Gone....NOT Forgotten!

[fredfertang]

Graham Fowler
"Foxy" Fowler was a left-handed opener who apparently played and missed so often that soon even he hardly seemed to know whether he had an elaborate and irritating way of leaving the ball or whether he was phenomenally lucky. When he did make contact, Fowler was impressive, especially off the back foot. But he was certainly lucky that so many potential openers went on the rebel 1981-82 tour of South Africa: all his 21 Tests came while they were banned. His career reached its apogee with his marvellous 201 in the 1984-85 Madras Test (in conditions very foreign to an Accrington lad), but after one more game Graham Gooch came back and Fowler was history. He remained a solid force for Lancashire, and then turned his cheeky-chappie image to good effect as a radio summariser.

A real cult hero in Lancashire - my brother remains firmly of the view he should be playing for England to this day - against the West Indies in, I think, 1984, he scored a very brave century that was undoubtedly the most fortuitous I have ever seen

 

[JBMAC]

Sir Edmund Barton

Sir Edmund Barton
Edmund Barton

Australia

Player profile

Full name Edmund Barton
Born January 18, 1849, Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales
Died January 7, 1920, Medlow Bath, New South Wales (aged 70 years 354 days)
Major teams Sydney University
Nickname Toby Tosspot
Batting style Right-hand bat
Other Umpire

Notes
Umpire at first-class level 1872-73 to 1878-79
Prime Minister of Australia 1901-03
Justice of the High Court of Australia 1903-20

Profile

The Rt Hon Sir Edmund Barton, PC, GCMG, etc., the first Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia, was born at Glebe, Sydney, on January 18, 1849 and died at Mellow Bath in January, 1920. He was educated at the Public School (Fort St. Sydney), Sydney Grammar School, and Sydney University. As a member of the University XI he played against Melbourne University, and occasionally he umpired in inter-State matches.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

Sir Edmund Barton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, the ninth child of William Barton, a stockbroker, and Mary Louise Barton. He was educated at Fort Street High School and Sydney Grammar School, where he was twice dux and school captain. He graduated with first class honours in classics from the University of Sydney, where he also demonstrated considerable skill at cricket. Barton became a barrister in 1871. On a cricket trip to Newcastle in 1870, he met Jane Mason Ross, whom he married in 1877.

In 1879, Barton umpired a cricket game at Sydney Cricket Ground between New South Wales and an English touring side captained by Lord Harris. After a controversial decision by Barton's fellow umpire, the crowd spilled onto the pitch, leading to international cricket's first riot. Barton helped to defuse the situation, and gained much favourable publicity for his efforts, which helped him politically; Barton successfully stood for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the University of Sydney constituency later in the year. In 1882 he became Speaker of the assembly. From 1887 to 1891, and again from 1897 to 1898, Barton sat in the Legislative Council. During the 1890s Barton changed his economic views and joined the Protectionists, who were opposed to the Free Traders, led by George Reid. The mutual dislike between Barton and Reid drove much of New South Wales politics in the 1890s.

Barton was a strong advocate of the federation of the Australian colonies, and after the death of Sir Henry Parkes he effectively led the federal movement. Giving up the chance of high office in New South Wales, he campaigned tirelessly for federation. In 1897 he was one of the delegates elected from New South Wales to the Constitutional Convention which developed a constitution for the proposed federation. Although Sir Samuel Griffith wrote most of the text of the Constitution, Barton was the political leader who carried it through the Convention.

In 1899 Barton campaigned for New South Wales to approve the new Constitution at a referendum, but Reid opposed him and the draft was rejected. Barton was forced to make a deal with Reid to get the Constitution approved at a second referendum. He then joined Alfred Deakin and other politicians in London to lobby the British Parliament to pass the federation bill.

Few people doubted that Barton, as the leading federalist in the largest state, deserved to be the first Prime Minister of the new federation. But the newly arrived Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun, instead invited Sir William Lyne, the premier of New South Wales, to form a government. Since no federal Parliament had yet been established, the usual convention of appointing the leader of the largest party in the lower house party did not apply.

Hopetoun's decision can be defended on grounds that Lyne had seniority, but as an opponent of federation he was unacceptable to prominent federalists such as Deakin, who refused to serve under him. After tense negotiations Barton was appointed Prime Minister and a ministry appointed. The main task of this ministry was to organise the conduct of the first federal elections, which were held in March 1901. Barton was elected unopposed to the new Parliament, and his Protectionist Party won enough seats to form a government with the support of the Labor Party.

The Barton government consisted of himself as Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs, George Turner as Treasurer, Alfred Deakin as Attorney General, James Dickson as Minister for Defence, William Lyne as Minister for Home Affairs, Charles Kingston as Minister for Trade and Customs and John Forrest as Post-Master General.

The Barton government's first piece of legislation was the Immigration Restriction Act, which put the White Australia Policy into law. This was the price of the Labor Party's support for the government. One notable reform was the introduction of women's suffrage for federal elections in 1902. Barton was a moderate conservative, and advanced liberals in his party disliked his relaxed attitude to political life.

