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| Sydney Barnes |
There is little doubt that Sydney Barnes was the best bowler in the pre-First World War period. The English right-arm fast-medium to medium pacer played only in the 20th century when wickets were far better for batsmen than in the 1870s, 1880s, and even 1890s. Appearing between 1901 and 1914, Barnes captured 189 wickets in just 27 Tests at an average of 16.43. That is a brilliant 7 wickets per Test. He bagged 24 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 7 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 9 for 103 in an innings, and 17 for 159 in a Test.
The other four bowlers who had better averages than Barnes played only in the 19th century when wickets were uneven and rough, making them hazardous for batsmen. The English right-arm medium-pacer George Lohmann, who played 18 Tests from 1886 to 1896, is the only one among them to bag 100 wickets, 112 at an incredible average of 10.75. He bagged 9 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 5 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 9 for 28 in an innings, and 15 for 45 in a Test.
The left-arm fast-medium John (JJ) Ferris, who played 9 Tests from 1887 to 1892, first appeared for Australia, then for England. He took 61 wickets at an average of 12.70. He bagged 6 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 1 haul of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 37 in an innings, and 13 for 91 in a Test.
The right-arm fast-medium William Barnes played 21 Tests for England from 1880 to 1890. He took 51 wickets at an average of 15.54. He bagged 3 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 6 for 28 in an innings, and 9 for 81 in a Test.
The slow left-arm orthodox William Bates played 15 Tests for England from 1881 to 1887. He took 50 wickets at an average of 16.42. He bagged 4 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 1 haul of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 28 in an innings, and 14 for 102 in a Test.
In terms of averages, Barnes was followed by five top-class bowlers of the era. The right-arm medium pacer Charlie (CTB) Turner played 17 Tests for Australia from 1887 to 1895. He took 101 wickets at an average of 16.53. He bagged 11 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 2 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 43 in an innings, and 12 for 87 in a Test.
The slow left-arm orthodox spinner Robert (Bobby) Peel played 20 Tests for England from 1884 to 1896. He took 101 wickets at an average of 16.98. He bagged 5 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 1 haul of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 31 in an innings, and 11 for 68 in a Test.
The slow left-arm orthodox spinner Johnny Briggs played 33 Tests for England from 1884 to 1899. He took 118 wickets at an average of 17.75. He bagged 9 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 4 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 8 for 11 in an innings, and 15 for 28 in a Test.
The right-arm fast-medium Frederick ‘Demon’ Spofforth played 18 Tests for Australia from 1877 to 1887. He took 94 wickets at an average of 18.41. He bagged 7 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 4 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 44 in an innings, and 14 for 90 in a Test.
The slow left-arm orthodox spinner Colin Blythe played 19 Tests for England from 1901 to 1910. He took 100 wickets at an average of 18.63. He bagged 9 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 4 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 8 for 59 in an innings, and 15 for 99 in a Test.
These were the top 10 averages for bowlers with 50 wickets or more in Test cricket from its inception in 1877 up to the First World War, all below 20 runs per wicket.
The right-arm fast bowler George Ulyett played 25 Tests for England from 1877 to 1890. He took 50 wickets at an average of 20.40. He bagged 1 haul of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 7 for 36 in an innings, and 7 for 57 in a Test. He was the first of the top allrounders, having finished just short of the 1000 runs mark, finishing with 949 runs at an average of 24.33, and an allrounder’s quotient of 1.19.
The left-arm fast-medium bowler William (Bill) Whitty played 14 Tests for Australia from 1909 to 1912. He took 65 wickets at an average of 21.12. He bagged 3 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 6 for 17 in an innings, and 9 for 98 in a Test.
The right-arm off-break bowler George (Joey) Palmer played 17 Tests for Australia from 1880 to 1886. He took 78 wickets at an average of 21.51. He bagged 6 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 2 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 65 in an innings, and 11 for 165 in a Test.
The right-arm off-break bowler Hugh Trumble played 32 Tests for Australia from 1890 to 1904. He took 141 wickets at an average of 21.78. He bagged 9 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 3 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 8 for 65 in an innings, and 12 for 89 in a Test. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the pre-First World War period after Sydney Barnes.
The left-armer Jack Saunders, who bowled medium-pace as well as slow orthodox, played 14 Tests for Australia from 1902 to 1908. He took 79 wickets at an average of 22.73. He bagged 6 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 7 for 34 in an innings, and 9 for 66 in a Test.
The versatile right-armer Albert (Bert) Vogler, who bowled fast-medium, medium as well as leg-break and googly, played 15 Tests for South Africa from 1906 to 1911. He took 64 wickets at an average of 22.73. He bagged 5 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 1 haul of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 94 in an innings, and 12 for 181 in a Test.
The allrounder known for his longevity, Wilfred Rhodes, who bowled slow left-arm orthodox, played 47 Tests for England before the First World War from 1899 to 1914. He took 105 wickets at an average of 24.90 during this period. He bagged 6 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 1 haul of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 8 for 68 in an innings, and 15 for 124 in a Test. After the War, he played Test cricket till 1930, appearing in a total of 58 Tests. He finished with 127 wickets at an average of 26.96, not improving on his analyses nor adding to his five-wicket and ten-wicket hauls. Before the War, Rhodes had scored 1965 runs at an average of 32.21, with a highest score of 179, and 2 hundreds and 10 fifties. He had an allrounder’s quotient of 1.29. He finished with 2325 runs at an average of 30.19, not improving on his top score, nor adding to his tally of hundreds and fifties, the quotient being 1.11.
