Huntsman Williams

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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