Cricketer Of The Week <=> 1st Jan to 7 Jan 2012

[Fenil]

Rare images of copies of signatures, WG Grace's bat added.

 

[6ry4nj]

"The last match of any class that W.G. played in" was a couple of weeks later for Eltham v Northbrook on 8 August.

Here you do not need quotes imo, as such a choice of words could easily have been arrived at independently of the source (indeed it would be hard to avoid). However:

His death "shook the nation almost as much as Winston Churchill's fifty years later".

In this latter case you really do need to say who you are quoting. Whenever the source of a quoted passage (which should of course always be in quotes except as above) is not apparent from the context, please please state it.

 

[Fenil]

Here you do not need quotes imo, as such a choice of words could easily have been arrived at independently of the source (indeed it would be hard to avoid). However:



In this latter case you really do need to say who you are quoting. Whenever the source of a quoted passage (which should of course always be in quotes except as above) is not apparent from the context, please please state it.

Thanks for the valued suggestions, mate. I'll make sure I put them into play from the next time. I love when people give suggestions as it makes my work better and I learn something new. Keep visiting every week for more updates.

 

[sos]

Its great to know about those great legendry cricket players who shaped up the mordern game. Love this thred. KUDOS to Fenil.

 

[Ahmad94]

Love reading these. SO informative

 

[Fenil]

Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji​

Full Name: Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji
Born: 10 September 1872, Sarodar, Kathiawar, India
Died: 2 April 1933, Jamnagar Palace, India
Major Teams: Cambridge University, Sussex, London County, England.

Also Known As: H. H. Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji, Jam Sahib of Nawanagar
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat

Test Debut: England v Australia at Manchester, 2nd Test, 1896
Last Test: England v Australia at Manchester, 4th Test, 1902

Inherited title of His Highness Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji, Jam Sahib of Nawanagar in 1907.


Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji, Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar (known as K.S. Ranjitsinhji, Ranji or Smith during his career) was an Indian prince and Test cricketer who played for the English cricket team. He played first-class cricket for Cambridge University, and county cricket for Sussex.

Ranji, an Indian prince, was probably one of the finest batsmen of all time, not only in terms of runs scored but also because he brought new strokes to the game. His keen eye, unorthodoxy and speed of reaction meant that introduced the late cut and leg glance, as well as the art of back-foot defense.

K S Ranjitsinhji plays leg glance shot​

He arrived at Cambridge in 1891 (where he acquired the nickname "Smith") never having played an organised game and won a Blue in his final summer. After serving his qualification, he marked his debut for Sussex at Lord's in May 1895 with 77 and 150 against MCC. On his Test debut against Australia, at Old Trafford in 1896, he scored 62 and 154 not out. From 1895 he exceeded 1000 runs in 10 successive seasons, passing 3000 in 1899 and 1900. He was as prolific overseas, scoring 1157 runs at 60.89 on his one trip to Australia in 1897-98.

In that Golden Age his name was synonymous with Sussex and his close friend, CB Fry. He led the county for five years (1899-1903) but at the end of 1904 he returned to India to deal with increasing domestic responsibilities, and played only two more complete summers (1908 and 1912), again passing 1000 runs each time.

In his career, he scored 24692 first class runs at an average of 56.37 with 72 centuries and 109 fifties with unbeaten 285 being his highest score. He also took 133 wickets. In 26 innings of the 15 tests that he played for England, Ranji scored 989 runs at an average of 44.95 with 2 hundreds and 6 half centuries. His highest score was 175.

K S Ranjitsinhji hurls a cover drive
​

On 31 August 1915, he took part in a grouse shooting party on the Yorkshire Moors near Langdale End. While on foot, he was accidentally shot in the right eye by another member of the party. After traveling to Leeds via the railway at Scarborough, a specialist removed the badly damaged eye on 2 August. Ranjitsinhji's presence on a grouse shoot was a source of embarrassment to the authorities, who attempted to justify his presence in the area by hinting at his involvement in military business. He spent two months recuperating in Scarborough and after attending the funeral of W. G. Grace in Kent, he went to India for his sister's marriage and did not return to England before the end of the war

His last, and ill-advised - hurrah came in 1920 when he turned out three times for Sussex.He was 48 by then.

