Bill Brown (cricketer)

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Bill Brown
Australia
Personal information
Full name	William Alfred Brown
Born	31 July 1912 (1912-07-31)
	Toowoomba, Australia
Died	16 March 2008 (aged 95)
	Brisbane, Australia
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Role	Batsman
Batting style	Right-hand batsman
Bowling style	Right-arm off spin
International information
Test debut (cap 150)	8 June 1934: v England
Last Test	24 June 1948: v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1932/33–1935/36	New South Wales
1936/37–1949/50	Queensland
Career statistics
	Tests	First-class
Matches	22	189
Runs scored	1,592	13,838
Batting average	46.82	51.44
100s/50s	4/9	39/66
Top score	206*	265*
Balls bowled	–	169
Wickets	–	6
Bowling average	–	18.33
5 wickets in innings	–	–
10 wickets in match	–	–
Best bowling	–	4-16
Catches/stumpings	14/–	110/1
As of 10 December 2007 Source: CricketArchive

William Alfred Brown OAM (July 31, 1912 – March 16, 2008^[1]) was an Australian Test cricketer who played 22 Tests between 1934 and 1948. Brown captained Australia in one Test in March 1946, against New Zealand in a match retrospectively awarded Test status. A right-handed opening batsman who along with Jack Fingleton formed an opening pair in the 1930s regarded as one of the finest in Test history, Brown was a member of Don Bradman's Invincibles that toured England in 1948 without suffering a defeat. Due to the presence of Arthur Morris and Sid Barnes as the preferred openers, Brown only played in two of the five Tests, batting out of position in the middle order. Brown was also notable for being the first player to be "Mankaded" – In a match in 1947–48, Brown had backed up too far and left his crease before the bowler, India's Vinoo Mankad delivered the ball. Mankad promptly removed the bails with Brown out of his ground.

Raised in New South Wales, Brown initially trained as a wicket-keeper as a youth, before turning his attention to opening the batting. After struggling in both work and cricket at the start of the Great Depression, Brown gradually progressed in the early 1930s, making his first-class debut for New South Wales in 1932–33. A strong second Sheffield Shield season in 1933–34 saw Brown selected as a reserve opener for the 1934 tour of England. Steady performances saw Brown force his way into the Test team during the tour, batting at No. 3. With the retirement of regular openers Bill Ponsford and Bill Woodfull at the end of the tour, Brown and his state opening partner Jack Fingleton became Australia's opening pair. They regularly allowed Australia to make strong starts during the 1936–37 tour of South Africa, which Australia won 4–0. Brown relocated to Queensland in 1936, and the consecutive unproductive seasons blighted by injury and poor form made his selection in the 1938 tour of England the centre of debate. Brown responded with 1854 runs on tour, and was recognised as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1939. The highlight of his tour was an unbeaten 206 in the Second Test at Lord's, carrying his bat at the home of cricket, to save Australia from defeat.

The outbreak of the Second World War cost Brown his peak years, as first-class cricket was cancelled and he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. After the end of the war, cricket resumed in 1945–46 and Brown captained an Australian team to New Zealand, leading the team in a retrospectively accredited Test match in the absence of Don Bradman. The following season, Brown was absent from first-class cricket with a wrist injury. Upon returning in 1947–48 Brown was unable to perform to his previous standards and was dropped in favour of Arthur Morris and Sid Barnes, who had become the preferred openers. Brown was selected for Bradman's Invincibles tour of England, where he performed well in the first-class matches as the fourth highest runscorer. With Morris and Barnes entrenched as openers, however, Brown was forced to bat out of position in the middle order during the first two Tests. He struggled and was dropped from the Test team. Upon returning to Australia, Brown continued playing for Queensland until the end of the 1949–50 season. In retirement, Brown briefly served as a Test selector. In 2000, Brown was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to cricket and at the time of his death was Australia's oldest living Test cricketer.

