Ernie Toshack

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Ernie Toshack
Bowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 170)29 March 1946 v New Zealand
Last Test22 July 1948 v England
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1945–1949New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition Test FC
Matches 12 48
Runs scored 73 185
Batting average 14.59 5.78
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 20* 20*
Balls bowled 3,140 11,901
Wickets 47 195
Bowling average 21.04 20.37
5 wickets in innings 4 12
10 wickets in match 1 1
Best bowling 6/29 7/81
Catches/stumpings 4/0 10/0
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 27 December 2007

Ernest Raymond Herbert Toshack (8 December 1914 – 11 May 2003) was an Australian

cricketer who played in 12 Tests from 1946 to 1948. A left arm medium paced bowler known for his accuracy and stamina in the application of leg theory, Toshack was a member of Don Bradman's "Invincibles" that toured England in 1948 without being defeated. Toshack reinforced the Australian new ball attack of Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller
.

Born in 1914, Toshack overcame many obstacles to reach international level cricket. He was orphaned as an infant, and his early cricket career was hindered because of financial difficulties caused by the

Second World War prevented Toshack from competing at first-class level until he was into his thirties. In 1945–46, the first season of cricket after the end of the War, Toshack made his debut at first-class level and after only seven matches in the Sheffield Shield he was selected for Australia's tour of New Zealand. In Wellington, he opened the bowling in a match that was retrospectively classed as an official Test match. Toshack became a regular member of the Australian team, playing in all of its Tests until the 1947–48 series against India. He took his career-best match bowling figures of 11 wickets for 31 runs
(11/31) in the First Test but began to suffer recurring knee injuries, and a medical board had to approve his selection for the 1948 England tour. Toshack played in the first four Tests before being injured. After a long convalescence, he attempted a comeback during Australia's 1949–50 season, but further injury forced him to retire. He was a parsimonious bowler, who was popular with crowds for his sense of humour.

Early years

Born in the western New South Wales bush town of

Cobar on 8 December 1914, Toshack was one of five children of a stationmaster. Orphaned at the age of six,[1][2] he was raised by relatives in Lyndhurst in the central east of the state, and played his early cricket and rugby league for Cowra.[3] At this time, Toshack's ambition was to play rugby league for Australia. One of his childhood friends, Edgar Newham, also played both sports and wanted to play Test cricket. However, the town's doctor, a local community leader, advised that they were targeting the wrong sport, and the two boys followed his recommendation. Newham later played rugby league for Australia.[4]

In his youth he was also a boxer, and earned the nickname "Johnson" for his resemblance to American black heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. In the mid-1930s, he made brief appearances for the State Colts and Second XI,[5] and played cricket against the likes of the Test cricketer Stan McCabe.[1] In December 1933, Toshack played in a colts match for New South Wales against Queensland. He took 3/63 (three wickets at a cost of 63 runs) and 3/36 but was unable to prevent a five-wicket defeat.[6] He then took a total of 3/88 in a match for New South Wales Country against their city counterparts, and was promoted into the state's Second XI.[6] Toshack took a total of 1/91 in a match against the Victorian Second XI and did not play for his state again until 1945.[6]

His cricket aspirations, already hindered due to economic difficulties caused by the

Sydney Grade Cricket, starting in the third grade team in 1944–45.[5] Within two matches, he rose to the first grade team.[3] By this time, Petersham regretted its decision to spurn Toshack and lodged a complaint with the cricket authorities, claiming that he was obliged to represent Petersham and ineligible to play for Marrickville.[4] Toshack later recalled that Petersham were "told where to go".[4]

First-class and Test debut

Upon the resumption of first-class cricket in 1945–46, Toshack made his debut for New South Wales against Queensland as an opening bowler aged almost 31, and was quickly among the wickets. He took four 4/69 in his first innings as his team took a 128-run lead, but he managed only 0/87 from 20 overs in the second innings as New South Wales fell to a four-wicket loss, failing to defend a target of 270.[6][7] His first wicket was that of Geoff Cook.[8] Toshack's most successful match of the season came in the following fixture, against South Australia. Taking 4/30 and 4/78 as New South Wales won by an innings.[6] He then took 2/36 and 3/54 in an innings victory over the Australian Services.[6]