For much of 1902 Barton was in England for the coronation of King Edward VII. This trip was also used for the negotiation of a permanent British naval presence, to protect Australia against the marauding navies of the other powers, particularly Japan. While in London he was given a knighthood. In September 1903, Barton left Parliament to become one of the founding justices of the High Court of Australia. He was succeeded as Prime Minister by Alfred Deakin on September 24.

On the bench Barton adopted the same position of moderate conservatism he had taken in politics. After 1906 he increasingly clashed with Isaac Isaacs and H.B. Higgins, the two advanced liberals appointed to the court by Deakin. Barton died on 7 January 1920 at the Hydro Majestic Hotel, Medlow Bath, New South Wales. He had four sons and two daughters and his numerous descendants are still prominent in Sydney.

As the first Prime Minister of Australia, Barton has become something of a national icon, and is remembered for his statement that "For the first time, we have a nation for a continent, and a continent for a nation." Today, Australians are much less inclined to remember his other well known statement at the time, "I do not think that the doctrine of the equality of man was really ever intended to include racial equality."

Most historians feel that in reality Barton was a fairly ordinary politician. His greatest contribution to Australian history was his leadership of the federation movement through the 1890s, when he showed real leadership. By the time he became Prime Minister he was ready to rest on his laurels. A large, handsome, jovial man, he was fond of long dinners and good wine, and earned the nickname "Toby Tosspot"

 

[JBMAC]

Bart King

Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
First-class 65 114 10 2134 113* 20.51 1 8 67 0

Bowling averages Mat Runs Wkts BBI Ave 5w 10
First-class 65 6502 415 10/53 15.66 38 11

Career statistics First-class span 1893 - 1912

Profile

Bart King was by a wide margin the greatest cricketer that the US has ever produced, as well as being a great character. His reputation outside America was largely made by his three tours of England with The Philadelphians (who before World War 1 played cricket to a high standard) in 1897, 1903 and 1908. His figures in first-class matches on those tours were:

Runs Avge Wkts Avge
1897 441 20.10 72 24.20
1903 653 28.89 93 14.91
1908 290 16.11 87 11.01

Though by 1908 he was 35 years old, his bowling average was the lowest of the English season. His 87 wickets were taken in just 10 matches. He bowled very fast in his early days, and developed the ability to swing the ball late from leg. Judges such as Pelham Warner, C.B.Fry and H.V.Horden ranked him amongst the great bowlers.

In all first-class matches he scored 2134 runs at 20.52, with 1 century, and took 415 wickets at 15.67.

 

[JBMAC]

Jim Burke

BURKE, JAMES WALLACE, the Australian opening batsman for nearly a decade during the 1950s, died by his own hand in Sydney on February 2, aged 48. In his time, this extremely likeable personality had experienced the full circle of changing cricket fortunes at international level; he had also excelled at competitive golf, and enjoyed good company just as much as a wide circle of friends welcomed his fellowship, keen sense of humour, and a versatile musical capacity.

By the time he was twenty, Jim Burke had achieved a highly successful schoolboy batting record with Sydney Grammar, played first-grade cricket with the Manly club at fifteen, and appeared as a New South Wales opener at 18. In his Test début against England at Adelaide two years later, he displayed ideal temperament by scoring a maiden Test century notable for neat cuts and glances. And yet, within a year, he was dropped from the Test team - the first of five such occurrences - and, at 23, suffered a similar dismissal from the NSW eleven. A season in the Lancashire League with Todmorden started the fight back to international level where he became Colin McDonald's dogged but successful opening partner.

In 1956, Burke was chosen with G. R. A. Langley as one of the two Australians featured among Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year. Although his batting was becoming increasingly dour and he had put away some of his best strokes, he scored a century before lunch at Taunton. Moving on to Bombay, he scored against India - in six hours eight minutes - the slowest Test century ever put together by an Australian. India and Pakistan were followed by a successful South African tour in 1957-58 when Burke headed the averages and was the sole Australian to reach 1,000 runs (1,041 at an average of 65.06 per innings), this including a monumental innings of nine hours thirty-eight minutes to score 189 in the Cape Town Test.

Burke never fully recovered his confidence after a broken rib incurred on this tour, and his concern over the growing use of the bouncer precipitated his retirement at 28 after the England tour of P. B. H. May. His record in 24 Tests was 1,280 runs at an average of 33. In all first-class cricket, he scored 21 centuries and just over 7,600 runs at an average of 49, his record in 58 Sheffield Shield matches being 3,399 runs at 44.14 per innings. In addition, off-breaks bowled with a suggestive bent-arm action gained him 101 wickets in the first-class arena.

An honorary life member of MCC, Burke became a widely known and popular radio and television commentator for the Australian Broadcasting Commission cricket service. He had been due to cover the sixth Australia v England Test which commenced a few days after his death.

