Joe Ongley

The Honourable
Joseph Ongley
Ongley in 1967
Personal information
Full name
Joseph Augustine Ongley
Born(1918-02-05)5 February 1918
Feilding, New Zealand
Died22 October 2000(2000-10-22) (aged 82)
Wellington, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
Relations
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1938/39–1949/50Wellington
1950/51–1951/52Central Districts
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 30
Runs scored 1,234
Batting average 22.43
100s/50s 1/6
Top score 110
Catches/stumpings 13/–
Source: Cricinfo, 16 September 2015

Sir Joseph Augustine Ongley (5 February 1918 – 22 October 2000) was a New Zealand cricketer and lawyer. He was a judge of the New Zealand Supreme Court.

Early life

The son of Arthur "Joe" Ongley, he was born in Feilding and educated at St. Patrick's College, Silverstream, and Victoria College, Wellington, where he graduated Bachelor of Laws in 1939.[1] A "correct, polished and dashing" batsman,[2] he made his Hawke Cup debut for Manawatu at the age of 17 in 1935–36. He captained the team in its six matches in 1936–37 and 1937–38, when Manawatu, the champions, withstood five consecutive challenges.

First-class cricket career

Ongley made his first-class debut in 1938–39 for Wellington in the Plunket Shield, scoring a century in his first match against Otago. Batting first, at one stage Wellington were 116 for 5, but Ongley made 110, reaching his century in 149 minutes,[3] and Wellington went on to win by an innings.[4] He was selected to play for New Zealand later that season against Sir Julien Cahn's XI and made 35 as an opening batsman in a match ruined by rain.[5]

He married Joan Archer in 1943. They had four sons and a daughter.[6]

Ongley continued to play for Wellington, with moderate success, through the late 1940s, and captained the team from 1947–48 to 1949–50. He also continued to captain Manawatu in the Hawke Cup, including a period as title holders in the mid-1940s.

When the Central Districts team made its first appearance in the 1950–51 Plunket Shield, he was chosen to be captain.[6] Central Districts finished second in 1950–51 and third in 1951–52, after which Ongley retired from first-class cricket. He continued to captain Manawatu until 1956–57, and played his last Hawke Cup match in 1957–58.

Later life

Ongley became the first-ever chairman of Central Districts Cricket Association, a position he held from 1954 to 1969.[7] He managed the New Zealand cricket team in Australia in 1967–68.[8]

Ongley was a judge of the New Zealand Supreme Court. He was made a Knight Bachelor in the 1987 Queen's Birthday Honours.[9]

References

  1. ^ "NZ University Graduates 1870-1961 MU-O". shadowsoftime.co.nz. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  2. ^ "J. A. Ongley". Salient. 2 (1). 8 March 1939. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Wellington Game – Two Centuries Scored". The New Zealand Herald. 27 December 1938. p. 15. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Wellington v Otago 1938–39". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  5. ^ "New Zealand v Sir Julien Cahn's XI 1938–39". CricketArchive. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  6. ^ a b McConnell, Lynn (27 October 2000). "Former New Zealand representative Joe Ongley dies". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  7. ^ Lampp, Peter (5 November 2010). "No worries over deficit for CD". Manawatu Standard. Stuff Limited. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  8. ^ Wisden 1969, p. 859.
  9. ^ "No. 50950". The London Gazette (4th supplement). 13 June 1987. p. 31.