By the end of the season, in March 1946, Toshack had taken 35 wickets in seven first-class matches, at an average of 18.82, making him the second highest wicket-taker behind George Tribe. He performed consistently and took at least four wickets in each match;[6] his innings best was 4/30.[9] Toshack was selected for a non-Test tour of New Zealand.[3] He played in three provincial tour matches against Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington, all of which were won by an innings.[6] He took match figures of 7/91 against Auckland and 8/58 against Wellington.[6]

In the final match of the tour, Toshack opened the bowling for Australia with fellow debutant

New Zealand were routed inside two days on a damp pitch, having been dismissed for 42 in their first innings after winning the toss and choosing to bat.[10] Toshack's first Test wicket was that of opposing captain Walter Hadlee, who was caught by Keith Miller. Toshack took three further wickets to end with innings figures of 4/12. He did not bat as Australia made 8/198. New Zealand were then bowled out in their second innings for 54; Toshack took 2/6 as Australia recorded an innings victory.[11] He dismissed Eric Tindill and Ces Burke in both innings.[10] The performance ensured that Toshack would become an integral part of Australia's attack for the next three years.[5][12] Toshack ended the tour with 23 wickets at 10.34 in four matches.[6]

Toshack started the 1946–47 season strongly, taking 5/46 and 4/70 as New South Wales opened the season with a five-wicket win over Queensland.

all rounder Keith Miller, Toshack was relegated to first change bowler as Miller began his much celebrated partnership with Lindwall.[14] Toshack was unbeaten on one in his first innings with the bat when Australia were bowled out for 645 on the third day.[14][15]

On a

sixes from his opening over.[6][22] In the second match he took a total of 3/144.[6]
Victoria went on to win the title.

The following 1947–48 season, Toshack warmed up for the Test campaign against the touring

Khanderao Rangnekar for a second time.[6][8][24] India were bowled out for 98 as Australia won by an innings and 226 runs.[6][12][24] Injury persistently curtailed Toshack during the season, and he missed a month of cricket, including the next two Tests.[6][13] He returned for the second match against arch-rivals Victoria, and took 6/38 and 2/71 to play a key role in a New South Wales victory by six wickets.[6] His victims in the first innings included Test batsmen Lindsay Hassett, Neil Harvey and Sam Loxton as New South Wales took a decisive 290-run lead.[6][8] He dismissed Hassett and Ken Meuleman in the second innings to help set up victory.[6][8] Toshack only played in one further Test during the season, the Fourth, where he was less successful with match figures of 2/139.[13] He dismissed centurion Dattu Phadkar as Australia went on to win the series 4–0.[8][25] When fit, Toshack was a heavy wicket-taker; his 41 wickets at 20.26 placed him second only to Bill Johnston's 42 among Australian bowlers for the season.[26]

Invincibles tour

Main article: Ernie Toshack with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948
See also: Australian cricket team in England in 1948 and 1948 Ashes series

By the end of the Indian series, knee injuries had begun to hamper Toshack, and he only made the trip to England for the 1948 tour on a 3–2 majority vote by a medical team,

Martin Donnelly and Ken Cranston.[8] In particular, Toshack was involved in an extended battle with Compton before dismissing him; Bradman said that their duel was "worth going a long way to see".[4] This performance helped Australia to take an innings victory over a team that was virtually a full-strength England outfit and allowed Australia to take a psychological victory in a dress rehearsal ahead of the Tests.[6][31][32]

Toshack's performance in the

Lancashire.[4] He was taken to London for cartilage surgery, ending his tour and his Test career.[13] An inept batsman with an average of 5.78 in first-class fixtures, Toshack managed a Test average of 51 on the 1948 tour after being out only once, behind only Arthur Morris, Sid Barnes, Bradman and Neil Harvey. The unbeaten 20 he managed in the Lord's Test was his best first-class score, made in an uninhibited tenth-wicket stand with Johnston.[5][12] Due to the fragility of his knee, Toshack was used sparingly in the tour games, playing in only 11 of the 29 non-Test matches on the tour.[6][34] Toshack totalled 50 wickets at the average of 21.12 for the tour.[6]

The knee injury prevented Toshack from playing during the 1948–1949 Australian domestic season.

