Brian Hastings, who died this week aged 84, will be remembered as an elegant right-handed batsman who, though making his Test debut late in his career, contributed to some of New Zealand’s most memorable achievements.
The man who made his first-class debut for Wellington as a 17-year-old in 1957-58 before moving to Central Districts for five matches and then on to Canterbury, played in New Zealand’s fifth, seventh, and eighth Test victories, the last his country’s first historic win against Australia.
He also featured in a world record 10th wicket partnership with Richard Collinge in New Zealand’s first innings against Pakistan in Auckland in 1973, the 151-run record lasting nearly 31 years.
That was also the Test in which Rodney Redmond scored 107 and 56 on debut, and never played a Test for New Zealand again.
Another stand-out innings for Hastings came at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1974, his sweetly stroked 83 in the second innings helping New Zealand to a 456-run lead on Australia, only for rain to thwart the tourist’s chances with the hosts reeling at 30 for two.
New Zealand and Hastings didn’t have to wait much longer for their maiden win over the neighbours, however – beating Australia in Christchurch later that summer in a Test memorable for centuries in each innings from Glenn Turner.
Chasing 228 for the win, New Zealand was in trouble at 62 for three before Hastings helped restore order with an innings of 46, combining in a 115-run fourth wicket partnership with Turner.
In all, Hastings played 31 Tests and averaged 30.20, scoring four centuries and seven 50s, with a top score of 117 not out against the West Indies in 1969, which helped save the Test and the series.
Having played for a decade at first-class level, the turning point arrived in the summer of 1968-69, when he scored 91, 44, 22, 113*, 11, 110*, and 41 in the Plunket Shield, before adding scores 116 and 85 in two interisland matches.
He also represented New Zealand in its first 11 official one-day internationals.
Hastings, who was an executive at the Christchurch Press, also served as an ICC Match Referee in 10 Tests and is a former President of Canterbury Cricket.
His son Mark played for Canterbury with distinction between 1992 and 2001.