 

[JBMAC]

Ciss Parkin

Ciss Parkin was by any reckoning something of an oddball. The livewire of the dressing-room, his comic talents and conjuring tricks kept team-mates - and often the spectators - amused. But had a knack of upsetting people as well by expressing his outspoken views. His England career was nipped in the bud when he criticised Arthur Gilligan, the captain, in a newspaper article. Two years later his county career finished in equally acrimonious circumstances with a public - and bitter- falling out with the Lancashire committee. But on the field he was a devastating offspinner, always ready to experiment with speed, flight and guile. This led to regular spats with captains who struggled to set fields to Parkin's requirements. He played once for Yorkshire in 1906 before it was discovered he had been born 20 yards outside the county, and spent the next eight seasons in league and minor county cricket. In 1914, aged 28, he made his Lancashire debut, taking 14 Leicestershire wickets, but his second coming was nipped in the bud by the Great War. It was not until he was almost 35, in 1921, that he became a fulltime cricketer, and in that year he topped the averages against the all-conquering Australians. After leaving Lancashire he returned to league cricket with inevitable success.

 

[JBMAC]

William Clarke

A remarkable man an unforgettable character





William Clarke was one of the most remarkable cricketers of the nineteenth century. Born at Nottingham in 1798, he played his first game for his county in 1816 when only seventeen, but it was another twenty years before he appeared in a representative game at Lord's and he was not chosen for the Players in their matches against the Gentlemen until 1846. An underhand bowler, he delivered the ball from hip level, with a curling fii ht, leg-spin, and sharp rise from the pitch. He learnt much of his bowing technique from William Lambert, the Surrey all-rounder, but whereas Lambert changed to the new round-arm style Clarke continued with the old style and slowly perfected it until he was almost unplayable. His general knowledge of the game and skill in managing the field was remarkable. His only fault was that he would continue to bowl himself for too long 'always expecting to get a wicket in his next over'. Clarke was by trade a bricklayer, but afterwards became a licensed victualler, and for some years was landlord of the Bell Inn at Nottingham, opening in 1838 the Trent Bridge ground. In 1846 he formed the All England XI, a team of the finest cricketers in the country, and the eleven, under the captaincy of Clarke, toured the county playing all teams willing to oppose them. In 1852 John Wisden and other young professionals who considered that £4 to £6 a match was not sufficient for their expenses broke from Clarke's eleven and formed the rival United England XI. In the latter part of his career Clarke's bowling performances were astonishing. From 1847 to 1853 he averaged 340 wickets a season and in the season of 1853 alone, after breaking his wrist the previous year, he dismissed 476 batsmen. He died in 1856 after playing forty-one seasons in first-class cricket and obtaining a wicket with the last ball he bowled.

 

[JBMAC]

Syed Mushtaq Ali

CRICKET Enthusiasts in the present age may not be aware of the exploits of Syed Mushtaq Ali on the cricket fields that dazzled the world in the last century.
A pioneer, Mushtaq, was one of the most swashbuckling batsmen to have ever walked on the cricket ground. So much that the English described his batting as 'Lion roaring on hot bricks'.

The opening pair of Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Merchant had astonished the English on the Indian tour in 1936. Mushtaq scores his century (112) that was the first century by an Indian ever outside the country.

The pair put on 203 for the first wicket at such a pace that not only saved India from a near certain defeat but the number of runs scores on that day in Old Trafford stands as a world record till date. More than 500 runs were scored on that single day of the test match.

Mushtaq- Merchant was India's first worldclass opening pair of batsmen. Trailing by 368 runs, the first wicket partnership so amazed the English that Sir Neville Cardus described his batting as strokes of a genius.

His agressive style of batting shocked the conventionalists but Mushtaq was a great crowd puller in his times. He played with CK Nayudu, Vizzy, Wazir Ali, Lala Amarnath, Mohammad Nissar and the pioneering cricketers.

"The Errol Flynn of cricket", that was how legendary Keith Miller described him. "Dashing, flamboyant, swashbuckling and immensely popular wherever he played", Miller said about him.
As Mushtaq dazzled the English on his first tour, the great CB Fry said that Ranji would be the happiest man on the day.

Indeed in the era when British were rulers, the batting of Mushtaq Ali was an answer to the colonial rulers, a kind of statement that struck chord with the common people. It was no less than a revolution, a black Indian giving hard times to the English in their own game.

Unfortunately there were not many tests in his ear and cricket was dominated by princes and royals in India besides the politics in cricket set up. So Mushtaq played barely 11 tests. Statistics may not do adequate justice to him but every shot of his 612 runs at an average of 32.12 gave the people immense joy. Still, his test average is much higher than another cricket in a similar mould, K Srikkanth, whose average was 29.

The original Master Blaster, Mushtaq Ali, came from a poor family. He gained the reputation of wielding his bat like a machine gun early in the career. The ninety year old miracle man started his career as a slow left-arm bowler in 1933-34 at the age of 19 years. In his first class career, he scored over 13,000 runs with 30 masterful centuries and 155 wickets.

Sir Neville Cardus said about him, "There was suppleness and a loose, easy grace which concealed power as the feline silkiness conceals the strength of some jungle beauty of gleaming eyes and sharp fangs".

Cardus called Merchant and Mushtaq as the 'Prose and Poetry of Indian Cricket'. What more could come from the greatest cricket writer. He was the man for whom crowds originally came on streets and demanded, 'No Mushtaq, No Test'. It was against touring Australians in Calcutta when Duleepsinhji dropped for teaching him a lesson for missing the first test.

