FREDERICK LAWRENCE CURLING VALENTINE

This inductee began playing the sport he loved, cricket, at the age of eleven.  Most of his domestic play was with the Samabula Cricket Club and he always looked forward to playing annually for the Crompton Cup and the Dewar Shield where win or lose he could always find a positive way from every innings.

He was first selected to represent Fiji at age 19 when the Fiji Cricket Team toured New Zealand in 1959.  His most notable achievements include bowling Jim Burke and Norm O’Neill in one over and then Richie Benaud and Allan Davidson for a duck, with final figures of 4 wickets for 54 runs in New South Wales in 1960.  The Sydney newspaper headlines read “David slew Goliath”.   He continued to represent Fiji internationally touring New Zealand during the 1960’s and India with the Samabula Wanders Invitational Team in 1974.  He displayed the finest qualities of a cricket player and captained the President’s XI against the visiting Pakistan Cricket Team in 1977 where team members included the great players of the time of Imran Khan, Wasim Raja, Mushtqa Muhammed and Intikhab Ala.  This fine cricketer continued his captainship with touring teams to PNG and NZ in 1977 and was a Fiji team member who played England to contest the ICC Mini World Cup in 1979.

Curling, as he was known amongst friends, is the only Fijian Cricket player who can lay fame to having a personal artefact on display at the world-famous Middlesex Country Cricket Club (MCC) Museum, home of ‘The Ashes’.  His right shoe and the ball he used during the Test match against PNG in that country, is housed at the MCC Museum.

Curling exemplified excellence in the sport he loved, lived and breathed and his decision to play 4^th Grade rather than A Grade cricket after migrating to Brisbane in 1980 enabled him to mentor young cricketers and give back to the sport showing his mark of humility and commitment to the next generation of cricket players.   For his achievements and dedication FASANOC is proud to induct posthumously FREDERICK LAWRENCE CURLING VALENTINE into the Fiji Sports Hall of Fame for the year 2012.

2012 INDUCTEE

 Photo:

 Frederick Valentine - Cricket