Tom Puna

Narotam "Tom" Puna (28 October 1929 – 7 June 1996) was a New Zealand cricketer who played in three Test matches in 1966.

Tom Puna

Puna in 1962–63
Personal information
Full name	Narotam Puna
Born	(1929-10-28)28 October 1929 Surat, British India
Died	7 June 1996(1996-06-07) (aged 66) Hamilton, New Zealand
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off-break
Relations	Ashok Puna (son) Kirti Puna (son)
International information
National side	New Zealand
Test debut (cap 111)	25 February 1966 v England
Last Test	11 March 1966 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1956/57–1968/69	Northern Districts
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 3 70 Runs scored 31 1,305 Batting average 15.50 14.66 100s/50s 0/0 0/2 Top score 18* 62* Balls bowled 480 15,053 Wickets 4 229 Bowling average 60.00 24.44 5 wickets in innings 0 11 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 2/40 6/25 Catches/stumpings 1/– 36/–
Source: Cricinfo, 1 April 2017

Life and career

Puna's family migrated from India to New Zealand when he was eight.^[1] He was a fixture in the Northern Districts side from 1956–57 to 1968–69, beginning as a middle-order batsman but descending the order as his off-spin bowling developed. His best innings figures were 6 for 25 against Otago in Hamilton in 1966–67 (match figures of 59–29–66–9).^[2] When he retired he was Northern Districts' leading wicket-taker, with 223.^[1] He also played Hawke Cup cricket for Waikato from 1949 to 1970.^[3]

Puna took 34 wickets at 13.70 in the Plunket Shield in the 1965–66 season,^[4] and was selected as New Zealand's principal spinner in all three Tests against the visiting England team later that season.^[1]

His sons Ashok^[5] and Kirti^[6] also played for Northern Districts.