Name:

Pollard, Victor

Nickname:

Vic

Date of Birth:

07 Sep 1945

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Burnley, Yorkshire

Career:

Test: 1965 - 1973
ODI: 1973 - 1974

Teams:

New Zealand (Country)

1965: Pataudi leads Indian series win over New Zealand.

Victor “Vic” Pollard (born 7 September 1945 in Burnley, England) was a New Zealand all-rounder who combined determined batting with useful off-spin bowling during the 1960s and early 1970s.

Emigrating to New Zealand as a child, he rose through domestic cricket with Central Districts and Canterbury, becoming one of the country’s most dependable performers.

Between 1965 and 1973 he played 32 Tests, scoring 1,266 runs, including two centuries, and taking 40 wickets, while also appearing in three ODIs.

A versatile sportsman, Pollard also represented New Zealand in international football, making him a rare dual international. Renowned for his strong Christian convictions, he famously refused to play on Sundays, a stance that limited his opportunities for leadership but won him great respect.

His final Test tour of England in 1973 was his finest, where he averaged over 100 with the bat, underlining the talent and resilience that made him one of New Zealand’s most admired cricketers of his era.