In addition to the main feature this post has a couple of bonus features before the usual sign off. Today we look at cricketers whose given names begin with C, and we will have a huge number of honourable mentions after the main XI have been introduced.
THE XI IN BATTING ORDER
- Chris Gayle (West Indies, left handed batter, occasional off spinner). Better known for his exploits in limited overs cricket, Chris Gayle still had a very fine test record, including two triple centuries at that level. I was at the Adelaide Oval when he scored an incredible 167 against Australia that should have set up a classic finish. Unfortunately Australian skipper Ponting took the cowards option when faced with an ask of 330 off 81 overs against a less than formidable attack and settled for the draw, Australia making no effort at any stage to get on terms with the required rate.
- Cyril Washbrook (England, right handed batter). He averaged 42.81 over a career that spanned 37 test matches spread over 19 years, slightly up on his overall FC average of 42.67. The 359 that he and Len Hutton put on together at Ellis Park, Johannesburg remains England’s record opening partnership three quarters of a century on.
- Colin Cowdrey (England, right handed batter, occasional leg spinner). The first player ever to be awarded 100 test caps, and holder at one time of the England record tally of test career runs with 7,624.
- Clyde Walcott (West Indies, right handed batter, occasional wicket keeper, occasional medium pacer). Averaged over 56 at test level.
- *Clive Lloyd (West Indies, left handed batter, captain). A world class batter, and one of the most successful of all test captains.
- Clive Rice (Nottinghamshire, right handed batter, right arm fast medium bowler). His native South Africa being banned from international cricket for almost his entire career meant that he never got to play test cricket, but I have decided to give him the benefit of the doubt on this occasion and select him in the all rounders slot based on his great FC record.
- +Chris Read (England, wicket keeper, right handed batter). A great keeper and a useful middle order batter, scandalously treated by the England selectors of his day.
- Curtly Ambrose (West indies, right arm fast bowler, left handed batter). One half of a legendary new ball duo who are both in this XI.
- Colin Blythe (England, left arm orthodox spinner, right handed batter). One of the greatest bowlers of his type ever to play the game. In the years running up to WWI Kent won four championships, largely propelled there by a contrasting opening bowling pair of Blythe and the right arm fast bowler Arthur Fielder. In 1907 Blythe destroyed Northamptonshire with match figures of 17-48, only beaten in FC cricket by Jim Laker’s 19-90 at Old Trafford in 1956, and according to team mate Frank Woolley in “King of Games” Blythe was within an ace of taking all-20 that match.
- Courtney Walsh (West Indies, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). Curtly Ambrose’s regular new ball partner, and during their long association he became the first ever to claim 500 test wickets, finishing with 519.
- Clarrie Grimmett (Australia, leg spinner, right handed batter). A man who had to leave his native land and then cross two state boundaries in his adopted country to find cricketing fulfilment and still became the first to take 200 test wickets, finishing with 216 scalps from just 37 appearances. In the last full Sheffield Shield season before WWII, with his 50th birthday not far distant, he claimed a competition record 73 scalps. The Flipper, now considered an essential part of any wrist spinner’s armoury, was very largely his creation.
This side has a stellar top six including a genuine all rounder, a keeper who can bat and four great and well varied specialist bowlers. The proven new-ball combo of Ambrose and Walsh has Rice to offer pace back up, and the spin pairing were two of the best such ever to play the game. On any surface I would back this side to take 20 wickets without any great trouble.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
This will be a long section. First, to address cricket’s largest fan base, I must acknowledge the sterling performances of Cheteshwar Pujara as a number three. However, as good as he has been in that role both for India and in domestic cricket I do not believe that he dislodges the first player ever to play 100 test matches.
Among the openers who challenged for inclusion without in my view quite being good enough were Charles Bannerman, CB Fry, Cyril Walters, Chris Rogers and Charlotte Edwards, with the last name being naturally a shoo-in for the head coach’s position. Some might mention Chris Broad in this context, but I take a dim view of those who chose to sign up for rebel tours of Apartheid South Africa. Had I been picking with limited overs in mind Chamari Athapaththu would have merited consideration as well.