KS Ranjitsinhji's signature​

For much of the remainder of his life, Ranjitsinhji devoted his time to supporting the interests of the Indian Princes. He attempted to unite his fellow princes against the advance of democracy, the Independence Movement and the growing hostility of the Indian National Congress. He was instrumental in the formation of the Chamber of Princes.

Ranjitsinhji died of heart failure on 2 April 1933 after a short illness, although his health had gradually deteriorated in his final years. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered over the River Ganges. His estate in England was worth ?185,958 at his death.

Ranji Trophy​

After his death, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) started the Ranji Trophy in 1934, with the first fixtures taking place in 1934?35. The trophy was donated by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who also inaugurated it. Today it remains a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, equivalent to the County Championship in England and the Sheffield Shield in Australia. The Nawanagar cricket team won the Ranji Trophy in 1936-37 season.

KS Ranjitsinhji's nephew, KS Duleepsinhji, also played for England.

 

[RPHKR]

Presentation is great now, I could see more pictures added including the sign of Ranjit, etc.
I really don't know that Ranjitsingh played for England.

 

[sos]

Hey puneeth this is not fair, you took away all the words I was going to sya.

 

[Fenil]

Presentation is great now, I could see more pictures added including the sign of Ranjit, etc.
I really don't know that Ranjitsingh played for England.

Thanks. I could find only one copy of Ranjitsinhji's signature. He played for England as there was no Indian cricket team then.

By the way its Ranjitsinhji and not Ranjitsinghji. It is pronounced and written like this in Gujarat.

For example, in Punjab, you have Yuvraj Singh but in Gujarat its Ravindrasinh Jadeja. Hope you got it. Just for your knowledge.

 

[Ahmad94]

Loving it GI. Well Done. Liking the new format. KIU

 

[Fenil]

Sydney Barnes​

Full name: Sydney Francis Barnes
Born: 19th April 1873, Smethwick, Staffordshire, England
Died: 26th December 1967, Chadsmoor, Staffordshire, England
Batting: Right-hand batsman
Bowling: Right-arm medium, Right-arm fast-medium
Teams: England, Lancashire, Wales, Warwickshire


Sydney Francis Barnes was an English professional cricketer who is generally regarded as possibly the best bowler in cricket history. He was right-handed and bowled at a pace that varied from medium to fast-medium with the ability to make the ball both swing and break from off or leg. Barnes was described as more than six feet tall and maintaining an erect posture with wide shoulders, a deep chest, long arms and strong legs ? in John Arlott's view, "perfectly built to be a bowler". He bowled right arm fast-medium but also had what Arlott called "the accuracy, spin and resource of a slow bowler". Barnes' high delivery provided him with a lift off the pitch that forced even the best batsmen to play him at an awkward height. He was clever at concealing his pace and could produce deliveries that were both appreciably faster and slower than his usual fast-medium pace; and could bowl an effective yorker. Barnes considered himself essentially a spin bowler and he bowled both the off-break and the leg-break. Although technically formidable, Barnes allied his skill set to a hostile persona and great stamina which, Arlott says, "were reflected in constant, unrelenting probing for a batsman's weakness and then attacking it by surprise, each ball fitting into a tactical pattern"

Barnes was unusual in that, despite a very long playing career, he spent little more than two seasons in first-class cricket, preferring instead to play league cricket and represent his native county club Staffordshire in the Minor Counties Championship.

Barnes was selected for his first overseas tour in 1901?02 despite having made only seven first-class appearances in the previous eight English seasons. In Australia, he played against three state teams before making his Test debut on 13 December 1901 at Sydney Cricket Ground. Also making their debuts in this Test were Colin Blythe and Len Braund. Between them, the three debutant bowlers took all 20 Australian wickets as England won by an innings and 124 runs. Australia leveled the series in the second Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, winning by 229 runs although Barnes had figures of 6?42 and 7?121. Monty Noble trumped Barnes' effort with 7?17 and 6?60. Barnes injured a knee in the third Test at Adelaide Oval and missed the remainder of the tour. Although he later said he was still far short of his best at the time, he had established himself as a world-class bowler.

