Benjamin Huntsman Williams (10 June 1944 –3 August 1978) was a Rhodesian first-class cricketer.
Williams,a left-arm fast-medium bowler,was a good enough player in his youth to have represented Rhodesian Nuffield,South African Schools and Rhodesia Country Districts by his 18th birthday. [1]
He made his first-class debut in the 1963/64 Currie Cup season,playing for Orange Free State against North Eastern Transvaal. Despite opening the bowling in each innings,he failed to take a wicket. [2]
In 1966 he appeared for Matabeleland against the touring Australian team,in a non first-class fixture. He took four first innings wickets,Bob Simpson,Bob Cowper,Ian Redpath and Keith Stackpole. [3] This earned him a call up to the Rhodesian side to take on the same opponent and he made two further first-class appearances in the 1966/67 Currie Cup competition. He didn't play again for Rhodesia until the 1969/70 Currie Cup,when he took part in four matches. [4]
When not playing cricket,Williams worked as a farmer,in Inyati. On 3 August 1978,while on duty as a police reserve,he was fatally wounded in the arm by a rocket-propelled grenade fired at his vehicle by Bush War guerrillas during an ambush. He died of wounds later that day. [5] [6]
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