But he had to be taken in. More than fifty years later, his grandson, Abbas Ali, scored a magnificent ton playing for Madhya Pradesh in the same city and the people congratulated him for the innings and remembered his grandfather. After Mushtaq, his son, Gulrez and grandson, Abbas, have played first class cricket with distinction.

Mushtaq was the darling of crowds. His batting exploits for Holkar are an altogether different story that demands a book. There was hardly any money in those days in cricket and for Mushtaq, cricket was sheer joy not a money spinning tool.
Unfortunately, this legendary cricketer had to immense financial problems recently that prompted Sunny Gavaskar to approach the Board. The oldest living Test cricket lives a simple, peaceful life in his hometown Indore.

 

[JBMAC]

Salim Durrani

GENIUSES ARE rarely predictable and so was Salim Durrani, the immensely talented cricketer who could turn the fate of any game--either with the bat or the bowl.

The only cricketer ever born in Kabul (Afghanistan), Salim Aziz Durrani was India's most exiciting player for over a decade. Always remembered for his penchant for hitting sixes in the era when there were few hitters in the India team, Durrani was a darling of the crowds.

He made his debut in the 1959/60 series against Australia at Mumbai. Initially Durrani was known as a bowler who had a rather lazy action but could surprise the batsman with the turn which he generated due to his height.

Soon his attacking prowess in batting caught everyone's eye. A matchwinner, Durrani was instrumental in the series against England in 1961-62. At the Calcutta test he picked up eight wickets.

His ten wickets in the test at Madras in the same series again guided India to victory. A decade later, Durrani was still around and bowled the great Sir Gary Sobers and Clive Lloyd to take India to victory at Port of Spain in the series against WI.

Durrani was an aggressive batsman who could tear any bowling attack on his day. His century agaisnt WI in the 1962 series is still remebered. In his 29 tests, this stylish left-hander hit seven 50s-- all scintillating and entertaining. His 1,202 runs at an average of 25.04 may not fully reflect the potention of Durrani but he at times lost interest in the game.

He secured 75 wickets with his bowling. In first class cricket, Durrani secured 484 wickets apart from hitting 14 centuries. But it was hit ability to hit sixes that really turned the crowd ecstatic.

In 1973, Durrani was not selected in the Kanpur test and the sports enthusiasts were so agitated that protests echoing 'No Durrani, No Test' were made all over India. Tall and handsome Durrani acted against Parveen Babi in a film that did not do well.

It is generally conceded that Durrani was unfortunate that there were no one day matches in his era. He was a perect player for the limited over matches. But the name of 'Prince Salim' in the annals of Indian cricket history is firm and secure.

 

[JBMAC]

Andrew Zessers

Andrew Zesers' career was brief and dogged by persistent shoulder problems which caused him to retire aged just 23. It all looked so promising when he became the youngest Australian to take 100 first-class wickets with his slow-medium bowling - he made his debut for South Australia aged 17. He was a member of the Australian side which won the 1987 World Cup - he played both his ODIs in that series - but within two season he was finished. He subsequently became a coach and community cricket manager at South Australia

 

[JBMAC]

Ron Hamence

Ron Hamence was a compact attacking batsman whose one failing was against genuine pace. His early years were disrupted by the war, but he made his debut against England in the last Test of the 1946-47 series, impressing with a dogged 30 not out, and two Tests against India the following summer.. He toured England in 1948 but was an almost permanent 12th man and an extremely popular and good-humoured tourist. After Bill Brown died in March 2008, Hamence, at 92, became Australia's oldest living player and one of four surviving members of the 1948 Invincibles tour.


Another Aussie perennial 12th man...but he is still an "Invincible"

 

[JBMAC]

Norman Gordon

Norman Gordon was unfortunate in that he broke into the South African side just before the war, and was too old by the time it ended. A right-arm quick, he made his debut for Transvaal in 1933-34 but took some time to find his feet as at that time the transition was being made from matting to turf wickets and he struggled to adapt. He played in all five Tests against England in 1938-39, bowling tirelessly in a series during which bat dominated ball. He conceded 100 runs in four innings, but was the leading wicket-taker on either side (20). At Durban, in the Timeless Test, he sent down 92.2 eight-ball overs (taking 1 for 256), and would almost certainly have toured England in 1940 where the conditions would have suited him. He was known as "Mobil", because he used to slick down his unruly hair with handfuls of Vaseline.

 

[JBMAC]

John Dewes

John Dewes was a left-handed opening batsman of whom much was expected but who ultimately failed to live up to his early potential. In 1945 he was one of three relative unknowns included in the England side for the 'Victory' Test against Australia at Lord's (it was his first-class debut). His form for Cambridge earlier that summer, including scored 1000 runs in May in minor matches, led to his call-up. He continued to pile on runs for Cambridge - he shared a record unbeaten stand of 429 with Hubert Doggart against Essex in 1949, and a year earlier smashed 212 against Sussex. He made his Test debut in 1948, but in ten innings between then and 1950-51 he only reached double figures three times, passing fifty just once. His star continued to wane, although he still showed glimpses of his ability; in 1955 he made 644 in seven matches. His teaching duties took up more of his time after 1950 - he was master at Tonbridge, Rugby and Dulwich - and he subsequently became a headmaster in Australia. He was also a hockey Blue, and his son, Anthony, won a cricket Blue in 1978.