[edit] Early years

Brown was born in Toowoomba in Queensland, the son of a dairy farmer and hotel owner. When business failure hit the family, they moved to Marrickville in inner Sydney when Brown was three.^[2] He was educated at Dulwich Hill and Petersham High Schools in Sydney and started as a wicket-keeper before becoming an opening batsmen.^[3][4] He left high school after two years but, in the midst of the Great Depression, was unable to find regular full-time work.^[2] In 1929–30 he joined the Marrickville club in Sydney Grade Cricket but, unable to hold down a regular place, he had almost decided to leave Sydney. An innings of 172 for his Shire team reinvigorated him, progressing through the grades until he reached his first XI, where steady performances saw him selected in 1932–33 he appeared for New South Wales team.^[3]

[edit] Pre-war career

On his first-class debut for New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland on November 11, 1932 he was run out for a diamond duck without facing a ball in an opening partnership with Jack Fingleton.^[2] The highlight of his debut season was a 79 against South Australia, and a 69 against Douglas Jardine's touring England as part of the Bodyline tour,^[3] although neither of the spearheads Harold Larwood or Bill Voce were playing. During his first season, he earned the ire of Don Bradman, who was displeased with Brown's lack of calling when he ran between the wickets.^[4] Brown ended his debut season with 269 runs at 29.88.^[5]

Brown during his days with NSW

The following season, in November 1933, Brown made 154 at Brisbane and shared in a partnership of 294 with Don Bradman.^[3] He followed this with a big opening stand with Fingleton against Victoria, scoring 205.^[6] Brown amassed 878 runs at a healthy average of 67.53, including four further half-centuries, placing him second only to Bradman in the aggregates.^[7] His performances secured him selection for the 1934 tour of England, and he justified his selection before the departure with a pair of 90s in two matches for a combined Australian XI against Tasmania.^[8][9] He had put in similar performances to his opening partner Fingleton, with only one opening spot available on the tour with the presence of incumbent Victorian pair Bill Ponsford and captain Bill Woodfull. The selectors asked Don Bradman, Australia's leading batsman and state team-mate to Brown and Fingleton, for advice. Bradman nominated Brown, believing that his style was better suited to English pitches.^[6] A disappointed Fingleton disagreed and wrote to Woodfull, saying "You have chosen chaps who do not like fast bowling".^[4]

Upon arrival, Brown was left out of the tour opener against Worcestershire before making a century against Cambridge University in his second tour match, batting in the middle order.^[10] A score of 119 batting at No. 3 against Lancashire in the final tour match before the Tests saw Brown break into the Test XI. ^[3] Playing in all five Tests, he made his debut at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, scoring 73 at first drop in the second innings after Australia had lost three early wickets to help secure a winning lead.^[11] Before the Second Test, Brown made a century while opening the batting against Northamptonshire,^[12] and was promoted to open in the Second Test at Lord's with captain Bill Woodfull after Bill Ponsford was unavailable. He made his maiden Test century, 105 in the first innings at the home of cricket,^[13] but was unable to help Australia avoid the follow-on and an innings defeat. He was retained as opener in the Third Test when Ponsford returned, with Woodfull dropping down the order in a reshuffle of the batting line-up. Brown made 72 and a duck respectively. Brown was unable to pass 20 in the final two Tests and ended the series with 300 runs at 33.3. Despite not making a substantial contribution, Australia won the Fifth Test to take the series 2–1, reclaiming the Ashes.^[11][3] Brown continued his strong form upon his return to Australia, compiling 683 runs at 45.53 including three centuries, which placed him as the second highest run-scorer during the 1934–35 domestic season.^[14]

Jack Fingleton (left) and Brown walk to the crease to open for Australia during a Test against England in 1936–37

With the retirement of Woodfull and Ponsford at the end of the tour, Brown and his state partner Fingleton became Australia’s opening pair for the 1935–36 tour of South Africa. Brown started the tour consistently with three consecutive half centuries in the first two Tests in Durban and Johannesburg.^[11] In the Third Test at Cape Town, the pair set a new Australian opening record of 233 which laid the foundation for a large Australian total and an innings victory.^[2] It was the first time that Australia had posted a double-century opening stand in Tests.^[13] He posted 121, a new highest score. He scored 34 and 84 in the only Australian innings of the Fourth and Fifth Tests in Johannesburg and Durban, making solid opening partnerships with Fingleton, who scored three centuries consecutively. They laid the platform for two further innings victories as Australia took the series 4–0. His compiled 417 runs at 59.57 for the series.^[11]

In 1936 Brown took a coaching position for Queensland, representing the side from 1936–37 onwards and being appointed captain the following season. His 1936–37 season was interrupted by injury and he appeared in only two Tests against England.^[2] They were relatively unsuccessful, netting 95 runs at 23.75 in four innings without passing fifty on any occasion.^[11] His debut season for Queensland was moderately successful, with 557 runs at an average of 37.13 including one century.^[15]

