Great Cricket Stories Yarns and Quotes

This was the SA 2nd innings

72 Blewett
24 Nobes
5 Webber
5 Gillespie
0 Boof
66 Brayshaw
4 Neilsen
0 May
6 McIntrye not out
1 George not Out
21 Extras

9/208

8/198 May out
9/202 Siddons out

That meant it was the Peter McIntyre + Shane George last wicket partnership [which started with about 10-12 overs to go ]
RIG has mentioned that Peter McIntyre was the batter who was involved in that controversial non catch

Sorry for my inaccuracies of the events of day 5

1961
South Australia v New South Wales
Adelaide Oval

NS 158
Saunders 28
Sincock 6/52 [13.1]

SA 397
Lil 91
Benaud 4/105 [35]

NS 415
Benaud 119
Hurn 3/72 [18]

SA 7/177
Dansie 45
Martin 4/62[20]

SA win by 3 wickets after dominating most of this match
NS trailed by 239 in the first dig and were 5/123 batting on the 2nd dig
They were still 106 behind with 5 wickets left
SA were actually 7/161 chasing 177 in the last innings
So the South Aussies more or less fell in
David Sincock, the red headed spinner , was on debut , and had a great game taking 6/52 + 3/143

SA were cruising at 1/137 in the first dig
Les Favell had the bulk of the runs and was on 87
The brilliant NS batsman Norman O'Neill had this to say to Favell
"" Seen the scoreboard, Favell ?""
"' Yeah I seen it."" was Favells reply
Barry Bates bowled the next ball to Favell and he holed out !!!

SA were 0/0 and started thier 2nd innings
When Favell opened the second innings O'Neill called out
"" Youre still on it, Les"
NS fast bowler Gordon Rourke bowled his first ball at Favell
Favell attempted to hook the delivery and was caught by Barry Bates at mid on for 0
Some NS players had a laugh !!!

1967
Griqualand West V Australia
De Beers stadium , Kimberly, South Africa

This was a 3 day game played by Australia on the tour of South Africa 1966/1967

AU 620
Simpson 141
Lawry 107
Thomas 134

GW 178
Hubble 4/38 [16.0]
Martin 4/48 [8.4] a rather symmetrical performance

Australia led by a mere 442 runs on the first innings
As the players came back on for the second innings there was a strange occurrence
Spectators saw both teams entering the field at the same time
Yep the 22 players from both teams came out to the field
Bobby Simpson had enforced the follow on, but forgot to tell the opposition !!!
The GW skipper, Errol Draper didnt budge, and the Aussies had to bat next

AU 0/25
Watson 17 not out

GW 91
Martin 7/30 [11.4]

The Aussies end up winning this match

Keep them coming, scrappy

I saw David Sincock bowling. Left-armer, used to 'dip' on delivery, spun it a lot, but didn't land it often.

Theres a few Sincocks who have played for South Australia
David Sincock was related to the following
Peter, brother , who played in season 1974/1975
Harrold, father , who played for SA in season 1929/1930

Question
Is Andrew Sincock, related to the others ?

Ive spotted one of Adelaides oldest teenagers the irrepressible, flamboyant Andrew a few times at Adelaide oval , in recent times, and he still has the long hair
He took 98 First Class wickets, and I was a big fan of his

Heres a game Andrew played in

November 1977
South Australia v India
Adelaide Oval

SA 223
Bob Blewett 72
Sincock 12 not out [batting eleven, involved in a 45 run last wicket partnership]]

IN 168
Gavaskar 52
Sincock 7/40[11.5]

SA 117
Tony Handrickan 32
Sincock 1 not out

IN 4/173
Vengsarkar 47
Sincock 2/54

How would Andrew ever forget this game
In the first innings he dismissed those magnificent spinners , Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Bishan Bedi out in successive balls
In the second innings Rodney Hogg and Geoffrey Attenborough opened the bowling
Andrew Sincock came into the attack at 0/33 , with arguably Indias best ever batsman, Sunil Gavaskar on strike
Andrew got the great man out first ball , bowled, and took a hat trick

Tony Handrickan, played in this game
I had thought Tony would play Test cricket
Was a talented junior cricketer
He captained his school boys team, and batted first drop, a guy that batted before him as an opener didnt play Test Cricket either, but did get to play against Redandblack

Scrappy wrote:
Question
Is Andrew Sincock, related to the others ?

