Hunter Poon

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Hunter Poon
country = Australia
fullname = Hunter Robert George Poon
dayofbirth = 14
monthofbirth = 5
yearofbirth = 1894
placeofbirth = Ballina, New South Wales
countryofbirth = Australia
dayofdeath = 25
monthofdeath = 1
yearofdeath = 1980
placeofdeath = Greenslopes, Queensland
countryofdeath = Australia
batting = Right-handed
role = Right arm leg spin
club1 = Queensland
year1 = 1923
type1 = First-class
debutdate1 = 21 December
debutyear1 = 1923
debutfor1 = Queensland
debutagainst1 = Victoria
lastdate1 =
lastyear1 = 1923
lastfor1 = Queensland
lastagainst1 = Victoria
deliveries = balls
columns = 1
column1 = First-class
matches1 = 1
runs1 = 12
bat avg1 = 6.00
100s/50s1 = 0/0
top score1 = 10
deliveries1 = 0
wickets1 = -
bowl avg1 = -
fivefor1 = -
tenfor1 = -
best bowling1 = -
catches/stumpings1 = 7/0
date = 21 September
year = 2008
source = http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/5/5818/5818.html CricketArchive

Hunter Robert George Poon (14 May 1894 - 25 January 1980) was the first player of Chinese descent to appear in Australian first-class cricketCashman, R., Franks, W. et al. (!997) "The A-Z of Australian Cricketers", Oxford University Press, Melbourne.]

Born Ander Leppit George Poon near Ballina, New South Wales to a Cantonese man who had migrated to Australia to work on the north Queensland goldfields, and his Anglo-Australian wife, Ander Leppit George Poon became Hunter Robert George Poon when the clerk registering his birth could not understand Poon's father's accent. Poon moved with his family to Toowoomba, Queensland and was educated at Toowoomba Grammar School, becoming a school teacher after graduation. A right arm leg spin bowler and right handed batsman, Poon became a leading cricketer around Toowoomba.

His career was interrupted by World War I, and Poon enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 5 September 1916, serving as a Lance Corporal with the 15th Battalion in France, where he was injured ["World War I Nominal Roll", File 42-077, "Commonwealth of Australia", http://www.awm.gov.au/nominalrolls/ww1/results.asp. Accessed 1 March 2008.] .

Returning from the war, Poon continued to star in Toowoomba cricket and was chosen to represent Queensland in a first-class match against Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starting 21 December 1923. While Poon was unable to take a wicket and scored only 10 and two, his selection caused international headlines ["The Evening Post" "Chinaman picked for Queensland", 24 December 1923, Wellington, New Zealand.] .

Although Poon never again played first-class cricket, he did play against the touring Marylebone Cricket Club twice. Representing Toowoomba, Poon played against MCC in December 1924, taking 0/19 and, batting at number four, scoring 11 and 0 [Scorecard, "Cricket Archive", http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/109/109259.html Accessed 12 March 2008.] . In February 1933, during the Bodyline series, Poon represented Queensland Country against MCC in Toowoomba, taking 2/123 and 0/23 and scoring one with the bat. Poon took the Wickets of Herbert Sutcliffe, stumped by future Test wicket keeper Don Tallon, and Gubby Allen. [Scorecard, "Cricinfo", http://content-www.cricinfo.com/bodyline/engine/match/316042.html Accessed 2 March 2008.] .

Poon died in Greenslopes, Brisbane in 1980, aged 85. The second cricketer of Chinese background to play first-class cricket in Australia, Richard Chee Quee, would not make his first-class debut until 1993 [Scorecard, "Cricinfo", http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/57/57042.html Accessed 14 March 2008.] .

References