In December 1953 Blair was playing in the second test against South Africa at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, a game New Zealand lost but which produced a victory in the opinion of the master of cricket writing Dick Brittenden — ‘‘It was a great and glorious victory, a story every New Zealand boy should learn at his mother’s knee.’’
The crucial elements of the story I grew up with were that on Christmas Eve 151 people lost their lives in the Tangiwai rail disaster and one of the victims was 19-year-old Nerissa Love, Blair’s fiancee.
The news reached the New Zealanders as the test was about to resume on Boxing Day and it was announced that Blair would not be playing.
In 1993 when I was working on a Radio New Zealand history programme I realised that the 40th anniversary of that 1953 event deserved to be recalled.
I interviewed Bert Sutlcliffe who didn’t recall his visit to my primary school to teach us how to bat but remembered every detail of Boxing Day 1953.
He described the battering he’d received from the South African fast bowlers which meant he and Lawrie Miller needed hospital treatment after which Bert returned to the crease — ‘‘My head was heavily bandaged, so much so I felt like a Sikh, and should perhaps be carrying a hockey stick instead of a bat.’’
When Guy Overton, the last man, was dismissed Bert and the fielders started towards the pavilion thinking the innings was over but they were halted by the unexpected appearance of Blair.
Recording Blair’s memories meant a phone interview from Manchester where he was coaching during his long career in many locations.
‘‘I just stayed at the hotel and the manager Jack Kerr stayed with me. I wasn’t a great whisky drinker but Jack and I had a few that morning. We listened to the commentary and with the wickets falling we looked like having to follow on. I just felt I couldn’t stay there doing nothing and feeling sorry for myself. I told Jack I was going to the ground.’’
Blair changed in the empty dressing room and when Overton was caught, headed towards the pitch. Today, there are few people still around who witnessed those events but Albie During, who was then 7 years old, remembers the day — ‘‘The players started walking off the field when suddenly we saw a tall figure striding out to the middle. There was a brief silence as the crowd tried to make sense of what was happening. When they realised it was Bob Blair coming out to help his team, there was a huge roar. I remember how Sutcliffe, his head swathed in a bloodied bandage, hugged Blair. The South African players applauded Blair all the way to the wicket. I had never seen my father cry before, let alone my granddad. It seemed everyone was in tears. The significance of the moment affected me deeply.’’
Dick Brittenden wrote: ‘‘In the pavilion the New Zealanders wept openly and without shame; the South Africans were in little better state. Before he faced his first ball Blair passed his glove across his eyes in the heart-wringing gesture of any small boy anywhere in trouble but defiant.’’
The defiance included taking a test record 25 runs off Hugh Tayfield’s next over.
It couldn’t last, although Blair whacked a six in his only scoring shot before being stumped. At the tunnel Sutcliffe stood aside to allow Blair to pass in first and Brittenden wrote, ‘‘They went, arms about each other, into the darkness of the tunnel, but behind them they left a light and an inspiration.’’
Did the cable from Johannesburg capture all that for the radio commentators? I doubt it.
When New Zealand play tests against South Africa the Tangiwai Shield is at stake and once again Bert Sutcliffe, Nerissa Love and 150 other disaster victims — and Bob Blair — will be remembered.