I believe ,along with Alec Bedser, they are the only surviving Englishmen that played against Bradmans "Invincibles" Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[JBMAC]

Samuel Woods

Samuel "Sammy" Moses James Woods, one of the most famous and popular of athletes, a splendid cricketer and a great Rugby football forward, was born at Glenfield near Sydney on April 14, 1867, and died on April 30 at Taunton. A player of grand physique, cheery disposition, and unflinching courage, he was generally at his best against the strongest and never knew when he was beaten. Although essentially an all-rounder and a most efficient and inspiring captain, it is on his bowling that his fame will chiefly rest. He was fast and accurate and had at his command not only a deadly yorker but also a slow ball which was as formidable and deceptive as any he sent down. Unquestionably he reached a measure of excellence which entitled him to a place among the great fast bowlers of all time.

Essentially a forcing batsman Woods drove tremendously hard especially to the on. He used his reach, great strength and sure eye to hit at the pitch of the ball without leaving his crease. Often he knocked the most accurate bowlers off their length and he could cut any short ball with a swing of his massive shoulders and arms, sending the ball at tremendous speed past cover-point. While Woods preferred the fast scoring game he could, in case of need, adopt a sound, correct method and then he excelled in off-side driving. As with age his effectiveness with the ball declined he used the bat to greater purpose. His highest scoring season was 1895 when he made 1,405 runs with an average of 34. This he surpassed four years later with a record of 40 an innings.

He received his early education at Sydney Grammar School and Royston College, Sydney, and at the latter institution showed such ability as a bowler that in 1883 he took seventy wickets for five runs each and on one occasion obtained seven wickets in seven balls.

He came to England in 1884 and went to Brighton College where he and G. L. Wilson stood out as two of the best Public School cricketers of the season. In the following summer for Brighton College Woods obtained seventy-eight wickets for seven and a half runs apiece, getting fourteen--all bowled--in the match with Lancing College, and, in addition to achieving so much as a bowler, showed no little ability as a hard-hitting batsman while, later on, he developed into a brilliant field at cover-point or extra mid-off and a sure catch. He began to play regularly for Somerset in 1887 but a year earlier had figured at Portsmouth in a match between the fifth Australian team and a side got together by G. N. Wyatt, a prominent amateur who appeared first for Gloucestershire, afterwards for Surrey and finally for Sussex. While reaching double figures in each innings and taking two wickets, Woods accomplished nothing of much note on that occasion, but on going up to Cambridge in 1888 he, in the course of very few weeks, made himself certain of his Blue. For four years he appeared for the University and, during that period, secured 190 wickets for less than 15 runs apiece, while in the four encounters with Oxford at Lord's, of which three were won and one drawn, he obtained thirty-six wickets for something under nine runs each. Cricket has presented no more exhilarating sight than the University match of those days with Woods bowling his hardest and Gregor MacGregor keeping wicket in that famous player's masterly fashion.

Woods did little as a batsman against Oxford, but in his last year when Cambridge--set 90 to make to win--had lost eight wickets for 89, he went in and hit the first ball he received to the boundary. He was Cambridge captain in 1890 when the Light Blues proved victorious by seven wickets.

Although earning great fame as a bowler at Cambridge and repeatedly chosen to assist Gentlemen against Players--he and F. S. Jackson bowled unchanged in the match of 1894 and were mainly instrumental in gaining in single innings victory over the professionals-- Sam Woods' career was essentially identified with Somerset, for whom he appeared from 1886 to 1907, acting as captain in 1894 and taking over the duties of Secretary until 1923. His biggest score was one of 215 which he hit against Sussex at Hove in 1895, the total meanwhile being increased by 282 in two hours and a half. Three years later, on the same ground, he made 143 out of 173 in two hours and a quarter off the Sussex bowlers.

Among his many bowling feats, in addition to his great performances for Gentlemen v. Players, was the taking of all ten wickets for 69 runs in an innings for Cambridge against C. I. Thornton's Eleven--fifteen wickets in the match for 88 runs--at Cambridge in 1890. Two years earlier in a contest against another side got together by C. I. Thornton he performed the hat-trick, and in 1891 at the Oval against Surrey he obtained fourteen wickets for 11 runs each.

He played for the Australians in this country several times in 1888 and participated in several tours abroad, going to America in 1891 and to South Africa in 1896-97 with teams led by Lord Hawke, to the West Indies with a side captained by Sir A. Priestley and to America again in 1899 when Ranjitsinhji was in control.

In the course of his career he made nineteen 100's--eighteen of these for Somerset--scored in all 15,499 runs with an average of 23 and took 1,079 wickets for 20 runs apiece. Over six feet in height, he weighed in his cricket days thirteen stone and a half.

