Albert Moss was born in England but emigrated to New Zealand to escape tuberculosis, which was ravaging his family. He soon established a name as a fast bowler, and in his first game for Canterbury against Wellington in 1889-90 took all ten Wellington wickets in the first innings for 28 runs. An inscribed cricket ball was presented to him, and it became his most treasured possession.

However, Moss was an alcoholic and this soon paid to his fledgling cricket career and caused his wife to leave him. Moss went to South America and then on to South Africa where, on the verge of suicide, he took refuge with the Salvation Army and ultimately joined them. For the next 50 years he served their cause.

In 1915 a parcel arrived for Moss; in it was the cricket ball his wife had taken when she left him. She had read of a Captain Moss of the Salvation Army in South Africa working with alcoholics and traced him down. They corresponded for some time, and eventually she joined him in South Africa and, when she became an officer in the Salvation Army, they remarried.

• Historic Canterbury artefact centrepiece of 125th jubilee (Mar 8, 2002)