Rupert Hickmott was one of only two New Zealand cricket representatives to be killed in World War One. Wisden wrote after his death at the age of 22 that “he was probably the most promising cricketer in the Dominion”, and they were quite possibly right.
Hickmott played for St Albans, Canterbury and New Zealand, being a member of the team that toured Australia in 1913/14. During that tour he scored 346 runs, with an average of 26.15. He also played in the first ‘Test’ against the mighty Australian team that toured New Zealand in 1914, scoring 26 and 7 respectively. His first class average as a batsman was 25.09, with a highest score of 109 for Canterbury against Hawkes Bay in 1915.
As a bowler he averaged 27.27, but the figures, as is so often the case, do not reflect the man. He was seen as a batsman of immense promise because of his flair and his elegance at the crease. He seems to have possessed a calm temperament and had the ability to constantly learn from his experiences on the field. They said Hickmott could make time stand still when he was batting and was a gifted fielder and clever bowler. Maybe, just maybe, he was a New Zealand captain in the making.
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