Great allrounders from inception of Test cricket in 1877 upto beginning of First World War and beyond

 

Aubrey Faulkner

There have been five great allrounders from the inception of Test cricket in 1877 till the beginning of the First World War in 1914, a few of them going beyond as well, scoring at least 1,000 runs and taking a minimum of 50 wickets. They were all right-handed batsmen, but with different styles of bowling.

The first of them was the Australian George Giffen who made his debut in 1881. He was a right-arm medium-pace bowler. In his Test career lasting till 1896, he scored 1,238 runs at an average of 23.35, and took 103 wickets at an average of 27.03 in 31 Tests. His quotient, batting average divided by bowling average, is 0.86. He was a stalwart of the early years of Test cricket.

His compatriot Monty Noble entered the scene in 1898, a couple of years after Giffen had finished. He bowled right-arm medium-pace and off-breaks. He came close to becoming the first to completing the double of 2,000 runs and 100 wickets, finishing just 3 runs short. He hit up 1,997 runs at an average of 30.25, and bagged 121 wickets at an average of 25.00 in 42 Tests, his career lasting till 1909. His quotient is 1.21.

He was closely followed in 1899 by the remarkable Englishman Wilfred Rhodes, whose Test career lasted for 31 years till 1931. He was a right-arm fast medium, and leg-break bowler. His career spanned the generations of W.G. Grace and Don Bradman, and became the first to achieve the feat of 2,000 runs and 100 wickets. He scored 2,325 runs at an average of 30.19, and took 127 wickets at an average of 26.96 in 58 Tests. His quotient is 1.11. Till the First World War, he had scored 1,965 runs at an average of 32.21, and took 105 wickets at an average of 24.90 in 47 Tests. His quotient at that time was 1.29.

Next came Warwick ‘Big Ship’ Armstrong, who career also spanned the pre and post First World War periods. He bowled right-arm fast medium, and leg-break. Beginning in 1902, he went on to lead the original invincible Australian teams of 1920-21 and 1921. He scored 2,863 runs at an average of 38.68, and captured 87 wickets at an average of 33.59 in 50 Tests. His quotient is 1.15. Till the First World War, he had scored 2,247 runs at an average of 35.66, and took 70 wickets at an average of 35.81 in 40 Tests. His quotient at that time was 0.99. His record improved significantly after the War.       

Finally appeared in 1906, the king of allrounders of the pre First World War period, the South African Aubrey Faulkner. He bowled leg-breaks and googlies. Till the War, he had scored 1,717 runs at an average of 41.87, and taken 82 wickets at an average of 25.52, in 24 Tests. His quotient then was 1.64, at par with the doyens Gary Sobers and Jacques Kallis, though the sample size is obviously much smaller. After the War, he played one Test in 1924, scoring 37 runs and not taking a wicket. His quotient fell to 1.53, still comparable to greats like Imran Khan and Keith Miller.

It must be mentioned, however, that the right-handed George Ulyett was the pioneer among allrounders, having finished just short of the 1000 runs mark, scoring 949 runs in 25 Tests for England from 1877 to 1890 at an average of 24.33. A fast bowler, Ulyett captured 50 wickets at an average of 20.40. His quotient is 1.19.

The top allrounders with at least 1000 runs and 50 wickets in the initial decades of Tests cricket were:

Aubrey Faulkner (South Africa 1906-1924), Right-hand bat, Leg-break googly

Tests 25, Highest score 204, Runs 1754, Average 40.79, 100s 4, 50s 8       

Best bowling 7/84, Wickets 82, Average 26.58, 5WI 4, 10WM -, Quotient 1.53    

Monty Noble (Australia 1898-1909), Right-hand bat, Right-arm medium, Off-break

Tests 42, Highest score 133, Runs 1997, Average 30.25, 100s 1, 50s 16     

Best bowling 7/17, Wickets 121, Average 25.00, 5WI 9, 10WM 2, Quotient 1.21

Warwick Armstrong (Australia 1902-1921), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast medium, Leg-break

Tests 50, Highest score 159*, Runs 2863, Average 38.68, 100s 6, 50s 8     

Best bowling 6/35, Wickets 87, Average 33.59, 5WI 3, 10WM -, Quotient 1.15    

Wilfred Rhodes (England 1899-1930), Right-hand bat, Slow left-arm

Tests 58, Highest score 179, Runs 2325, Average 30.19, 100s 2, 50s 10

Best bowling 8/68, Wickets 127, Average 26.96, 5WI 6, 10WM 1, Quotient 1.11

George Giffen (Australia 1881-1896), Right-hand bat, Right-arm medium

Tests 31, Highest score 161, Runs 1238, Average 23.35, 100s 1, 50s 6       

Best bowling 7/117, Wickets  103, Average 27.03, 5WI 7, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.86