The Australian Monty Noble was another allrounder from the top drawer. He bowled right-arm medium pace as well as off-break, and played 42 Tests from 1898 to 1909. He took 121 wickets at an average of 25.00. He bagged 9 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 2 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 17 in an innings, and 13 for 77 in a Test. He narrowly missed the double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets in Tests, scoring 1997 runs at an average of 30.25, with a highest score of 133, and 1 hundred and 16 fifties. He had an allrounder’s quotient of 1.21.
The right-arm fast bowler Tom Richardson played 14 Tests for England from 1893 to 1898. He took 88 wickets at an average of 25.22. He bagged 11 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 4 hauls of 10 wickets or more in a Test. His best analyses were 8 for 94 in an innings, and 13 for 244 in a Test.
Arguably, the finest allrounder of the pre-First World War era was the South African Aubrey Faulkner. He bowled right-arm leg-break and googly, playing 24 Tests before the First World War from 1906 to 1912. He took 82 wickets at an average of 25.52 during this period. He bagged 4 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 7 for 84 in an innings, and 9 for 75 in a Test. After the War, he played one Test in 1930 without taking a wicket. He finished with an average of 26.58. Before the War, Faulkner had scored 1717 runs at an average of 41.87, with a highest score of 204, and 4 hundreds and 8 fifties. He had an allrounder’s quotient of 1.64. He scored 37 runs in the two innings in 1924, finishing with 1754 runs at an average of 40.79 the quotient being 1.53.
Faulkner’s compatriot Reginald (Reggie) Schwarz bowled right-arm medium-pace and off-break, playing 20 Tests from 1906 to 1912. He took 55 wickets at an average of 25.76. He bagged 2 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 6 for 47 in an innings, and 7 for 89 in a Test.
The Australian allrounder George Giffen was the first to achieve the Test double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets. He bowled right-arm medium pace, and played 31 Tests from 1881 to 1896. He took 103 wickets at an average of 27.09. He bagged 7 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 1 haul of 10 wickets in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 117 in an innings, and 10 for 160 in a Test. He scored 1238 runs at an average of 23.35, with a highest score of 161, and 1 hundred and 6 fifties. He had an allrounder’s quotient of 0.86.
The right-arm fast bowler Albert (Tibby) Cotter played 21 Tests for Australia from 1904 to 1912. He took 89 wickets at an average of 28.64. He bagged 7 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 7 for 148 in an innings, and 9 for 221 in a Test.
The right-arm fast bowler Ernest (Ernie) Jones played 19 Tests for Australia from 1894 to 1902. He took 64 wickets at an average of 29.01. He bagged 3 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and 1 haul of 10 wickets in a Test. His best analyses were 7 for 88 in an innings, and 10 for 164 in a Test.
These were 24 bowlers who averaged less than 30 while capturing 50 Test wickets. Of these, 10 bowlers took 100 wickets or more.
The left-arm medium-pacer George Hirst played 24 Tests for England from 1897 to 1909. He took 59 wickets at an average of 30.00. He bagged 3 hauls of five wickets in an innings. His best analyses were 5 for 48 in an innings, and 9 for 86 in a Test. A superb allrounder at the First-class level, Hirst was deemed to be the inventor of swing and seam bowling.
The right-arm fast-medium James (Jimmy) Sinclair played 25 Tests for South Africa from 1896 to 1911. He took 63 wickets at an average of 31.68. He bagged 1 haul of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 6 for 26 in an innings, and 9 for 89 in a Test.
Finally, there was the allrounder Warwick ‘Big Ship Armstrong’, who bowled right-arm fast- medium and leg-break, and played 40 Tests for Australia before the First World War from 1902 to 1912. He took 70 wickets at an average of 35.81 during this period. He bagged 3 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings. His best analyses were 6 for 35 in an innings, and 7 for 166 in a Test. After the War, he led Australia in two Ashes series in 1920-21 and 1921, winning 5-0 and 3-0, and appearing in a total of 50 Tests. He finished with 87 wickets at an average of 33.59, not improving on his analyses nor adding to his five-wicket hauls. Before the War, Armstrong had scored 2247 runs at an average of 35.66, with a highest score of 159 not out, and 3 hundreds and 7 fifties. He had an allrounder’s quotient of 0.99. He finished with 2863 runs at an average of 38.68, and 6 hundreds and 8 fifties, with the same top-score, the quotient being 1.15.
These were 27 bowlers who took 50 Test wickets or more before the First World War. Three allrounders Wilfred Rhodes, Aubrey Faulkner and Warwick Armstrong played beyond the War. The wickets were far different before the War, and this is clearly reflected in the bowlers’ averages. Nevertheless, most of the basic skills of bowling were developed during these formative 37 years of Test cricket.
