Wisden Obituary
Doug Freeman was the youngest man ever to play a Test for New Zealand. When he was still a schoolboy at Nelson College, he appeared in two Tests against Douglas Jardine's England team in 1932-33, the first starting when he was 18 years 197 days. Freeman had made his first-class debut only two months earlier and taken 5 for 102 for Wellington against Auckland with his legspin. There was evidently a feeling that a promising youngster should be encouraged, rather than the 35-year-old DR Garrard. Freeman, 6ft 3in, had a sharp legbreak and a hard-to-pick googly but, against England, New Zealand were out of their depth; they were saved by the weather from defeat but not from two massive innings by Hammond: 227 at Christchurch and a world Test record 336 not out at Auckland. Freeman took one wicket in the two games ( Sutcliffe) for 169. He played only one further match, for Wellington against Auckland the following season, making a first-class career that lasted just 16 cricketing days. In 1935 he took a job with the Colonial Sugar Refining Co.; he was employed by them for the next 40 years, the first 20 in Fiji, the next 20 in Sydney. He was active in Fijian cricket and managed the side that toured New Zealand in 1953-54; he would have been captain but for injury. In Sydney he concentrated on golf. Before he died, Freeman recalled having the temerity to say to England's acting-captain: "Excuse me, Mr Wyatt, but are you leaving your crease before I have bowled? He apologised, said Freeman, but continued his illegal and disconcerting backing-up. I shudder to think of the outcry if I had taken off the bails and run him out." He also recalled seeing George Duckworth take a handful of autograph books and make a perfect replica of every MCC player's signature.
Wisden Almanack 1995