Henry Gifford Vivian (4 November 1912 – 12 August 1983) was a New Zealand

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er who played in seven Test matches between 1931 and 1937.

Cricket career

After attending Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland,R.T. Brittenden (1961) ''New Zealand Cricketers'', A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington, pp. 170–72. Giff Vivian made his first-class debut for

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

in December 1930 at the age of 18, scoring 37 and 81 against

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...

. After two more games he was selected in the New Zealand team to tour England in 1931. A forceful left-handed middle-order batsman and left-arm spin bowler, in 25 matches on the tour he made 1002 runs at 30.36, with centuries against

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

(his first century, 135 out of a team total of 488 on the first day) and Yorkshire (101 on a turning wicket, with four sixes). He also took 64 wickets at 23.75, with a best return of 6 for 70 against Glamorgan. Still aged only 18, he played in the Second and Third Tests, making 51 on debut and taking four wickets in the two matches. In the first match of the 1931–32 season he scored 165 against

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

out of an Auckland total of 285. In the next match he took 4 for 73 and 5 for 62 against

Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government reg ...

, and then 5 for 59 against Canterbury. He did not play in the First Test against South Africa later that season, but restored to the team for the Second Test he made 100 and 73 (top-scoring in each innings) and took four wickets. "The 1931–32 season," wrote

Dick Brittenden Richard Trevor Brittenden (22 August 1919 – 10 June 2002) was from the 1950s to the 1980s New Zealand's most prominent cricket writer. Early life, family and career Brittenden was born at Rakaia on 22 August 1919, and was educated at Chris ...

, "supported those who claimed he was New Zealand's finest cricketer." He played the First Test against England in 1932–33 but was injured during the match and missed the Second Test. In 1933–34 he made 263 runs at 52.60 and took 9 wickets at 22.33; in 1934–35, now captaining Auckland, he made 343 runs at 49.00. In 1935–36 he took 5 for 98 and 6 for 92, as well as scoring 60 and 19 not out, against Canterbury. He appeared in all five matches New Zealand played against strong MCC touring teams in 1935–36 and 1936–37, and was again selected to tour England in 1937, this time as vice-captain to

Curly Page Milford Laurenson "Curly" Page (8 May 1902 – 13 February 1987) was a New Zealand Test cricketer and rugby union player, who represented his country in both sports. Early life and family Born in Lyttelton on 8 May 1902, Page was the son of O ...

. He scored 1118 runs at 29.42 and took 49 wickets at 36.91, handicapped by a pulled leg muscle for much of the tour. Opening the innings, he scored 58 and 50 in the Second Test, and 57 in what turned out to be his last Test innings in the Third Test, as well as taking 8 wickets in the series. In the three matches of the 1938–39 season he scored 132 runs at 33.00 and took 21 wickets at 16.66, including 5 for 46 against Otago and 6 for 49 and 4 for 59 in his last match against Wellington (match figures of 58.4–21–108–10 in an innings victory that gave Auckland the

Plunket Shield New Zealand has had a domestic first-class cricket championship since the 1906–07 season. Since the 2009–10 season it has been known by its original name of the Plunket Shield. History The Plunket Shield competition was instigated in Octob ...

). In 1960, when the

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...

decided to award honorary life membership to distinguished former players and administrators from around the world, Vivian was one of the first seven New Zealanders so honoured.

Outside cricket

Cricketer Lt H G Vivian meets All Black J Griffiths in Libya

Vivian, a keen amateur cinematographer, took extensive film of the 1937 tour of England. Copies of this film are held in the New Zealand Cricket Museum and in the

Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision (Operating name for The New Zealand Archive of Film, Television and Sound Ngā Taonga Whitiāhua Me Ngā Taonga Kōrero.) is an archive that was launched on 31 July 2014, following the completion of a three-year process ...

archive. He served as a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

with the

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

of the

New Zealand Expeditionary Force The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...

during the Second World War. Serving in the Middle East and Italy, and promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

, he was

mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

, and returned to New Zealand in April 1945. After the war the demands of his business and the affliction of an injured back prevented his return to cricket. However, he served as a New Zealand selector for several years. While serving overseas during the war Vivian met and married a fellow Aucklander, Peggy Robertson, who was serving in an army welfare corps. Their son

Graham Graham and Graeme may refer to: People * Graham (given name), an English-language given name * Graham (surname), an English-language surname * Graeme (surname), an English-language surname * Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer * Clan ...

also played Test cricket for

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

References

External links

*
Giff Vivian and the 1937 NZ Cricket Tour at New Zealand Film Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vivian, Giff 1912 births 1983 deaths Military personnel from Auckland Auckland cricketers Cricketers from Auckland New Zealand cricketers New Zealand military personnel of World War II New Zealand Test cricketers North Island cricketers