Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)
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 England (Eng) |
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| Batting style | Right-handed batsman (RHB) | |
| Bowling type | Leg break, googly | |
| Tests | First-class | |
| Matches | 7 | 235 |
| Runs scored | 147 | 11,696 |
| Batting average | 13.36 | 33.41 |
| 100s/50s | 0/0 | 21/63 |
| Top score | 27 | 214 |
| Balls bowled | 970 | 26,559 |
| Wickets | 25 | 629 |
| Bowling average | 24.16 | 23.80 |
| 5 wickets in innings | 2 | 45 |
| 10 wickets in match | 0 | 11 |
| Best bowling | 8/107 | 9/31 |
| Catches/stumpings | 9/0 | 190/0 |
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Test debut: 11 December 1903 |
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Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet (October 13, 1877 - October 12, 1936) was an English cricketer, perhaps most renowned as the inventor of the googly (sometimes called the Bosie or, in Australia, the Wrong'un ).
Bosanquet was born in Bulls Cross, Enfield, Middlesex, represented Uxbridge Cricket Club and made 120 for Eton v Harrow before becoming an undergraduate at Oriel College, Oxford in 1896. He gained three Blues as a batsman for Oxford University Cricket Club and went on to play for Middlesex County Cricket Club. He was also captain of Oxford University Ice Hockey Club during their first varsity match.
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[edit] The Googly
A great games player (he represented Oxford at throwing the hammer and billiards), Bosanquet would partake in a game called 'Twisti-Twosti', which involved bouncing a tennis ball on a table and spinning it in such a manner that one's opponent could not catch it. From this frivolity, according to Bosanquet's own recollections in his latter years, originated the googly: the ball that resembled a leg break but turned into the right-handed batsman. At the beginning of his career he had bowled at medium to fast before turning to wrist-spin.
He played seven Test matches for England between 1903/04 and 1905, his 6-51 in the second innings of The Ashes in 1903/4 put England 3-1 up to win. He was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1904. In 1905 at Trent Bridge his 8-107 secured one of the two England wins which held the trophy. He headed the national batting averages in 1908, which included scoring 214 in 195 minutes.[1]
Bosanquet died in Wykehurst, Ewhurst, Surrey in October 1936, aged 58. His son, Reginald Bosanquet, was a well known ITN newsreader.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Encyclopedia of Cricket, p170
[edit] References
Arnold, Peter; Peter Wynne-Thomas. The Complete Encyclopedia of Cricket. Carlon Books. ISBN 978-1-86200-470-2.
