Charles Boxshall

Boxshall was one of the seven sons (and three daughters) of Thomas Boxshall, who was foreman of the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne.[1] He played club cricket in Melbourne before moving to Christchurch in the late 1890s. He made his first-class debut for Canterbury in February 1898 at the age of 35, opening the batting and top-scoring with 25 in his first innings.[2] In two matches in 1898-99 he made six stumpings off five different Canterbury bowlers.

After those three matches Boxshall was selected to tour Australia with the New Zealand team in 1898-99 when Arnold Williams was unavailable.[3] He became the regular New Zealand wicket-keeper, playing in 12 of New Zealand's next 14 matches. His last matches for New Zealand came on the tour of Australia in 1913-14, when at 51 he was still the country's first choice as wicket-keeper. He was replaced later that season, when Australia toured New Zealand, by James Condliffe.

"Short and rotund," said Dick Brittenden, "he wore an ample white moustache, but as a wicket-keeper he was incredibly quick, so quick that there were some who said he could not do what he did and do it legally. A left-hander and a willing hitter, he was always given a tremendous reception when he came out to bat."[4] He often made useful runs in the lower order. In 1902–03, when Lord Hawke's XI thrashed South Island by an innings and 130 runs, Boxshall top-scored in each innings for South Island, with 15 and 40.[5] In 1908–09 against Otago, after Canterbury had lost their first nine wickets for 108, he came in at number 11 and put on 98 for the last wicket with Sydney Orchard.[6] He retired from first-class cricket in March 1915 at the age of 52.[7]

Although he did not begin his first-class career until he was 35, Boxshall became the first cricketer to play 50 first-class matches for a New Zealand provincial side.[8] He is also the oldest New Zealand first-class player, at 52 years 189 days on the last day of his last match.[9]

In New Zealand, Boxshall ran the Booklovers' Library in Christchurch's Cathedral Square.[10] When he returned to Australia in the early 1920s he lived in Sydney and had business interests in New Guinea oil.[11]

An obituary appreciation in the Christchurch Evening Post said he was "the most brilliant wicket-keeper ever seen in New Zealand, being quite as good as any man who has toured here with overseas teams".[12] In 1936 the New Zealand cricket historian Tom Reese declared that Boxshall was the greatest New Zealand wicket-keeper.[13]

• Charles Boxshall at ESPNcricinfo
• Charles Boxshall at CricketArchive