[edit] Wisden Cricketer of the Year

Bill Brown

Brown's form started to deteriorate in 1937–38, scoring only 400 runs at 36.36. Although he scored two centuries, he was only twelfth in the aggregates during an Australian season with no international tours. As a result, his selection for the 1938 tour to England was criticised in some quarters.^[4][16] Brown started the tour with an unbeaten 196 against Northamptonshire.^[3] He scored a century of 133 in the first Test at Nottingham after Australia were forced to follow on, helping Bradman (144*) to save the Test with a draw.^[17][4]

Brown's most celebrated innings came at Lord’s in the Second Test, where he scored 206 as he carried his bat. England had batted first and amassed 494, largely on the back of 240 by Wally Hammond. Brown put on an opening stand of 69 before his partner Fingleton was dismissed.^[17] Bradman was bowled for 18 by Hedley Verity, leaving the score at 101, before Stan McCabe was dismissed after a quick 38 with the score at 3/152. Brown’s innings was highlighted by his driving on both sides of the wicket as he reached his century in 193 minutes. After Lindsay Hassett was dismissed for 56 after a 134 run partnership, Australia closed at 5/299 with Brown on 140.^[18] The following day, Brown set about ensuring that Australia would avoid the follow on, featuring in an aggressive eighth-wicket stand with tailender Bill O'Reilly. The pair put on 85 in just 46 minutes, with Brown recalling "It was a nice day, and a nice wicket. O'Reilly came in, and I told him I'd take the quicks—Wellard and Farnes- and Tiger [O'Reilly] took Verity". Brown continued past his double century and ended on 206 from just 375 minutes when his last partner fell and Australia were all out for 422.^[19] Brown's innings was the 100th century by an Australian against England.^[19] They went on to draw the match,^[18] which was crucial in Australia's eventual retention of the Ashes.^[13] Brown was on the field from the first morning until late on the fourth day.^[13][4]

Brown missed the Third Test due to injury, but was the top Australian scorer in both innings with 69 and 15 at Fifth Test at The Oval where Len Hutton scored a world record 364 and England compiled 903 before winning by an innings and 579 runs.^[4] In the Tests he aggregated 512 runs at 73.14.^[11] He also recorded his highest first-class score of 265* against Derbyshire County Cricket Club to compile 1854 runs at 59.57 for the tour, second only to Bradman in aggregates and average.^[2] He was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year for his 1938 performances, who described him as a "cricketer of remarkable powers" who batted with "a charming skill, coolness, thoughtfulness and certainty".^[3]

Upon returning to Australia, he scored 1057 runs in the 1938–39 Australian season, 990 of these in six Shield matches. He combined with Geoff Cook in a Queensland first wicket partnership of 265 in a run chase to secure an eight wicket victory over New South Wales, eventually going on to make 215.^[2] He also made an unbeaten 174 against South Australia, carrying his bat at the Adelaide Oval.^[20] Brown was the only player to surpass 1000 runs for the season, topping the aggregates.^[21] Another strong domestic season in the following year netted him 857 runs at 61.21, including three centuries.^[22]

[edit] Second World War and post-war career

Brown served with the Royal Australian Air Force as a flight lieutenant during the Second World War in New Guinea and the Philippines,^[19] losing his prime years between the ages of 27 to 33.^[2][13][4] During the pre-war years, he had averaged 49.02 in Test cricket.^[11] First-class cricket resumed in the 1945–46 season, and Brown resumed his career with a steady season, scoring 604 runs at 46.46 with five half-centuries, which placed him second only to Sid Barnes in the run-scoring aggregates.^[23]

Cigarette card of Brown in the Queensland colours. He was the first Queensland player to captain Australia

At the end of the season, Brown was named captain of an Australian side for a tour of New Zealand,^[13] in which Australia played its inaugural Test against New Zealand in Wellington, a match that was retrospectively given Test status.^[20] The uncertain status of the tour saw the players wearing blazers that were designated ABC – Australian Board of Control.^[24] Brown led from the front, topping the tour aggregates and averages, with 443 runs at 73.83 in the five matches.^[25] Australia started with a tour match against Auckland, and Brown won the toss and opened with 68 after electing to bat as Australia amassed 579 before taking victory by an innings and 180 runs.^[26] This was followed by a match against Canterbury in Christchurch, in which Brown top-scored with 137, laying the foundation for a total of 8/415 before forcing the hosts to follow on in another innings defeat.^[27] Brown made his second consecutive century in the third match against Otago at Carisbrook in Dunedin, top-scoring again with 106 in an eight wicket victory.^[28] Brown only made 34 in the final tour match as Australia defeated Wellington in another innings victory.^[29]