Western Australia, Toshack took 4/68 in the first innings before his injury resurfaced. New South Wales won the match despite Toshack's inability to bowl in the second innings.[6] The injury cost Toshack dearly; it forced him to retire from first-class cricket and cost him a Test recall.[3] Toshack had been offered a position on the South African tour as a reinforcement for Johnston, who had been involved in a car crash. Instead, Miller took the position and played in all five Tests.[38]

Style

Bowling primarily from over the wicket, his accuracy,

leg breaks. Bowling a leg-stump line from over the wicket with a leg side cordon of two short legs and a silly mid-on, he was described by Bradman as "unique in every way".[5][12] Bradman further added "I cannot remember another of the same type...He worried and got out the best bats, was amazingly accurate and must have turned in fine figures had not his cartilage given way."[4] He usually bowled with four men on the off side including a slip, and five on the leg.[1] When the pitch was wet, he moved a further man to the on side to field at leg slip.[27]

Nicknamed the "Black Prince" because of his tanned skin, Toshack's looks and sense of humor made him a crowd favorite, as did his theatrical appealing, which was more reminiscent of later eras of cricketers.[4] His vocal appealing prompted the journalist and former Australian Test batsman Jack Fingleton to dub him "The Voice", while teammate Sid Barnes called him "The film star" because of his looks.[4] His sense of fun was often on show. While on the 1948 tour, he would often wear a bowler hat, grab a furled umbrella, and place a cigar in his mouth, parodying an Englishman.[2][5][12]

After cricket

Following his career, Toshack joined a firm of builders and spent 25 years as a foreman and supervisor on construction sites around Sydney.[3] He also wrote about cricket and enjoyed cultivating his vegetable garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Hornsby Heights. Toshack died on 11 May 2003. He was survived by his wife Cathleen Hogan, whom he married in 1939, their only daughter, three granddaughters and two great-granddaughters.[2][4][5][12][39]

Test match performance

  Batting[40] Bowling[41]
Opposition Matches Runs Average High Score 100 / 50 Runs Wickets Average Best (Inns)
England 9 65 16.25 20
*
 0/0 801 28 28.60 6/82
India 2 8 8.00 8 0/0 170 13 13.07 6/29
New Zealand 1 – – – 0/0 18 6 3.00 4/12
Overall 12 73 14.60 20* 0/0 989 47 21.04 6/29

References

  1. ^ a b c Pollard (1990), p. 5.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ernie Toshack". The Daily Telegraph. London. 13 May 2003. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-19-550604-9
    .
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Allen, pp. 89–90.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Players and Officials – Ernie Toshack". Wisden. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah "Player Oracle ERH Toshack". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  7. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Player Oracle ERH Toshack". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  9. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  10. ^
    Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  11. ^ Pollard (1988), p. 375.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Obituary, 2004 – Ernie Toshack". Wisden. 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  13. ^
    Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  14. ^
    Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  15. ^ a b c Pollard (1988), p. 381.
  16. ^ p119, Clif Cary, Cricket Controversy, Test matches in Australia 1946–47, T. Werner Laurie Ltd, 1948
  17. E.W. Swanton
    , Swanton in Australia with MCC 1946–1975, Fontana/Collins, 1975
  18. ^ Piesse, p. 149.
  19. ^ Piesse, p. 150.
  20. ^ Pollard (1988), p. 389.
  21. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  22. ^ Perry, pp. 193–194.
  23. ^ a b Pollard (1988), p. 393.
  24. ^
    Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  25. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 21 December 2007.
  26. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  27. ^ a b Pollard (1990), p. 6.
  28. ^ Fingleton, p. 79.
  29. ^ a b Pollard (1990), p. 11.
  30. ^ Fingleton, p. 194.
  31. ^ Perry, pp. 226–230.
  32. ^ Fingleton, p. 74.
  33. ^ Fingleton, p. 110.
  34. ^ Pollard (1990), p. 19.
  35. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  36. ^ Perry, p. 262.
  37. ^ Perry, pp. 265–267.
  38. ^ Perry, pp. 266, 281.
  39. Rediff
    . 12 May 2003. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  40. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  41. Cricinfo
    . Retrieved 18 March 2008.

Bibliography

External links

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