Merv Wallace

Walter Mervyn Wallace MNZM (19 December 1916 – 21 March 2008) was a New Zealand cricketer and former Test match captain.

[3] Wallace toured England in 1937 as part of a New Zealand team weakened by a policy of refusing to select professional cricketers.

[4] He joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but was invalided out due to stomach muscle problems caused by an appendix operation.

He scored 1,722 first-class runs at an average of 49.20, including centuries against Yorkshire, Worcester, Leicester, Cambridge University and Glamorgan.

The Wallace & Webb Ltd shop included a tea room, so the many sportsmen who dropped in could stay for advice or a chat and could bring their wives or children.

[11] In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours, Wallace was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to cricket.

[14] Merv Wallace married Yvonne ("Vonnie") Page in Auckland on 10 March 1948 – a Wednesday, so that their friends, most of whom were cricketers and busy on Saturdays, could attend.

As a mark of respect, the New Zealand team playing England in the Third Test at McLean Park in Napier wore black armbands on Saturday 22 March.

British film actress Rona Anderson demonstrates her cricket skills to players of the 1949 New Zealand cricket team touring England during a visit to Pinewood Studios . Left to right: Martin Donnelly (kneeling), Geoff Rabone , Walter Hadlee (kneeling), Frank Mooney , Rona Anderson , Harry Cave , Merv Wallace, John Reid