Claire Taylor had a magnificent record for England Women, averaging over 40 in both tests and ODIs. Two Colins, de Grandhomme of New Zealand and Bland of South Africa were fine middle order batters, and the latter is this side’s designated fielding sub. Clem Hill was at one time the all time leading scorer of test runs, until Jack Hobbs overhauled his tally, but he cannot displace Clive Lloyd. Charith Asalanka of Sri Lanka may eventually force his way in, but he is not there yet. Chloe Tryon, the big hitting South African who bowls a bit of left arm spin, would merit consideration were I picking with limited overs in mind. Two West Indians, Carl Hooper and Carlisle Best, both missed out due to not having enough substance to go with their style.
Among those who missed out on the gauntlets due to the presence of Read were Colin Metson, Carlton Baugh and Carla Rudd.
Charles Townsend, a left handed batter and a leg spin bowler, missed out on the all rounders slot because I preferred to pick a pacer for that slot and include Grimmett in the XI. Chris Woakes and Chris Cairns were both a little short of the necessary batting credentials to take the slot. On a really raging turner CK Nayudu, the Indian off spinning all rounder might take Rice’s place. The abrasive Cecil Pepper was another leg spinning all rounder who could not be accommodated, though he gets an umpiring gig.
Among the specialist seam/ pace bowlers to miss out were Craig McDermott, Chris Tremlett, Chris Old, Chaminda Vaas, Craig Matthews and Carl Rackemann (he like Bruce Reid mentioned a couple of days ago was rarely fit for long enough to build up a record of much substance). Charles ‘The Terror’ Turner had a sensational record, but 1880s pitches were generally much more favourable to bowlers than they became later.
Cecil Parkin and Charlie Dean rank as the two finest specialist off spinners to have had given names beginning with C. For a limited overs side Collins Obuya, the Kenyan off spinner, would merit consideration.
AUCTION PURCHASES
It was auction week at James and Sons, and I had placed advance bids on three items which looked likely to go cheap and were of interest to me. In the event I secured all three for very little, and an opportunistic bid on a fourth item was also successful.
LOT 685 – BEHIND THE FACADE
Had I not been the one to image this item it would have been unsold, because anyone else imaging it would have imaged only the bit described in the catalogue listing. Fortunately, I looked and imaged more closely. The images available to online bidders were as follows:
My interest in the Great Central Railway advert was the only interest of any kind shown in this lot, which was duly knocked down to me. My treatment of the item since taking possession of it reflects my reason for buying it, as shown by the following pictures…
LOTS 802 AND 978 – ORTHODOXY
These two items are both PR sheets for the Canadian Pacific Railway with other adverts on the back.
LOT 981 – ANOTHER CASE OF BEHIND THE FACADE
This item was allegedly of interest for the cigarette advertisement featured on one side of it. However, it was what was on the reverse side that caught the attention of the only person to show interest in it:
This one did not require radical treatment as had number 685 to fit my interests, just a bit of folding to make it fit in a display folder and display what I wanted – the stuff about Freddie Brown minus him spruiking a filthy far rate hate rag…
Interestingly by the time this was published in 1955 Freddie Brown had not featured for England in two years – Lord’s 1953 was his last test appearance, and his last appearance of note came in May 1956 when he played for Free Foresters against Oxford University, doing little with the bat, but claiming 11 wickets including a first innings haul of 8-60 – yet the far right hate rag of “Hurrah For The Blackshirts” infamy still thought him good PR for them.
THE BOOKSELLER OF INVERNESS BY SG MACLEAN
Set in the turbulent years of the 1750s, when attempts to restore the Stewarts (James Edward Stewart, based in Rome at this time, and his son Charles Edward Stewart a.k.a Bonnie Prince Charlie) to the throne were still in vogue, this book is a thoroughly gripping, indeed enthralling read. It also has a special feature of particular appeal to me, a very intricate map of the area in which most of the action takes place. Not only do I highly recommend this book, I will be looking of the author’s name on future library visits.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Time for my usual sign off…
aspiblog 