His career as a Rugby Football player naturally did not extend over so many years as his cricket life, but he attained the highest honours at the winter game, playing for Cambridge against Oxford in 1888 and in the two following years and being capped for England 13 times in the days when there were only three international encounters each season. Four times he played against Scotland between 1890 and 1895, five times against Ireland and four times against Wales. Tremendously strong and very fast, he possessed all the qualities necessary and, in his quickness in breaking away, was, after Frank Evershed, one of the most famous of wing forwards in the comparatively early days of the Rugby game. He also played Rugby for Somerset and appeared at Association football for Sussex. In the War he served in the Somerset Light Infantry and in the Devon Regiment.

 

[JBMAC]

Mahadevan Sathasivam

Mahadevan Sathasivam was Sri Lanka's premier batsman of the 1940s and fifties; once at Chepauk he scored 215 in 248 minutes, an innings described as the greatest ever played on the ground. Rakish, relaxed, a flamboyant amateur who scored his runs with a minimal flick of the wrist - how Sathasivam's wicket would have been coveted by that dour, proud professional, SF Barnes.

 

[JBMAC]

Norman Gifford

Norman Gifford came along as a left-arm spinner at an unfortunate time. When he started, Tony Lock's international career still had seven years to run, while Derek Underwood, five years Gifford's junior, was soon to stake an irresistible challenge of his own. Underwood and Gifford were sufficiently dissimilar - Gifford was much slower and more low-slung - for them to play two Tests side by side, on the subcontinent in 1972-73, but Underwood's artistry restricted Gifford, a good-natured apple-cheeked Lancastrian, to 15 Tests, most of them while Ray Illingworth was captain. Gifford captained England in a one-day series in Sharjah in 1985 at the age of 44.

 

[JBMAC]

Alfred Harry "Fred" Bakewell

Alfred Harry "Fred" Bakewell, who died at Westbourne, Bournemouth, on January 23, 1983, aged 74, was, from the spectator's point of view, one of the most exciting batsmen of his generation and the car smash which ended his career was as disastrous as that which finished Milburn's years later. While, as the vicissitudes of some of our modern Test match batsmen demonstrate, it is impossible to exaggerate the importance of a sound orthodox method, it is salutary that just now and again a player emerges who can defy some of what are normally considered the cardinal principles and yet completely confound the critics. Bakewell's stance was one of the most two-eyed ever seen, with the right shoulder so far round that it seemed almost to be facing mid-on: it was not helped by a slight crouch and he gripped the bat throughout with one hand at the top and the other at the bottom of the handle. Seeing this for the first time, one would have diagnosed a dull and ugly player who would score, if at all, by nudges and deflections. Yet there was in him some natural genius which enabled him to be one of the most brilliant drivers and cutters in the world, nor did he have any difficulty in getting right down the pitch to hit the ball. Naturally he was also strong on the leg side and, if in his early years his defence was a trifle suspect, especially on his off stump, he soon improved it.

If ever a batsman was a law unto himself, he was. In 1933 he scored 246 for Northamptonshire against Nottinghamshire at Northampton in just under six hours. In order to keep him quiet, Sam Staples, one of the most accurate off-spinners in England, bowled at the stumps with a packed leg side. To cut an off-break is generally a recipe for trouble: to cut an off-break on the middle stump is suicidal. Yet Bakewell, standing well clear of his leg stump, in the intervals of jumping out and driving him for 4 past the place where extra-cover might have been, constantly cut him. In 30 overs Staples conceded 177 runs. The innings was regarded by many as the finest they had ever seen on the ground and was a record for the county. It did not stay a record for long. In the next match Bakewell beat it with 257 against Glamorgan at Swansea. By contrast, opening for England against West Indies at The Oval later that summer, he was faced with a score-board reading 68 for four, Walters, Hammond, Wyatt and Turnbull all being out. His answer was to make 107 out of 194 in three hours, 50 minutes, a sensible, controlled innings which was just what the situation called for and which saved the side.

Born at Walsall, Bakewell learned his cricket at St John's School, Tiffield, and later received further coaching in Oxford under the scheme organised by J. R. F. Turner. He made his first appearance for Northamptonshire in June, 1928, and immediately made his place secure not only with some useful innings, but by his brilliant fielding at short-leg. In 1929 he got his 1,000 runs and did so every season for the rest of his career. Having played his first innings of 200 in 1930, 204 against Somerset at Bath, he was picked in 1931 for the Players at Lord's and also to open the innings for England against New Zealand at Lord's and The Oval. At The Oval he made 40 and was batting well when he allowed himself to be run out rather than Sutcliffe. In 1933 his aggregate of 1,952 runs for the county was a record and in all matches he exceeded 2,000 runs, the first Northamptonshire man ever to do so. That winter he went to India with Jardine's side and was only moderately successful and in 1934, being doubtless stale, failed to get a place against the Australians. Back in form in 1935, he played in two Tests against South Africa without much success, but made 1,719 runs for the county, including a remarkable innings against Yorkshire at Harrogate. Those were the days when D. R. Jardine, if he wished to know how good a cricketer was, always asked, What has he done against Yorkshire? On this occasion someone remarked to Bakewell that he had never taken a hundred off Yorkshire: he replied, I will do so today. The Yorkshire bowling was opened by Smailes and off his first over Bakewell hit five 4s, followed by three more three overs later. In two hours he had reached 96 when Sellers just reached, one-handed at full stretch over his head at mid-off, a tremendous drive and held it. In 1936 Bakewell had another good season and ended it and his career with a great innings. At Chesterfield Northamptonshire were 65 runs down on the first innings to Derbyshire, the champions. Going in again Bakewell batted over six hours for 241 not out before his captain declared, leaving Derbyshire 347 to get. At the close they were 173 for seven. On the return journey the car in which R. P. Northway and Bakewell were travelling overturned. Northway was killed outright and Bakewell's right arm was so badlybroken that he could never play county cricket again.

