Andrew Nesbit Colin "Nessie" Snedden (3 April 1892 – 27 September 1968) was a New Zealand cricketer. He played first-class cricket for Auckland between 1909 and 1928,[1][2] and captained New Zealand in the days before New Zealand played Test cricket.[3]
![]() Snedden in 1931 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Andrew Nesbit Colin Snedden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1892-04-03)3 April 1892 Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 27 September 1968(1968-09-27) (aged 76) Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm medium-pace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | All-rounder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relations | Colin Snedden (son) Warwick Snedden (son) Martin Snedden (grandson) Alice Snedden (great-granddaughter) Michael Snedden (great-grandson) Cyril Snedden (brother) Owen Snedden (brother) Stanley Snedden (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1909-10 – 1927-28 | Auckland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 26 June 2018 |
At the time of his first-class debut at the age of 17 in December 1909, Snedden was the youngest player to represent Auckland.[4] His highest first-class score was 139, which he made when captaining Auckland against Hawke's Bay in 1920–21; in the same match he also took 5 for 13 (his best bowling fugures) and 2 for 21, and Auckland won by an innings and 354 runs.[5] He scored his other first-class century against Otago in 1925–26, when Auckland needed 271 for victory and he scored 131 not out, making the winning hit with a four to take Auckland to victory by five wickets.[6]
Snedden toured Australia with the New Zealand team in 1913-14. He was the last player to dismiss Victor Trumper in first-class cricket: leg before wicket for 81 in Australia's victory over New Zealand at Eden Park on 28 March 1914.[7]
He captained Auckland from 1919–20 to 1923–24, and captained New Zealand in two matches against the touring MCC team in 1922-23. For most of the period between 1922 and 1937 he was a national selector.[8]
Snedden was born in Auckland and educated at Sacred Heart College, Auckland. He became a law clerk, then a solicitor, taking a partnership in the Auckland firm of Wake, Anderson and Snedden in 1919.[9] He married Alice McDonnell in Auckland in April 1917.[10] He served overseas with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War I as a lieutenant.[11] Wake, Anderson and Snedden was dissolved in 1925 and he continued in the partnership Anderson and Snedden.[12]
His son Colin Snedden and grandson Martin Snedden played Test cricket for New Zealand. His brother Cyril and another son, Warwick, also played first-class cricket in New Zealand, as has Martin's son Michael Snedden. Cyril was also President of the New Zealand Rugby League.[13]