Not closely anyway. When Andrew Sincock was playing for SA it was often reported that he was not related to David.

David Sincock may have been the biggest spinner of the ball ever to have played the game. On his day he was unplayable but as already stated he was erratic. He played 3 test matches, one against Pakistan, the next in the West Indies and the final one against England. One of his test wickets against the West Indies was Gary Sobers bowled with a ball that was a mirror image of Shane Warne's ball of the century. Sincock spun the ball so hard that people such as Richie Benaud have said that they could hear the ball buzz as it travelled through the air.

1963
Victoria v South Australia
MCG
SS match

VI 329
Redpath 109
Potter 122
Sellars 549[16]

SA 0/7

There was a turning point in this match at 0/7
VI were dominating in the first dig at 1/230 , but collapsed to be all out for 329
The Vics lost 9/99
So SA had fought back into this match
SA got to 0/7 and a turning point occurred

This is told by South Australian and Australian fast bowler Neil Hawke

* Play had just restarted after lunch when Colin Guest left the field with boot trouble
Play was halted while players awaited the appearance of 12th man Ian law
I was standing outside the changing room doors when I saw Ian around the corner in his street shoes
Realising the problem I dashed down the path on to the field
Lawry, Favell , and the other players stared at me in bewilderment
Bill guided me to mid wicket and Meckiff ran in to bowl to Favell
The ball was short and quick as a flash Les was in position to play his favorite hook stroke
He mistimed it slightly, and the ball floated back over my head
I turned, ran with it and jumped forward to take a spectacular catch
The Victorians were elated and with Guest ready to return to the field, I had to walk off with Favell
To the amusement of the spectators , I headed off towards another gate before rejoining Favell who managed a wry grin.*
In the dressing room Favell asked for an explanation and ....
Favell later told Hawke that he was the only one in the team that could have caught it

Oh dear 1/7
Favell C Sub N Hawke b Meckiff 4

SA 251
Lil 40
Dansie 40
Meckiff 3/56

VI 8/299 Dec
Jordan 54
I Chappell 3/24 [9.6]

SA 4/232
Meckiff 2/46

South Australia batted out the 2nd innings overs to salvage a draw
Victoria struggled to get the South Aussies out without their star sub fielder Neil Hawke
So much so, without the super sub, Les Favell made 137 not out in the second innings

Gordon Brooks
Anyone remember this SA player ?

Bowling
61 wickets
33.26 average
4/11 best

Batting
31 innings
41 runs
6 best
2.56 average

Gordon played 1961-1964
Finished up with an acceptable bowling career
Described as a Right arm fast medium bowler
But what about his batting
2.56 average, this must be one of the all time low averages for a player with 30 + innings for South Australia

Current day NZ batting bunny Chris Martin averages 3.89 in first class cricket

Scrappy wrote:Gordon Brooks
Anyone remember this SA player ?

Bowling
61 wickets
33.26 average
4/11 best

Batting
31 innings
41 runs
6 best
2.56 average

Gordon played 1961-1964
Finished up with an acceptable bowling career
Described as a Right arm fast medium bowler
But what about his batting
2.56 average, this must be one of the all time low averages for a player with 30 + innings for South Australia

Current day NZ batting bunny Chris Martin averages 3.89 in first class cricket

I remember Gordon Brooks. I think his district club was Woodville. When the MCC played SA at Adelaide Oval in 1962-63 Gordon Brooks dropped a regulation caught and bowled from Colin Cowdrey but the ball rebounded onto the stumps running out an unfortunate Ken Barrington. Cowdrey, I think was on 91 at the time. It didn't seem too bad a result at the time given Barrington's propensity for big scores, but Cowdrey went on to score 307 and batted in one of the most classical partnerships ever seen at Adelaide Oval with "old elegance" himself, Tom Graveney who scored 122 not out. The game must have been a purists delight, I think Les Favell then came out and blasted a century as well. I wonder if in 50 years time cricket lovers will remember SA vs England encounters with such joy?

Yes, rig, I also remember Gordon, an honest 'toiler' as a fast bowler, IIRC.

I also remember that game. I'm pretty sure some (or all) of it was televised. If it wasn't, then I was there

I was playing Under 21 cricket and got into the MCG after a game and remember seeing Cowdrey (in about 1965, I reckon) take a slips catch and put the ball in his pocket before a lot of the spectators knew he'd caught it.

