Introduction
William John Mitchell (born 1 December 1947) is a former New Zealand cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Northern Districts and Otago. A right-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium pace bowler, Mitchell played 14 first-class matches between 1964 and 1969, scoring 634 runs at 27.56 and taking one wicket.
Career
Born in Auckland, Mitchell began his first-class career in 1964 for Northern Districts. He began successfully, playing three matches over the summer of 1964/65 and scoring 212 runs at 53.00, including one half century and the only century of his career, 127* on debut against Pakistan. He also took his only first class wicket in this debut match, that of Abdul Kadir.
Mitchell had a far less successful season over the summer of 1965/66. where he again played three matches for Northern Districts; however his return was only 71 runs at 14.20, with a high score of 38. The following season, his last for Northern Districts, returned 252 runs from six matches at 22.90, with two fifties and a high score of 74. For the next season, Mitchell moved to Otago. He played two matches in the 1968/69 season, scoring 99 runs at 33.00, the second highest season average of his career, with a single half century of 52 his highest score.
Mitchell also played two first-class matches for the New Zealand Under-23s. In the 1966–67 match against Central Districts he scored 74 out of the Under-23s' first innings of 140.