Raymond Hunter


William Raymond Hunter is a Northern Irish former cricketer and rugby union player.

Cricket

A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, he played 28 times for the Ireland cricket team between 1957 and 1967 including eleven first-class matches.

Playing career

Hunter made his debut for Ireland against the Free Foresters in August 1957. He scored 74 not out in the only Irish innings, his highest score for Ireland. He played two matches against New Zealand in July 1958, before making his first-class debut against Scotland later that month. He finished the year with matches against Worcestershire and the MCC.
He played four times for Ireland in 1959; against Scotland, Lancashire, Leicestershire and the MCC. He played just once in 1960, against Leicestershire. He played four times in 1961, including two internationals against Australia. In a match that year against the MCC, he took 5/22 in the MCC first innings, his best bowling performance for Ireland.
He then spent almost two years out of the Ireland side, returning for two matches against the West Indies in June 1963. He remained a semi-regular in the team over the following four years, playing internationals against India, New Zealand and Scotland in addition to other matches. His last first-class match was against Hampshire in September 1965 and his last game for Ireland against Combined Services in August 1967.

Statistics

In all matches for Ireland, Hunter scored 800 runs at an average of 21.05, scoring three half-centuries. He took 33 wickets at an average of 29.97, taking five wickets in an innings twice. In first-class cricket, he scored 202 runs at an average of 11.22 and took 19 wickets at an average of 23.42. He took five wickets in an innings once. Hunter captained Ireland on three occasions.

Rugby Union

Hunter also played Rugby Union to a high level, playing ten times for Ireland in the Five Nations between 1962 and 1966, scoring one try. He also played for the British and Irish Lions.