Stanley Frankish
Wanganui , New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Left-arm fast-medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1894-95 to 1903-04 | Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricket Archive, 15 October 2014 |
Frank Stanley Frankish (2 November 1872 – 30 May 1909) was a
Early life and career
Stanley Frankish was born in Christchurch and educated at Christ's College.[1] He was "a splendid athlete, who could run 100 yards in a fraction over ten seconds".[2] He was a tall left-arm fast-medium bowler "of the same style, and about the same pace, as George Hirst, but two years ahead of the Yorkshireman in developing his disconcerting off-swerve".[3] He made his first-class debut for Canterbury in 1894–95.[citation needed]
Playing for New Zealand
Frankish was selected to play for New Zealand in 1896–97, when he came into the side as a last-minute replacement for
He toured Australia with the New Zealanders in 1898-99 but was unsuccessful, as was Fisher. One of their team-mates on the tour, Dan Reese, later wrote, "Fisher and Frankish ... were fine bowlers, but they just could not adapt themselves to the Australian conditions, and discovered that it needs more than beautiful, swinging deliveries to get wickets over there."[5]
In two matches in December 1901 Frankish took 23 wickets for Canterbury. On 14 December, the opening day of the first match, he took 10 wickets for 26. He began the day by taking 7 for 26 to dismiss Wellington for 77. Canterbury made 171 in reply, and when Wellington had to bat again briefly that day Frankish clean bowled three batsmen for no runs in the first over, which still had one ball left when stumps were drawn.[6] Canterbury won by three wickets.[7] A few days later he took 4 for 40 and 6 for 77 against Otago, who nevertheless won by 122 runs. Frankish top-scored with 29 in Canterbury's first innings total of 67.[8]
In 1902–03 he took 5 for 124 and 5 for 70 for Canterbury against
Later career and illness
After his successful season in 1902–03, Frankish played only one more first-class match, against Otago in 1903–04, when he made his highest score of 56 and took six wickets in a victory for Canterbury.[13] His health declined when he contracted tuberculosis. He moved to the North Island, and even travelled to the South Pacific islands in the hope that the warmer climate would help, but after some years of illness he died in Wanganui in 1909.[14]
Dan Reese wrote: "One speaks of a brilliant batsman, but seldom is this term applicable to a bowler, yet I think it could be used for Frankish. With a new ball he could at times, in a few sensational overs, break the back of a batting side. It is for these flashes of brilliance that he is best remembered."[15]
References
- ^ Auckland Star, 31 May 1909, p. 3.
- ^ Dan Reese, Was It All Cricket? , George Allen & Unwin, London, 1948, p. 22.
- ^ Reese, p. 39.
- ^ Don Neely & Richard Payne, Men in White: The History of New Zealand International Cricket, 1894–1985, Moa, Auckland, 1986, p. 39.
- ^ Reese, p. 53.
- The Marlborough Express, 16 December 1901, p. 4.
- ^ Wellington v Canterbury 1901-02
- ^ Canterbury v Otago 1901-02
- ^ Canterbury v Lord Hawke's XI 1902-03
- ^ Reese, p. 147.
- ^ Stanley Frankish bowling by season
- P. F. Warner, in Cricket, edited by Horace G. Hutchinson, George Newnes, London, 1903, p. 413.
- ^ Canterbury v Otago 1903-04
- Wanganui Herald, 2 June 1909, p. 6.
- ^ Reese, p. 152.