Unfortunately, some cricket supporters only remember Cowdrey as that pear shaped 42 year old trying to deal with Lilleee and Thomson. However, he was a great batsman and, as mentioned, a brilliant slipper.

I still smirk when reminded of the time when Cowdrey, having got off the plane and thrown straight in the 2nd Test at Perth in 1974-75, walked up and introduced himself to Thommo.

Just on SA v MCC matches, I remember the first 1970-71 encounter between the two when England made 9/451, Boycott making 173. This encouraged someone from the England camp (possibly Illingworth) to announce it was a great innings from the best opening batsman in the world.

SA replied with 9/649, Barry Richards chipping in with 224. Ian Chappell's comment ... "A great innings from the best opening batsman in the world".

That 1970-71 SA team probably would have beaten our Test team.

England v Australia
3rd Test
Old Trafford
July 1934

EG 627
Hendren 132
Leyland 153
Orielly 7/189 [59]

AU 9/454
McCabe 137
Australia needed to get to 477 to avoid the follow on
South Australian fast bowler Tim Wall was last man in and joined Tiger Bill Orielly
After making a few runs the new ball was taken
Commentating on this game was South Australian sports star Vic Richardson and his cohort Charlie Verde
This is the conversation that took place , as told by Vic Richardson

* Everybody in the studio was worried
Charlie Vaude came and leant on my shoulder and spoke into the microphone
'' Vic, didnt you tell me Tim Wall was a school teacher?""
I said "'Yes""
He continued
"' And didnt you tell me Bill Oreilly was also a school teacher ?"'
Again the reply was "'Yes Charlie.""
"'Well'' he said "what are we all worrying about? They'll keep each other in " *

Tim and Bill did get Australia past the follow on , putting on 37 for the 10th wicket

AU 491
Oreilly 30 not out
Wall 18 run out

EG 0/123 DEC
Sutcliffe 69 not out

AU 1/66
McCabe 33 not out
Allen 1/23

Match drawn

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Unfortunately, some cricket supporters only remember Cowdrey as that pear shaped 42 year old trying to deal with Lilleee and Thomson. However, he was a great batsman and, as mentioned, a brilliant slipper.

I still smirk when reminded of the time when Cowdrey, having got off the plane and thrown straight in the 2nd Test at Perth in 1974-75, walked up and introduced himself to Thommo.

Just on SA v MCC matches, I remember the first 1970-71 encounter between the two when England made 9/451, Boycott making 173. This encouraged someone from the England camp (possibly Illingworth) to announce it was a great innings from the best opening batsman in the world.

SA replied with 9/649, Barry Richards chipping in with 224. Ian Chappell's comment ... "A great innings from the best opening batsman in the world".

That 1970-71 SA team probably would have beaten our Test team.

This was the Australian team in the first test of 1970-17971 v England

Lawry
Stackpole
I Chappell
Walters
Redpath
Sheahan
Marsh
Jenner
McKenzie
Gleeson
Froggy Thomson

Later in the series the 2 champs Greg Chappell[2nd test] and Lillie[5th test Adelaide, I was there] came in
Connolly, Mallett , Okeefe , Duncan, Dell, Eastwood also played in this series

Hawk has said the SA team might have been able to beat the Australian team
If we take the SA players out of the Australian line up this could be the teams

Lawry
Stackpole
Eastwood
Walters
Redpath
Sheehan
Marsh
Okeefe
Gleeson
Lillie
Froggy Thomson

The South Australian line up

B Richards
Woodcock
I Chappell
G Chappell
Causby
Cunningham
Blundell
Jenner
Mallett
Freeman
Hammond

No doubt this SA team would have been very competitive against the Australian team
The only 3 who didnt play Test cricket were Rex Blundell, Ken Cunningham and John Causby
John was strongly considered to go on the Indian/South African tours in 1969/1970
KG was a very good allrounder, and must have been considered at the highest level

Imagine a series of Lillie v Richards
Lillie was emerging, Richards was at his peak


In Domestic the season of 70/71 the duals between Lillie and Barry Richards

SA V WA Adelaide Oval
Richards
C Chadwick B Mckenzie 7 [a relief for Garth after the South Africa v Australia series in South Africa]
Not out out 44
Lillie
1/53[11]
0/31 [5]