With regular captain Don Bradman missing, Brown led a team that included seven Test debutants into the culmination of the tour, a match against New Zealand.^[30] Brown lost the toss and the home side elected to bat first on a wet wicket, which came about after a week of rain before the match. New Zealand managed to reach 4/37 at lunch, before the sun emerged, causing the wicket to turn into a sticky with unpredictable bounce.^[24] Leg spinner Bill O’Reilly in his last Test and Ernie Toshack on debut, took 5/14 and 4/12 as New Zealand were bowled out for only 42, losing their last six wickets for five runs.^[24] In reply, Australia were 1/9 when Ken Meuleman was dismissed. Having been dropped on 13,^[24] Brown then combined in a 109 run first-wicket stand with Sid Barnes, before falling for the innings top-score of 67. Barnes' dismissal triggered a collapse of 6/57, leading Brown to declare Australia's innings closed at 8/199. Australia then removed New Zealand for 54 in the second innings in just two hours and took victory by an innings and 54 runs in just two days.^{[4][20][24][30]}

Injury to Brown allowed Arthur Morris (pictured) to take his opening spot

In the 1946–47 season, he missed the Test series against England due to a thumb injury.^[2] This allowed young New South Wales opener Arthur Morris to make his debut. Morris’ performance in the series eventually saw Brown displaced from his position as a first-choice opening batsman.^[31] The injury was serious enough to prevent Brown from playing a single match for Queensland.^[32]

[edit] Mankad

Brown returned to the Test team for the 1947–48 for the Indian tour of Australia. Initially, the selectors dropped Barnes when Brown returned, pairing him with Morris.^[11] Apart from the two Tests that Brown had played during the 1936–37 season against England, Brown had not played Test cricket on Australian soil.^[11] He only had one opportunity in the First Test in Brisbane, making 11 as India fell to an innings defeat.^[11] Brown's participation in the series was overshadowed when he was controversially run out by Indian left arm orthodox spinner Vinoo Mankad in the Second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground for 18. Brown was run out by Mankad when, in the act of delivering the ball, Mankad held on to it and whipped the bails off at the non-striker’s end with Brown well out of his crease while he was backing-up the striker. This was the second time Mankad had dismissed Brown in this fashion on this tour – he had done it in an earlier match against an Australian XI. On that occasion Mankad had warned Brown once before running him out. The Australian press strongly accused Mankad of being unsportsmanlike, though some Australians, including Don Bradman defended Mankad's actions. After this incident, if a batsman is given out this way, he is said to have been "Mankaded".^[20][33][13]

The dismissal saw another low-scoring innings and Brown was dropped from the team in favour of Barnes for the next two Tests.^[20] Morris, who had established himself as one of Australia’s first-choice opening batsmen during Brown’s injury layoff during the previous season, was rested for the Fifth Test as the Australian Board trialled potential candidates for the upcoming tour of England in 1948.^[31] Brown was recalled to partner Barnes and made 99 in the first innings, before being run out.^[20] India fell to another innings defeat so Brown did not have another opportunity to score a Test century on home soil. His Test aggregate in Australia stood at 223 runs at only 33.86 in contrast to his away average of 1369 runs at 50.70.^[11] His first-class batting average of 43.58 for the season was inferior to that of his competitors for the opening positions Barnes and Morris, both of whom averaged in excess of 50.^[34]

Bill Brown's Test career batting performance. The red bars indicate the runs that he scored in an innings, with the blue line indicating the batting average in his last ten innings. The blue dots indicate an innings where he remained not out.^[11]

In any case, Brown had done enough to be chosen to tour England with the Invincibles in 1948.^[2] He played in the first two Tests in the middle order as Barnes and Morris were the preferred openers, before losing his place to Sam Loxton for the Third Test.^[20] His final Test was in the Second Test at Lord’s, where he was unable to replicate the centuries he made in the preceding tours, making 24 and 32.^[11] Barnes was injured in the Third Test, but Brown was not recalled for the Fourth Test; instead, Lindsay Hassett was promoted to partner Morris as a makeshift opener, and the teenaged Neil Harvey came into the middle-order and struck 112.^[35] Brown performed strongly in the county matches with eight centuries and a total of 1448 runs on the tour, behind only Bradman, Hassett and Morris, with a best score of 200 against Cambridge University.^[2][19]

