{{Short description|Australian cricketer (1917–2017)}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Jack Laver | image = | country = Australia | fullname = Jack Francis Lee Laver | nickname = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|3|9|df=yes}} | birth_place = Malvern, Melbourne, Victoria | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|10|3|1917|3|9|df=yes}} | death_place = Launceston, Tasmania | heightft = | heightinch = | heightm = | role = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm off-spin | club1 = Tasmania | year1 = 1946/47–1951/52 | columns = 1 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 13 | runs1 = 343 | bat avg1 = 14.91 | 100s/50s1 = 0/2 | top score1 = 93 | deliveries1 = 1,477 | wickets1 = 20 | bowl avg1 = 42.80 | fivefor1 = 1 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 5/26 | catches/stumpings1 = 13/– | date = 15 October | year = 2017 | source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/2/2593/2593.html CricketArchive }} '''Jack Francis Lee Laver''' (9 March 1917 – 3 October 2017)<ref name="LC">{{cite web|title=John Francis Lee LAVER|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/john-laver-obituary?pid=186847515&view=guestbook|website=legacy.com| date=4 October 2017 |accessdate=15 October 2017}}</ref> was a Tasmanian cricketer who played 13 matches of first class cricket for Tasmania between 1946 and 1952.
Laver was an off-spin bowler and lower-order batsman. He made his highest first-class score of 93 on his debut, playing against Victoria in 1946–47.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tasmania v Victoria 1946-47|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17929.html|website=CricketArchive|accessdate=22 March 2017}}</ref> His innings took only 94 minutes. Two weeks later he took his best bowling figures of 5 for 26 (off only 34 balls) against the touring MCC team, including the wickets of Denis Compton and Bill Edrich.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Laver takes 5/26 in drawn game against England|journal=The Mercury|date=14 January 1947|page= 20|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26380514|accessdate=23 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tasmania Combined XI v MCC 1946-47|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17942.html|website=CricketArchive|accessdate=22 March 2017}}</ref> He captained Tasmania against Victoria in the 1950–51 season, but Tasmania lost the match by nine wickets.<ref>[http://static.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1950S/1950-51/AUS_LOCAL/OTHER/TAS_VIC_18-20DEC1950.html Tasmania v Victoria 1950-51]</ref>
He served in World War II as a lieutenant in the 6th Australian Division Provost Company.<ref>{{cite web|title=Laver, John Francis Lee|url=http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=484096|website=World War Two Nominal Roll|accessdate=22 March 2017|archive-date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322111415/http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=484096|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In March 2017 he became only the third Australian first-class cricketer, after Ted Martin and Harold Stapleton, to reach 100 years of age.<ref name="make100">{{cite web|last1=Coverdale|first1=Brydon|title=It takes a rare cricketer to reach a century, not just make one|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/1086314.html|website=Cricinfo|date=10 March 2017}}</ref> He died on 3 October 2017; his wife Nancy predeceased him.<ref name="LC"/> Test cricketer Frank Laver was his uncle, and tennis star Rod Laver was a second cousin.<ref name="make100"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=6265}}
{{s-start}} {{succession box | before=Ronald Morrisby | title=Tasmanian First-class cricket captains | years=1950/51 | after=Emerson Rodwell| }} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laver, Jack}} Category:1917 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Australian cricketers Category:Tasmania cricketers Category:Cricketers from Melbourne Category:Australian men centenarians Category:Australian military personnel of World War II Category:Military personnel from Melbourne Category:People from Malvern, Victoria Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen
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