WA V SA Perth
Richards
LBW Mann 356 [381 balls]
Did not bat 2nd innings
Lillie
0/117[18]


Richards 407 runs @203.5
Lillie 1/201[34] @201

So if we assume Richards met Lillie at the right time, perhaps the South Aussies may have beaten the Aussies

That 2nd game in Perth was astonishing
Stumps day 1 SA was an incredible 3/513
Richards 325 not out ,and the ultimate 356, perhaps the greatest innings in my lifetime

SA 8/575 DEC
Richards 356[381]
I Chappell 129[170]
Lock 4/108 [16]

WA 289
Invers 89
Hammond 6/54[12.3]

WA 175
Hammond 3/25[9]


Ian Chappells knock of 129 in 170 balls is the forgotten innings !
And does anyone remember Bomber Hammonds 9/89 ?

Scrappy wrote:Ian Chappells knock of 129 in 170 balls is the forgotten innings !

Along with Arthur Morris' innings at The Oval in 1948. People often ask him if he played in the Test where Bradman made a duck in his final Test innings. Morris replies with, "Oh yes, I was at the other end when Bradman was dismissed". When they ask how many he made .... "196".

1884-1885 Ashes
Australia v England
5th test
Melbourne Cricket Ground

Even stevens 2-2 coming to the last Test
The events of this game, may never ever be repeated in Test Cricket

AU 163
Fred Demon Spofforth 50
Demon and Trumble put on 64 for the last wicket after Australia were 9/99
Ulyett 4/52

EG 386
Shrewsbury 105 not out ,thus becoming the first England Captain to score a Test century, and perhaps the first England Captain to shot himself dead [ in 1903 ]
Trumble 3/29

AU 125
Bruce 35

England annihilate Australia by an innings and 98 runs
There was a great deal of controversy with the Umpiring in this match
Officiating were George Jame Hodges in his debut and only Test Match and James Phillips who was also on debut and forged out a very long career in the years 1885-1906
Phillips was the umpire that called Ernie Jones for chucking

On days 3 + 4 James Phillips did not umpire for reasons unknown
He was replaced by J Allen
I could not find a listing for Allen as an umpire , so he may have been a ring in ?

On day 3 at Tea George Hodges made a refusal to umpire after the break
The English players complained about his decisions , and Hodges made his stance
Tom Garrett took over the umpiring for the rest of the Australian second innings
Who is Tom Garrett ?
Tom Garrett was Australias opening batsman in this game, was already out for 5 in the Aussie 2nd dig !!!

So both umpires did not complete this match , in a rarity of sorts
So who do we blame ?
Was it the English players conduct the issue ?
Did the umps spit the dummy ?
Or can we blame Patrick Mcshane ?

Patrick George Mcshane played in this match , his debut for Australia
Made 9 +12 not out with the bat
0/3 off 3 overs with the ball
It would appear Patrick had little influence with his performance
But things might have been different had he not been selected
Patrick McShane was one of the umpires that officiated in the 4th test of this series !!!!
If only he umpired in this 5th test ...

Scrappy wrote:England v Australia
Kennington Oval 1882
Test Match

AU 63
Barlow 5/19 [31]
Blackham 17

EG 101
Demon Spofforth 7/46[36.3]
Boyle 2/24 [19]
Ulyett 26

AU 122
Peate 4/40[21]
Massie 55

England needed 84 runs to win this Test

EG 77
Spofforth 7/44[28]
Boyle 3/19[20]
WG Grace 32

Australia win by 7 runs

This was Australias first Test win against England in England
This is the famous match from which the Ashes was created
The Sporting Times paper published that English cricket had died , that the body be cremated and sent to Australia
Thus the tradition of the Ashes had started , and still going after 130 years


Something else happened during this match at the former market garden of 1844 , Kennington Oval in 1882
It involved Henry Boyle the round arm medium pace bowler
Here is a description of Boyle from this match
* Boyleys great nerve not only served him when bowling, but in the field also, for he created a new position, ''short silly mid on"", as it is colloquially known , a place where few men have the pluck to stand in these days when the wickets are so true.
Throughout his English tours he stood there unflinchingly, notwithstanding repeated threats from EM Grace and others that he would be killed, but I believe he has been hit only once, although he has had some narrow escapes
Many a wonderful catch,however,compensated him for the risk he took.*