Upon returning to Australia, Bradman retired and Barnes took a break from cricket, thereby opening two vacancies in the Test team.^{[citation needed]} Barnes had a reasonable domestic season in 1948–1949 in his quest to press his claim for a Test recall, scoring 626 runs at 41.73, the sixth highest aggregate of the season.^[36] Despite this, Brown was not named in the touring party at the age of 37 for the Test tour of South Africa in 1949–50. In the absence of the Test players, Brown scored 507 runs at 50.70 in the Sheffield Shield season, with a top score of 190, making him the third highest run-getter.^[37] With his opportunities diminishing, he retired at the end of the season after captaining the Australian second team to New Zealand.^[2] He had been less effective in his later years, averaging 38.29 in Test cricket following the resumption after the Second World War.^[11]

[edit] Style

Bill Brown flicks a ball to the leg side

In addition to his batting, Brown was a highly regarded fieldsman known for his fitness.^[4] He developed his skills with persistent training with professional sprinters in order to learn anticipation and quickness off the mark. Brown was regarded as a cautious starter who was reluctant to use his full array of strokes. He was known for his trademark leg glancing and placement of the ball.^[2][3] Johnnie Moyes said that "even when slow, he never wearied, as some do, because his style was cultured and free from jarring faults".^[38] Moyes felt that Brown’s superior performance on English soil was a result of the crowd attitude, which was more respectful. Moyes felt that the more serene gallery allowed Brown to play to his game plan without hurrying himself to placate impatient spectators. "A placid chap was Brown, and he liked to play in peaceful surroundings. When on the job he was as emotionless as a stoic".^[6] The English journalist Neville Cardus commented "His cricket is perpetually keeping an appointment leisurely with moments to spare. Does the bat have an engagement this over with a half-volley? Very well, then, put it down in the book. We'll be there for it. Plenty of time."^[13] His partnership with Fingleton was regarded as one of the great opening pairings in the history of Australian Test cricket.^[19] Brown was known for his self-effacing nature and was well-liked among teammates and opponents alike.^[13] During a domestic match at the Adelaide Oval in December 1938, he deflected a ball onto his stumps without dislodging a bail. He then proceeded to go from 27 to end unbeaten on 174, eternally apologising for his luck.^[13]

[edit] Off the field

In 1940, Brown married Barbara Hart, a receptionist.^[20] The couple had three sons, which Brown self-deprecatingly noted were "well spaced. . .like my centuries".^[13] Brown worked in a variety of jobs outside his cricket career. When Bradman relocated from New South Wales to South Australia in 1935, Brown took over his job at the men's clothing store FJ Palmer. Following his relocation to Queensland, Brown was a Brisbane car salesman, selling Chevrolets for Egars, before later running a sports store.^[13]

Brown was a Queensland selector from 1950–51 to 1959–60 and an Australian selector in 1952–53. His brief tenure as a national selector was marked by abuse and harassment from parochial Queenslanders who were upset that he did not include his fellow statesmen in the Test team.^[38] In 1992 the Queensland Cricket Association elected him a life member.^[2] In 2000 Brown was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to cricket.^[39]

On Bradman's death in February 2001, Brown became the oldest living Test cricketer, greatly amused by the fame that the title brought him. Held in high regard by Australian cricketers of the modern era, he was invited in 1999 by captain Steve Waugh to present Test débutante Adam Gilchrist with his baggy green. The humble Brown was surprised, thinking himself an unworthy choice. Waugh disagreed: "Bill is a baggy green icon who represents all that is good about playing for your country. He is humble, self-effacing and respectful, proud to have been afforded the honour of being an Australian Test cricketer, and a man who always looks for the positive in people."^[13] In March 2008, Brown died in Brisbane at the age of 95.^[40]

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Perry, Roland (2000). Captain Australia. Random House Australia. ISBN 1-74051-093-3. 

[edit] External links

• Cricinfo article
• CricketArchive stats

• Obituaries:
  • The Daily Telegraph, 18 March 2008
  • The Guardian, 18 March 2008
  • The Independent, 18 March 2008
  • The Times, 18 March 2008

v • d • e Australia squad - "The Invincibles" 1 Sid Barnes • 2 Don Bradman (c) • 3 Bill Brown • 4 Ron Hamence • 5 Neil Harvey • 6 Lindsay Hassett (vc) • 7 Ian Johnson  • 8 Bill Johnston • 9 Ray Lindwall • 10 Sam Loxton • 11 Colin McCool • 12 Keith Miller • 13 Arthur Morris  • 14 Doug Ring • 15 Ron Saggers (wk) • 16 Don Tallon (wk) • 17 Ernie Toshack • Coach: Keith Johnson