In all first-class matches he had scored 14,570 runs with an average of 33.98, besides being a great short-leg. It is sometimes suggested, surely somewhat harshly, that he should, even in his short career, have achieved more than he did, but it must be remembered that he was throughout playing for a very weak county. During his nine seasons Northamptonshire won only 31 matches and lost 119: five times they were bottom of the table. So let the last word lie with his old captain, W. C. Brown: During an all-too-short first-class career his approach to life in general may have seemed somewhat lackadaisical. Out in the middle, though, he was a splendid chap to have on the side and, when a change in the field involving someone in a long trek between overs became necessary, Fred was always the first to call out, "I'll go skipper

 

[JBMAC]

I think I should join in here so I'll contribute the South African googly quartet from the first decade of the last century - first up the best of them, Aubrey Faulkner:-

Aubrey Faulkner was one of a small number of all round cricketers who could have played test cricket purely as a batsman or purely as a bowler. In 25 test matches he scored over 1700 runs at just under 41 per innings and took 82 wickets at 26 runs each.

In his prime Faulkner cut an impressive figure. He stood well over 6 feet tall and had a fine physique and would not have looked out of place as a matinee idol in Hollywood. His batting, particularly his cutting and pulling, was entirely in keeping with the age in which he played. In addition Faulkner was one of a great quartet of South African googly bowlers his high action giving a steep bounce to add to the vicious spin that his exceptionally strong wrists allowed him to produce.

Faulkner played his first tests in South Africa’s 4-1 victory over Warner’s MCC team in 1905/06. Faulkner's contribution to that series was steady rather than spectacular his batting, while useful, not contributing a half century and only 14 wickets falling to his bowling albeit at the acceptable cost of less than 20 apiece. This sort of form continued in England in 1907 with a slight improvement in batting and his bowling figures also improved with his taking 6 for 17 in the first innings of the second test. England won the match by 53 runs but had it not been for a spectacular batting collapse in their second innings South Africa had had every prospect of recording another victory.

In terms of his own career Faulkner came of age when MCC next visited South Africa in 1909/10 when he scored more than 500 runs at an average of more than 60 and took 29 wickets at 21 apiece. The most impressive of many highlights in that series came in the first test when South African were narrow victors by 19 runs and were heavily indebted to Faulkner who scored 78 and 123 and, in the match, took 8 for 160.

In the following southern hemisphere summer, 1910/11, the first South African side visited Australia. The hard fast turf wickets were quite unlike anything any of the South Africans had experienced before and they lost the series comfortably by 4 tests to 1. Faulkner found the wickets not particularly suited to his bowling and took only 10 wickets in the test at more than 50 runs each however his batting was quite magnificent as he scored 732 runs at 73.2 per innings which was, at the time, a record series aggregate for all test cricket. In the course of the second test match at Melbourne Faulkner scored 204 to record South Africa’s first test double century and a score which was not to be bettered by a South African in a test for another 30 years.

After the Australian tour Faulkner emigrated to the UK and did not play first class cricket in South Africa again. His test career did, however, continue and he made himself available for the Triangular Tournament in 1912 and in what was a very disappointing tournament for the South Africans Faulkner emerged with as much credit as anybody enjoying some success with both bat and ball albeit not to the extent that he had previously.

Faulkner enlisted quickly after the outbreak of the Great War and saw action on the western front, in Macedonia and in Palestine, and his courage was recognised by the award of the DSO and the Order of the Nile.

Faulkner played only 7 first class matches after the Great War but one of them was the memorable game in 1921 when an all amateur side selected by Archie MacLaren finally defeated Warwick Armstrong’s all conquering Australian tourists. Faulkner produced the innings of his life in the second innings in making 153 against an attack that included Gregory, McDonald, Mailey and Armstrong himself. That game was the penultimate appearance in first class cricket for Faulkner and, his taking 6 wickets in the match as well, would have been an entirely appropriate ending to his career but, perhaps sadly, he was tempted out of retirement in 1924 to play in the second test match at Lords. Faulkner was in his 43rd year, out of practice and unfit and while he did not disgrace himself it was a disappointing end to a majestic career.

By the end of his career Faulkner was a highly respected coach who was instrumental in the development of the last quality English leg spinner, Doug Wright, as well as others and for a number of years he ran his own cricket school in London. It was there that in 1930, during a bout of depression, Faulkner tragically took his own life by gassing himself in a store room. The loss of Faulkner at the age of 48 took away from English cricket one of its shrewdest coaches had he had his three score years and ten there can be little doubt but that Doug Wright would not have been the last of the line and the game’s history rather different as a result.