Hence this appears to be the birth of a new fielding position in Test matches at least , silly mid on
May I add, I have fielded in this position , without doubt silly mid on and silly mid off are the worst positions to field in

Depending where you read ,there was what is described, a disgracefool incident in this match
In the Australian 2nd dig, Australia was precariously placed at 6/114, with a meagre lead of 76
New Zealand born Australian all rounder Samuel Jones was involved in this bizarreness
There are several versions on just what did happen

Sammy Jones was batting on a particularly damp surface
After a delivery, Jones had swiped a divot out of this damp pitch
Englands larger than life cricketer Dr WG Grace was fielding close to the wicket
He suggested to Sammy Jones to replaced the divot
Jones did so, Grace then ran him out in a disgracefool act !

This incident is said to have riled the Demon Spofforth who made this famous comment before the Australians took the field , with a slender 84 run lead
"'This can be done""

This is the version by Wisden
*At 114 Jones was run out in a way which gave dissatisfaction to Murdoch and the other Australians
Murdoch played a ball to leg, for which Lyttelton ran
The ball was returned, and Jones, having completed the first run, and thinking wrongly, but naturally,that the ball was dead,went out of his ground
Grace put his wicket down and the Umpire gave him out
Several of the team members spoke angrily of Graces action.*

WG DisGrace ...

West Indies v Australia
2nd Test
George town 1991

AU 348
Marsh 94
PPPPPPPPPPatterson 4/80 [24]

WI 569
Haynes 111
Richardson 182
Border 5/68[30]

AU 3/73
Australia still trialling by 148 runs, and really up against it
The fearsome West Indian battery of quicks this game were
AAAAAAAAmbrose ,MMMMMMMMMarshall ,PPPPPPPPaterson and WWWWWWWalsh

Deano Jones was facing Courtney WWWWWWWalsh
He was bowled
The Umpire called a no ball
Deano oblivious to the no ball , set off
Alan Border called out to Jones
Carl Hooper in the slips , picked up the ball, threw the ball and hit the stumps
Deano Jones tried to ground his bat but was too late
Deano was incorrectly given run out

AU 248
Healy 47 not out
MMMMMMMarshall 3/31[15]

WI 0/31

109 years had lapsed between Sammy Jones[1882] and his namesake Deano[1991] in controversial run out dismissals

robranisgod wrote:

Scrappy wrote:Gordon Brooks
Anyone remember this SA player ?

Bowling
61 wickets
33.26 average
4/11 best

Batting
31 innings
41 runs
6 best
2.56 average

Gordon played 1961-1964
Finished up with an acceptable bowling career
Described as a Right arm fast medium bowler
But what about his batting
2.56 average, this must be one of the all time low averages for a player with 30 + innings for South Australia

Current day NZ batting bunny Chris Martin averages 3.89 in first class cricket

I remember Gordon Brooks. I think his district club was Woodville. When the MCC played SA at Adelaide Oval in 1962-63 Gordon Brooks dropped a regulation caught and bowled from Colin Cowdrey but the ball rebounded onto the stumps running out an unfortunate Ken Barrington. Cowdrey, I think was on 91 at the time. It didn't seem too bad a result at the time given Barrington's propensity for big scores, but Cowdrey went on to score 307 and batted in one of the most classical partnerships ever seen at Adelaide Oval with "old elegance" himself, Tom Graveney who scored 122 not out. The game must have been a purists delight, I think Les Favell then came out and blasted a century as well. I wonder if in 50 years time cricket lovers will remember SA vs England encounters with such joy?

This was the match
South Australia v England
Adelaide Oval, December 1962

EG 5/586
Cowdrey 307
Graveney122 not out
Barrington run out 52
Sobers 2/124 [25]
Brooks 1/74[18]
If only Gordon Brooks had caught Colin Cowdrey, instead of THAT Kenny Barrington run out !

SA 450 DEC
Favell 120
Sobers 89
Barrington 3/55

EG 6/167 DEC
Barrington 52 not out
Sobers 2/44 [9]
Brooks 1/30[8]

SA 4/113
Sobers 75 not out
Larter 2/23[5]

Match drawn

Scrappy wrote:

robranisgod wrote:

Scrappy wrote:Gordon Brooks
Anyone remember this SA player ?

