‘Cranky’ – The Biography of Ian Cromb

Martin Chandler | 9:17am BST 04 May 2025

Published: 2025
Pages: 244
Author: Battersby, David
Publisher: Private
Rating: 3.5 stars

Ian Cromb is not exactly a household name, even in his native New Zealand, but he is yet another of those cricketers whose deeds may not make a huge dent in the record books, but whose life stories are nonetheless well worth recording.

So the first question must be who was Ian Cromb? All I knew before I opened ‘Cranky’ was that he had played a few times for New Zealand in their earliest Tests at the start of the 1930s. I now know that in fact there were five appearances, three on tour in England in 1931, and two at home against South Africa in the following southern hemisphere summer.

Cromb was a right handed batsman and right arm fast medium bowler. He managed just a single half century in his Test career, but his overall career batting average exceeding that for his bowling, 29.04/27.71, demonstrates he was certainly a genuine all-rounder.

What might at first glance be considered unusual is that Cromb’s biographer is a Welshman, but none who know David Battersby and are familiar with his work will be surprised. Whilst he may be best known for his books and monographs on Pakistani cricketers and the history of the game in that country New Zealand has also featured in several of his monographs, even if this one is his first substantial book on a New Zealander.

And those past projects mean that Battersby has a network of people to assist him with his research in New Zealand and, most useful of all in Cromb’s case and the inspiration for the book, he has a scrapbook assembled by the man himself containing much in the way of photographs and memorabilia.

Anyone with the nickname ‘Cranky’ must by definition be an interesting character, and even though Cromb died more than forty years ago Battersby has uncovered much of the outspoken character of Cromb that gave rise to that nickname. Interviewed a number of times in the media throughout his life the records of those conversations go a long way to making up for the fact that Battersby has been unable to talk to any surviving family members, friends or acquaintances of his subject.

The scrapbook contains much on the 1931 tour and with access to that, as well as local and national press reports in New Zealand Battersby has had no difficulty in putting together a full account of Cromb’s cricket career, and the usual publicly available record have allowed his origins and his family life to be uncovered as well.

The single most interesting aspect of Cromb’s story, for me anyway, was the controversy over his playing in England. Given the paucity of Test cricket available to New Zealand before the Second World War I find it astonishing that the New Zealand Board put so many obstacles in the way of their leading players appearing as league professionals in England. Cromb did manage a single summer in the Lancashire League in 1933, but that is all.

So in many ways it isn’t difficult to see what made Cromb ‘Cranky’, at least where administrators were concerned. He was also a businessman, in partnership with fellow New Zealand Test player Bill Merritt in a sports outfitting business which seems to have involved a good deal more than just selling clothing and equipment.

Beyond playing cricket and business Cromb was also a coach, and a selector as well as being an accomplished golfer. I was interested to learn that he had a big hand in the development of Bob Charles, the tall willowy left hander who won the British Open in 1963. Perhaps the one disappointment is that there might have been something from Charles in the book as, approaching 90, he is still with us. That said AI, a source I am a long way from yet trusting, tells me that his last public statement was in 2022 when he disclosed that he was suffering from Alzheimers.

One point that needs to be highlighted with this one is the illustrations. In his publications Battersby always makes extensive use of images not only of men and matches but also of items of memorabilia. This is something of which I wholeheartedly approve and which adds greatly to the enjoyment to be had from reading everything that he produces.

Self published by Battersby in a limited edition of 120 signed and numbered copies of ‘Cranky’ can be obtained by contacting Battersby via dave@talbot.force9.co.uk or via Roger Page or Ken Piesse in Australia.