Barnes was selected only once in England's home series against Australia in 1902. This was for the third Test at Bramall Lane, which Australia won by 143 runs, Barnes took 6?49 and 1?50, but Noble with 11 wickets was again Australia's match winner.

Sydney Barnes celebrates his five wicket haul​

Barnes returned to Test cricket when England toured Australia in 1907?08. This time, he played in all five Tests and took 24 wickets at 26.08 with best figures of 7?60. In the second Test, which England won by 1 wicket, it was Barnes' batting that was crucial as he shared stands of 34 for the ninth wicket with Joe Humphries and an unbeaten 39 for the last with Arthur Fielder. When the tourists played Western Australia, Barnes shared a stand with George Gunn of over 200 for the fifth wicket while scoring 93, his personal best in first-class cricket.

In 1913?14, Barnes toured South Africa with MCC and played in the first four Tests of a five match series.[9] He missed the last Test because of a financial disagreement. Barnes' 49 wickets this series remains the world record for wickets taken in a Test series. In the second Test at the Old Wanderers ground in Johannesburg, he became the first bowler to take more than 15 wickets in a Test with figures of 8?56 and 9?103 resulting in a match analysis of 17?159.[31] Only Jim Laker's match analysis of 19?90 in 1956 has since surpassed this feat.

Barnes took 189 Test wickets. His average of 16.43 and strike rate of 41.65 are the lowest amongst bowlers who have played in more than 25 Tests and taken more than 150 wickets. His closest challenger is Alan Davidson, who took 186 wickets at 20.53. His figures are the second lowest (after the 10.75 and 34.11 respectively of George Lohmann) among bowlers who have taken 75 Test wickets or more.

Sydney Barnes' signature​

It was calculated that in all cricket Barnes took a whopping 6229 wickets at an average of 8.33 and he was still playing into his sixties! He took 16 wickets for just 93 runs in a single day against Northumberland. In 1910, Barnes was made a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

​

​

Sydney Barnes' Bowling Summary

|

Overs​

|

Maidens​

|

Runs​

|

Wickets​

|

Avg.​

Test matches​

|

1313.3​

|

358​

|

3106​

|

189​

|

16.43​

County cricket​

|

1931.2​

|

633​

|

4456​

|

226​

|

19.71​

Other first-class matches​

|

2028.3​

|

620​

|

4600​

|

304​

|

15.13​

For Staffordshire​

|

5457.3​

|

1647​

|

11754​

|

1441​

|

8.15​

League and Club​

|

12802​

|

3532​

|

27974​

|

4069​

|

6.03

All Matches​

|

23509.3​

|

6784​

|

51890​

|

6229​

|

8.33​

​

​

 

[BlitzBerg]

Thats good info! keep them coming!

 

[RPHKR]

It was calculated that in all cricket Barnes took a whopping 6229 wickets at an average of 8.33 and he was still playing into his sixties! He took 16 wickets for just 93 runs in a single day against Northumberland. In 1910, Barnes was made a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

His stats looks great, Best update made by you till now.
He played at age of 60! Really?

 

[Ahmad94]

Loving it. Completely unbiased and perfectly presented to the audience. A cup of tea and biscuits and reading made my day. Thanks mate. Keep up the good work

 

[Fenil]

Thats good info! keep them coming!

Loving it. Completely unbiased and perfectly presented to the audience. A cup of tea and biscuits and reading made my day. Thanks mate. Keep up the good work

Buddy, be careful you don't dip you finger in tea instead of biscuit while reading it Glad to know that you guys like it.

His stats looks great, Best update made by you till now.
He played at age of 60! Really?

Thanks, Puneeth. Yes, he played his last first class match at the age of 63 years.