Bowling
61 wickets
33.26 average
4/11 best

Batting
31 innings
41 runs
6 best
2.56 average

Gordon played 1961-1964
Finished up with an acceptable bowling career
Described as a Right arm fast medium bowler
But what about his batting
2.56 average, this must be one of the all time low averages for a player with 30 + innings for South Australia

Current day NZ batting bunny Chris Martin averages 3.89 in first class cricket

I remember Gordon Brooks. I think his district club was Woodville. When the MCC played SA at Adelaide Oval in 1962-63 Gordon Brooks dropped a regulation caught and bowled from Colin Cowdrey but the ball rebounded onto the stumps running out an unfortunate Ken Barrington. Cowdrey, I think was on 91 at the time. It didn't seem too bad a result at the time given Barrington's propensity for big scores, but Cowdrey went on to score 307 and batted in one of the most classical partnerships ever seen at Adelaide Oval with "old elegance" himself, Tom Graveney who scored 122 not out. The game must have been a purists delight, I think Les Favell then came out and blasted a century as well. I wonder if in 50 years time cricket lovers will remember SA vs England encounters with such joy?

This was the match
South Australia v England
Adelaide Oval, December 1962

EG 5/586
Cowdrey 307
Graveney122 not out
Barrington run out 52
Sobers 2/124 [25]
Brooks 1/74[18]
If only Gordon Brooks had caught Colin Cowdrey, instead of THAT Kenny Barrington run out !

SA 450 DEC
Favell 120
Sobers 89
Barrington 3/55

EG 6/167 DEC
Barrington 52 not out
Sobers 2/44 [9]
Brooks 1/30[8]

SA 4/113
Sobers 75 not out
Larter 2/23[5]

Match drawn

One shot from Colin Cowdrey lives in the memory 50 years later. He hit a six onto the roof of the members stand. As a result of the shot a car firm offered a new car to any batsman who could clear the roof of the stand in the forthcoming test match! Of course no one got close. Cowdrey's score was the highest ever by an Englishman in Australia. And he scored most of the run's on his birthday, Xmas Eve.

Not to be outdone Les Favell scored 120 out of the first 165 of the SA total and on the last day Garry Sobers scored his 75 not out in 63 minutes. Those were the days.

And finally on to Tom Graveney. The Australians could never understand how he wasn't a permanent fixture in the England side. Rumour has it that the English selectors thought that the Australians were trying to talk up Graveney to get him into the side but it was nothing of the sort. For over a decade they rated Graveney and the general consensus amongst Australian cricketers at the time was that test cricket should be played between the best players and they all thought Graveney was one of the best. Anyone who saw Graveney at the age of 43 score 98 in 102 minutes off an attack of Hammond, Freeman, G Chappell, Cunningham, Jenner, Mallett and B Richards to win a one day semi final at Adelaide Oval would agree that he was a great player. He did play 79 tests but that was over a 18 year period. He should have played another 25 or more tests.

Gloucestershire V Australia
1948
Tom Graveney 12th man

1948 was Tom Graveneys debut season
Graveney went to the Australian dressing rooms to inform them that the GL players were on the field
The young man may have been a bit excited about seeing Arthur Morris and Syd Barnes padded up to open the Australian innings
Graveney heard Australian skipper Lindsay Hassett give this advice to his openers
" We dont want to get out to this fellow Tom Goddard."

Tom Goddard
2862 wickets @ 19.58 for GL
22 wickets @ 26.72 for England
So this guy was a very good off spin bowler and had taken 248 wickets in this season

Later in the day Tom Graveney came on to sub Tom Goddard in the field
Tom Graveney had this to say
" I was fielding sub for Goddard, who had bowled 32 overs, taking 0/186. Those Aussies had sorted him out"

The Aussies were an amazing 5/560 at stumps on day 1, of an eventual 7/774
Arthur Morris certainly heeded Lindsay Hassetts advice and made 290 on day 1
GL were defeated having replied with 279 + 132

As for Tom Goddard , we must take into account that he was 47 years old when this match took part

Tom Graveney, could obviously play, ending up with averages of 44 in Test and First Class cricket

Who was the best Australian batsman pre Bradman ?
Was it Clem Hill or Victor Trumper
One thing that is most probably right on is
Clem was the best left handed Australian batsman
Victor was the best right handed Australian batsman

Apart from all that , today is a special day
It was Trumpers birth date in 1877
Tragically Victor passed away at the age of 37
He had a son Victor Trumper Junior who played a few games for New South Wales as a fast bowler
Victor Junior was only a 1 year old when his Dad passed away

Scrappy wrote:Who was the best Australian batsman pre Bradman ?

