John Collins (New Zealand cricketer)
John Ulric Collins was a New Zealand cricketer who played six first-class matches: one for Nelson in 1884-85 and five for Canterbury between 1892-93 and 1895-96. As a teenager, he had also appeared in a minor match for a Wellington XXII that had much the worse of a draw against a ten-man Australians side in 1886-87.
Collins acted as wicket-keeper in three of his Canterbury matches, although all three of his dismissals came in one game, versus Auckland in January 1894. In his final appearance, for Canterbury against New South Wales in December 1895, he bowled for the only time in first-class cricket, taking the wicket of Frank Ridge in the first innings. His nephew David Collins played 53 first-class games, while his brother William Collins played two.
Collins was educated at Nelson College from 1880 to 1885. He earned a BA at Canterbury College. Collins began his teaching career at Wellington College, Wellington, in 1886, before moving to Christ's College, Christchurch, where he taught until 1906. He then taught at King's College, Auckland, from 1907 until he retired in 1935.
He died at his home in Ngongotahā on 12 July 1943.
