: | 118 |
| Deliveries1: | 7,711 |
| Wickets1: | 115 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 37.81 |
| Fivefor1: | 3 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 5/26 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 18/– |
| Column2: | LA |
| Matches2: | 43 |
| Runs2: | 817 |
| Bat Avg2: | 21.50 |
| 100S/50S2: | 0/5 |
| Top Score2: | 93 |
| Deliveries2: | 1,580 |
| Wickets2: | 39 |
| Bowl Avg2: | 37.58 |
| Fivefor2: | 1 |
| Tenfor2: | 0 |
| Best Bowling2: | 5/41 |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 13/– |
| Column3: | T20 |
| Matches3: | 37 |
| Runs3: | 202 |
| Bat Avg3: | 13.46 |
| 100S/50S3: | 0/0 |
| Top Score3: | 35 |
| Deliveries3: | 266 |
| Wickets3: | 19 |
| Bowl Avg3: | 20.78 |
| Fivefor3: | 0 |
| Tenfor3: | 0 |
| Best Bowling3: | 4/24 |
| Catches/Stumpings3: | 19/– |
| Date: | 16 February |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/319465.html CricInfo |
Samuel Raymond Wells (born 13 July 1984) is a New Zealand former cricketer who played for Otago between the 2007–08 and 2016–17 seasons.[1] He played as an all-rounder.
Wells was born at Dunedin in 1984 and was educated at Otago Boys' High School in the city before studying law and politics at Otago University, graduating in 2007.[2] [3] [4] [5] He first played for Otago age-group sides during the 2002–03 season and for the Otago 'A' team from 2004–05, before making his debut for the senior provincial side in a November 2007 first-class match against Central Districts, making scores of 15 and five not out on debut.[6] [7]
An all-rounder, Wells played predominantly in first-class matches during his early career, making his List A debut in 2008–09 and his Twenty20 debut in 2010–11.[6] Two five-wicket hauls in the first two matches of the 2009–10 Plunket Shield season brought him to wider attention,[4] and later in the season he scored his first two centuries.[5] [6] He scored 478 first-class runs during the season, finishing with a batting average of 59.75 runs per innings, and took 21 wickets. The following season saw his batting average at 40.16 and he attended a New Zealand national team training camp ahead of the 2011–12 season.[5]
After scoring a rapid 65 runs and taking one wicket for a New Zealand XI in a warm up match against the touring Zimbabweans in January 2012, Wells was a surprise call up to the New Zealand squad for the only Test match of the tour.[1] [5] [8] [9] He did not play in the match and was never called up to a full national squad again, although he did play two first-class matches for the New Zealand A team against India A during their tour of New Zealand in September and October 2012.[3] [6] [10]
In a domestic career that lasted until the end of the 2016–17 season, Wells played 141 matches for Otago.[10] [11] In 63 first-class matches, 61 of which were for the provincial side, he scored four centuries and took 115 wickets. He also played in 43 List A and 37 Twenty20 matches for Otago.[6] [12]
Wells was admitted to the bar in 2014 and has worked in litigation at the Dunedin law firm Gallaway Cook Allan.[3] He was a selector for the Otago A side and in November 2022 was appointed the Convenor of Selectors for the Otago side.[12] After a season in the role he was appointed as the selection manager for the New Zealand national side, working alongside coaches to inform the selection process.[10] [11] [13] [14]