Bill Ponsford

Scrappy wrote:Who was the best Australian batsman pre Bradman ?
Was it Clem Hill or Victor Trumper
One thing that is most probably right on is
Clem was the best left handed Australian batsman
Victor was the best right handed Australian batsman

Apart from all that , today is a special day
It was Trumpers birth date in 1877
Tragically Victor passed away at the age of 37
He had a son Victor Trumper Junior who played a few games for New South Wales as a fast bowler
Victor Junior was only a 1 year old when his Dad passed away

I'd go Trumper.
Not so much "best" as that is a hard one, but the folkore surrounding him had much mystique.

January 1971
5th Test
Australia v England
MCG

England was leading the series 1-0
2 Tests were drawn , 1 other abandoned without a ball being bowled due to weather
This 5th Test was Kerry Skull Okeefe's debut test match

AU 9/ 493 dec
Okeefe 27
I Chappell 111
Marsh 92 not out
Willis 3/73

EG 392
Luckhurst 109
D'Oliveira 117
Okeefe 0/71
Gleeson 3/60

AU 4/169 DEC
Lawry 42
Snow 2/21

EG 0/161
Boycott 76 not out
Okeefe 0/45

Match drawn

Ray Illingworth had a rather typical English captains outlook
Make sure you cant lose a Test, and then try and win it
As a kid it was painstaking watching some of the Poms batting
Boycott 12 [69] + 76 not out [246]
Edrich 9[47]
Luckhurst 109 [280] + 74 [221]
These guys used to frustrate me
Collectively, in this match, they made 280 runs in 863 balls , thats 143 overs by todays standards ...
But they were master craftsmen, all 3 of them , and did their part in this England ashes winning series

Rod Marsh was 92 not out when that prick Lawry declared on him !
Iron Gloves Marsh was denied his first Test ton
I was furious with Big Beaked Bill for declaring

Kerry Skull Okeefe didnt have a prodcutive Test
Privately I was peeved he got a gig in front of my leg spinning idol Terry Jenner , but being a parochial follower of cricket I wanted Skull to perform well and the Aussies to beat the Poms

Bill Lawry drove Skull to practice the day before the Test and gave him some sagely advice , dont get involved in any prolonged drinking sessions with Walters and Marsh !!!!!
On this day and throughout the Test Match Lawry would often call him Terry and not Kerry !
During Skulls 27 runs , John Snow swore at him, and bowled bouncers around the wicket
John Lever hit Skull in the chest , sending him to the canvas , the MCG crowd booed to freneticism
Skull made a good 27 [67] and helps Marshy get close to a ton

Okeefe had a shocker with the ball
0/71[31] + 0/45[19]
He bowled his leg and off spinning repertoire without success
What is not too well known is that some of the opposition players accused Okeefe off chucking his off breaks

A young Okeefe once auditioned his bag of tricks in front of Bill Tiger Oreilly
After only bowling a handful of his mixed bag of tricks in front of the great man , Oreilly had this to say
""Ive seen enough
You keep going the way you are son.
If they tell you that you are bowling too quickly , thank them for their advice and forget it immediately
If you see a coach coming towards you during net practice, run as far as you can -they will try and ruin you !"
Later some of Tiger Bills mates said he they had seen a lot of himself in Kerry at the same age

Skull never became as good as Tiger, but did forge out a handy Test career
644 runs @ 25.76
53 wickets @ 38.07

So Kerry had an unremarkable debut
When the game finished and Skull was leaving the rooms , Bill Lawry turned to skull and said
"' Probably see you in Adelaide for the next Test Terry"

Its Kerry not Terry .....!

Scrappy wrote:Okeefe had a shocker with the ball
0/71[31] + 0/45[19]
He bowled his leg and off spinning repertoire without success
What is not too well known is that some of the opposition players accused Okeefe off chucking his off breaks

O'Keefe has admitted more than once on ABC radio that he did in fact chuck his off break, but he reckons that he still didn't turn it enough to trouble anyone. I always found it strange that a leg break bowler would in fact bowl an off break rather than at least try to disguise it as a wrong'un. I don't know that skull bowled a wrong'un.