Austin Punch

Austin Thomas Eugene Punch (16 August 1894 – 25 August 1985) was an Australian cricketer. He played one first-class match for Tasmania in 1927/28 and 32 matches for New South Wales between 1919/20 and 1928/29.^[1]

Austin Punch

Personal information
Full name	Austin Thomas Eugene Punch
Born	(1894-08-16)16 August 1894 Sydney, Australia
Died	25 August 1985(1985-08-25) (aged 91) Sydney, Australia
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg-spin
Career statistics
Competition FC Matches 33 Runs scored 1,717 Batting average 35.04 100s/50s 1/13 Top score 176 Balls bowled Wickets 35 Bowling average 29.82 5 wickets in innings 1 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 5/33 Catches/stumpings 23/0
Source: Cricinfo, 5 June 2023

A tall and forceful batsman, strong on the front foot, Punch made his highest score of 176 against Otago when New South Wales toured New Zealand early in 1924;^[2] New South Wales scored 649 on the second day of the three-day match.^[3] His best bowling figures with his leg-breaks were 5 for 33 against Queensland earlier that season.^[4]

In 1923 Punch, described in the Sydney Referee as "a finely-trained baritone of undoubted excellence", resigned his position with the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Company to become a professional singer.^[5][6] He married Sylvia Byrne in the Sydney suburb of Neutral Bay in November 1934.^[7]