Frank Allan

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Not to be confused with Frank Allan (bishop) or Frank Allen.
Frank Allan
Personal information
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style -
International information
National side
  • Australian
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 1 31
Runs scored 5 371
Batting average 5.00 10.91
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 5 35*
Balls bowled 180
Wickets 4 123
Bowling average 20.00 13.31
5 wickets in innings 0 11
10 wickets in match 0 2
Best bowling 2/30 8/20
Catches/stumpings 0/0 14/0
Source: Cricinfo

Francis Erskine "Frank" Allan (born 2 December 1849 in Allansford, Victoria, Australia – died 9 February 1917, Melbourne) was an Australian cricketer who played in 1 Test in 1879.

In February 1869, Allan made his first-class debut for Victoria in an intercolonial match against New South Wales. Allan and Victorian captain Tom Wills obliterated the New South Wales batsmen with 8/20 in the first innings and 7/44 in the second innings respectively, securing Victoria's 78-run win.[1] Wills described Allan's bowling thus: "He comes on you like a big spider, all legs and wings."[2]

Allan was probably past his best by the time Test cricket arrived but had a reputation as a superb medium pace bowler (though would probably be more regarded as a spin bowler in modern cricket).

On the Australians tour of 1878 to England Allan produced some excellent spells of bowling to take over 200 wickets in all games on the tour and became regarded as fine cricketer at both home and in England.

Allan's only Test came against the touring Lord Harris XI in 1879. He had been selected for the first two Tests two years earlier but had declined selection both times, including preferring to attend the Warrnambool Agricultural Fair with friends than playing in the inaugural Test match.[3] This was reportedly because he - a proud Victorian - objected to the selection of the New South Wales wicketkeeper Billy Murdoch over the Victorian gloveman Jack `Black Jack' Blackham who used to stand up to the stumps when keeping to Frank.[4]

Allan was also a leading Australian rules footballer for the South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football Association (VFA).[5]

References

  1. ↑ "New South Wales v Victoria in 1868/69", Cricket Archive. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  2. ↑ de Moore, Greg (2011). Tom Wills: First Wild Man of Australian Sport. Allen & Unwin. pp. 218–219. ISBN 978-1-74237-598-4. 
  3. ↑ Knox, p. 5.
  4. ↑ Verbal information passed down from relatives of Frank Allan
  5. ↑ Atkinson, p. 180.

Sources

  • Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0 86788 009 0.
  • Knox, Malcolm (2010). The Captains. Hardie Grant Publishing. ISBN 978-1-74066-956-6. 
  • Cricinfo page


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