Grahame Bilby
# Grahame Bilby

Grahame Paul Bilby (born 7 May 1941) is a former New Zealand cricketer and association football player who represented both the New Zealand national cricket team and the New Zealand national football team.

## Cricket career

An opening batsman, Bilby played in two Tests against the English cricket team, in Christchurch and Dunedin in 1965–66. Both Tests were drawn. He scored 28 and 3 in the first Test and 3 and 21 in the second. He was caught behind in three of those dismissals, and also took three catches in the field.

Bilby played his domestic cricket for Wellington from 1962–63 to 1975–76. His innings of 161 against Otago in the 1965–66 season, the highest score in the competition, probably earned him his Test debut later that season. In his first-class career he played in 57 matches, with a respectable 32.62 average, and which included 3 centuries and 15 fifties. He was named New Zealand Cricket Almanack Player of the Year in 1974.

## Football career

Bilby made his full All Whites debut in a 0–4 loss to New Caledonia on 8 November 1967. He ended his international playing career with 8 A-international caps and 1 goal to his credit, his final cap a substitute appearance in a 2–4 loss, also to New Caledonia, on 18 July 1971.

## Personal life

After attending Rongotai College, Bilby spent his working life in information technology. He and his wife Joy have two daughters and a son.