AN ADDENDUM TO FRED'S EXCELLENT POST

Major Aubrey Faulkner died of gas poisoning at the Faulkner School of Cricket, Ltd., on September 10, at the age of 48. During the South African War and whilst living in Cape Town, he received some coaching from Walter Richards, of Warwickshire, then engaged by Western Province, and later became not only one of the dominating figures in South African cricket but also one of the finest of allround players. One of the earliest exponents of the googly, he differed from other bowlers of that type because of his ability to send down quite a fast ball, almost a yorker, and when at his best, with faultless length, skill in turning the ball either way and a puzzling variation of flight he proved too much for some of the world's greatest batsmen.

Many will remember his fine bowling at Leeds in 1907 when, playing for South Africa in the second Test match of that series against England, he dismissed six men in the course of eleven overs for 17 runs. His career was full of remarkable performances. In that same season of 1907 he, in all matches for the South Africans, scored 1,288 runs and took seventy-three wickets. He was probably at his best in 1909-10 when his doings with both bat and ball against the English team were magnificent. When South Africa visited Australia in the season of 1910-11, Faulkner headed the Test match batting averages with 732 runs and an average of 73.20. In all matches during that tour he scored 2,080 runs, taking sixty wickets, and in the Test match at Melbourne he hit a splendid 204. For the team of 1912 he made 1,075 runs and obtained 163 wickets. Although at the beginning of his career, particularly at the time when he first became prominent in South African Inter-State cricket in 1906, he was of little value as a batsman, he became as the years passed, almost as great a batsman as he was a bowler. His style rather conveyed the impression of awkwardness and he could not, at any time, be described as a free, forcible bat. Nevertheless, very few men made runs with more assurance than Faulkner, and he was a most difficult batsman to get out. After settling down in England he had a great season in club cricket in Nottinghamshire, making twelve hundreds in scoring 2,868 runs with an average of 84.35, besides taking 218 wickets, including all ten in an innings on two occasions. Still, his finest innings in this country was at Eastbourne in 1921 when by a wonderful 153 against the Australians -- up to that point an unbeaten side -- he virtually gave victory to A. C. MacLaren's XI. Faulkner was also a first-rate field.

When the time came for him to retire from the game, he gained much distinction as acoach. He followed a theory entirely his own when he established the first cricket school known in London and at the time of his death the school had earned world-wide fame. Faulkner devoted the greater part of his time to the school, though he found opportunity to write many articles on the game. During the European War he served with distinction with the R.F.A. in Salonika, Egypt and Palestine, gaining the D.S.O. in 1918 and the Order of the Nile.

 

[JBMAC]

WG Grace: The father of modern cricket

AND final piece in this offering...One of The Greatest


WG Grace is undoubtedly the most colossal personality in the history of cricket and rivalled somewhat only by Sir Don Bradman in terms of influence on the game.

He was born more than 150 years ago but for almost half-a-century this bearded man, who was a doctor by profession, ruled the cricket world.

His influence on the cricket world is absolutely unparalleled as he refined the art of batting.
Just a look at his astonishing record of 54,000 runs in first class cricket with more than 120 centuries suggest what a marvellous cricketer he must be.

He was exceptional for his times because until he appeared on the scene the world has not seen a prolific batsman of such magnitue. He was in fact the man who invented modern batting.

For 44 years he held bat and played in First Class Cricket. And this legendary cricketer even secured over 2,800 wickets. The people travelled long distances just to see Grace play.

Unfortunately he made his test debut quite late, at an age of 32. On debut against Australia he scored 152. Born in 1848, Grace lived up to 1915.

For almost five decaded he was among the most celebrated person in England. It is estimated that Grace's name was mentioned in over 50,000 books that had nothing to do with the game at all. Such was his personal and impact on the English minds.

The nation loved and admired him. He shared a close relationship with KS Ranjitsinhji and came to India as well. Ranji turned batting into a form of art later.
Grace played little test cricket and had an average of just over 32. But he scored more than 54,000 runs in his first class career and what stands him apart was that the pitches in those days were extremely bad.

His highest score waas 344. (Jack Hobbs is the all time greatest run getter with more than 61,000 runs and a record 197 centuries).

That he was a pioneer records naturally he came his way. He was an amateur but still said to have earned over a million pound from cricket--an astronomical sum in those days. Ninety years after his death he remains an icon and perhaps the greatest cricket ever born

 

[JBMAC]

So that's it people. I have taken this info from many sources, some cricinfo, some obits in Wisden, some obits written on scraps of paper over the years and found in obscure books, some handed down to me by my late father(himself a cricket tragic). I have not set out to rewrite the history of the game just share with others. If I have offended anybody then I apologise profusely as it would have been entirely accidental and no offense has been intended. Maybe some of the younger members of this forum could learn a great deal from this information. Maybe the "powers that be" here could sticky(right word?) this information so it can be read by all over a period of time by all.

 

[Furball]

Interesting that Alfred Mynn featured first - when we were doing the CW50 I remember Goughy nominating him in his top 5 and his cricinfo profile being very sparse - it's a shame there isn't more written about him.