Sonny Moloney
Moloney in England in 1937
Personal information
Full name
Denis Andrew Robert Moloney
Born(1910-08-11)11 August 1910
Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
Died15 July 1942(1942-07-15) (aged 31)
El Alamein, British-occupied Egypt
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLegbreak
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 30)26 June 1937 v England
Last Test14 August 1937 v England
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1929/30–1934/35Otago
1935/36–1937/38Wellington
1938/39–1939/40Otago
1940/41Canterbury
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 3 64
Runs scored 156 3,219
Batting average 26.00 28.74
100s/50s 0/1 2/16
Top score 64 190
Balls bowled 12 5,176
Wickets 0 95
Bowling average – 33.16
5 wickets in innings – 3
10 wickets in match – 0
Best bowling – 5/23
Catches/stumpings 3/– 35/–
Source: Cricinfo, 1 April 2017

Denis Andrew Robert "Sonny" Moloney (11 August 1910 – 15 July 1942) was a New Zealand cricketer who played three Test matches on New Zealand's 1937 tour of England. He died of his wounds after being captured at the First Battle of El Alamein during the Second World War.[1][2]

Moloney was born at Dunedin and educated at Otago Boys' High School in the city, where he represented the school at cricket, rugby and athletics.[2][3][4] A middle-order or opening batsman and leg-spin bowler, Sonny Moloney played first-class cricket in New Zealand from the 1929–30 season to 1940–41, playing for Otago, Wellington and Canterbury, as well as playing Hawke Cup cricket for Manawatu. His highest first-class score was 190, which he made opening Wellington's innings against Auckland in February 1937.[5] His best bowling figures were 5 for 23 against Cambridge University three months later.[6]

Moloney toured England with the New Zealand team in 1937, playing in all three Test matches. On his debut in the first Test at Lord's he scored 64 in the first innings, adding 104 for the eighth wicket with Alby Roberts.[7] He was one of the most successful players on the tour, making 1,463 runs at an average of 34.83 and taking 57 wickets at a bowling average of 26.68 in 26 first-class matches.[8] He captained New Zealand in the match against Sir Julien Cahn's XI in 1938–39.[9]

Moloney was working as the chief clerk for the National Insurance Company in Dunedin when he enlisted to serve in the Second World War.[4][10] He was a lieutenant in 20 Infantry Battalion at the time of his death at the age of 31 on Ruweisat Ridge during the First Battle of El Alamein.[10] He was initially reported as missing in action before his death was confirmed in March 1943.[4] He is buried at El Alamein War Cemetery.[1][10] Wisden reported his death in the 1945 edition, giving a date of death as 1943.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Lieutenant MOLONEY, DENIS ANDREW ROBERT". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 McCarron A (2010) New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64–2010, p. 93. Cardiff: The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. ISBN 978 1 905138 98 2 (Available online at the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 5 June 2023.)
  3. ↑ "Personalities in Sport: No. XXVI: D. A. R. Moloney". Evening Star: 4. 6 November 1931.
  4. 1 2 3 Died of wounds, Otago Daily Times, issue 25172, 12 March 1943, p. 2. (Available online at Papers Past. Retrieved 25 November 2023.)
  5. ↑ "Auckland v Wellington 1936-37". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "Cambridge University v New Zealanders 1937". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "1st Test, Lord's, Jun 26 - 29 1937, New Zealand tour of England". Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, p. 166.
  9. ↑ "New Zealand v Sir J Cahn's XI 1938–39". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 "Denis Andrew Robert Moloney". Online Cenotaph. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  11. ↑ Moloney Lieut. DAR, Supplementary deaths in the War 1942–43, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 1945. (Available online at CricInfo. Retrieved 25 November 2023.)
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