Alfred Noel Lawson (25 December 1912 – 22 November 1974) was a New Zealand cricketer, sports administrator and radio commentator. He played two first-class matches for Otago in the 1944–45 season.
Noel Lawson was born at Dunedin on Christmas Day 1912 and educated at Otago Boys' High School in the city.McCarron, Tony (2010). New Zealand Cricketers 1863/64–2010, p. 79. Cardiff: The Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. He studied at the University of Otago and captained University Cricket Club before moving to the Kaikorai club.Kaikorai Club, Otago Daily Times, issue 25951, 18 September 1945, p. 7. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.)The Canterbury match, Otago Daily Times, issue 25718, 14 December 1944, p. 3. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.) He developed a reputation as a "sound type of wicketkeeper-batsman", and first played for an Otago XI in December 1937, keeping wickets in a one-day match against North Otago. He played again for the team in a 1939 one-day match against Southland.Noel Lawson, CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
After the established Otago wicket-keeper George Mills was unable to travel to Christchurch to play in the first of Otago's two representative matches scheduled for the Christmas period in 1944, and with Ash Cutler unable to deputise, Lawson was called into the team as his replacement, The Evening Star considering that he "shapes well with the gloves".Otago v Canterbury cricket, Evening Star, issue 25357, 13 December 1944, p. 8. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.) He was surprisingly retained as the team's wicket-keeper for the second match, with Mills playing as an outfielder.Superfluous selection, Otago Daily Times, issue 25740, 11 January 1945, p. 3. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.) The Otago Daily Times questioned the selection, doubting whether Lawson's batting would have justified his inclusion in the team―Lawson scored only seven runs in his two first-class matches―and preferred that a specialist batsman would have been selected. In the event he "kept wickets particularly well",Otago v Wellington: Visitors lead on first innings, Otago Daily Times, issue 25732, 2 January 1945, p. 3. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.) despite some "erratic" throws in to the wickets from Otago, and allowed no byes in Wellington's first innings.Otago disappoints again, Otago Daily Times, issue 25734, 4 January 1945, p. 3. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.)
Lawson was called up to the armed forces in 1942Posted to camp, Otago Daily Times, issue 25034, 30 September 1942, p. 4. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.) and served overseas in the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps―he was overseas when his daughter was born in 1943.Alfred Noel Lawson, Online Cenotaph, Auckland Museum. Retrieved 1 June 2023. He graduated in 1945 with a degree in commerce and worked as an accountant and a company secretary.Degrees confirmed, Otago Daily Times, issue 25985, 27 October 1945, p. 8. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.)Personal, The Press, volume CXIV, issue 33553, 6 June 1974, p. 12. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.)
Lawson continued to play club cricket and for Otago teams into the 1950s, managed teams and was a selector for Otago and the secretary of Pirates RFC in Dunedin.Otago team: Match against North Otago, Otago Daily Times, issue 27343, 20 March 1950, p. 6. (valuable online at Papers Past. Retrieved 1 June 2023.) He was "well known" as a cricket broadcaster on Radio New Zealand, covering domestic matches from Wellington.Romanos J (2011) Another sporting era passes, Stuff, 31 October 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2023. He died at Wellington in 1974 aged 61. An obituary was published in the New Zealand Cricket Almanack the following year.
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