Famous Cricketers No 54 - Stan McCabe

1935/36 - Australians in South Africa McCabe went as vice captain on this tour even though he had not played much first-class cricket since the end of the 1934 tour of England. In the second match of the tour he captained the Australians for the first time, who won easily against Western Province by an innings. The early Tests proved to be successful, as he scored 149 in the First, which Wisden described as a “faultless display” even though Nicholson missed a stumping when he was on 135. The innings was played in difficult conditions as it was very windy and the bails had to be stuck on with chewing gum by the umpires. Many thought this innings to be as great as the famous three, it lasted 268 minutes, but only contained 6 fours, which was not typical for McCabe, who always had a high percentage of boundaries. The Second Test at the Wanderers’ ground produced another one of his gems, 189 not out, when Australia needed it. He might never have played as, before it even started, McCabe (who was a heavy smoker) said to the Australia captain, Richardson, “I won’t be able to play today, Vic, the altitude’s got to me. I won’t be able to run.” The captain’s reply was, “You just have to bat, just hit fours, Stan.” McCabe did his best by hitting 29 of them. Chasing 399 to win on a wicket where the ball sometimes kicked or shot along the ground, McCabe coming in at 17-1 attacked from the start, getting his first 50 in forty minutes, 40 of them in fours. McCabe’s hundred was scored in 91 minutes, with 19 fours off 120 balls, the eighth fastest in a Test match and the equal second quickest for Australia. He put on 177 in a second wicket partnership with Fingleton, of which McCabe made 148; McCabe scored exactly 100 runs before lunch, thus becoming the twelfth batsman and the sixth Australian to achieve this feat, and the only player to get one on the fourth day of a Test. After lunch the sky started to get darker with an impending thunderstorm and with the Australians needing a further 126 to win with eight wickets and three hours to get them. Wade, the South African captain, appealed against the light for fear of his fielders being hit by the savage attack that McCabe was handing them. In an unprecedented move the umpires upheld the appeal and took the players off. Within minutes the ground was engulfed by heavy rain. McCabe had scored 189 not out in 165 minutes, 66 runs had been scored from the other end by the other three Australians while McCabe was at the wicket. He was dropped twice, both by Robertson, at backward point and slip at 166 and 186. Wisden stated that McCabe “played superbly” and “McCabe’s greatness was revealed in his correct all-round display against all bowlers cutting and driving with perfect precision.” Louis Duffus in The Cricketer described thus: “His innings inevitably provided a lesson in calm judgment, unerring placing and powerful strokeplay, executed with a touch of genius. He scored boundaries with such accurate timing and effortless ease that his cricket sometimes appeared cold, yet beneath his undemonstrativeness was a joyous exuberance. He was a striking example of the Australians’ adeptness in deciding upon the punishable ball and their ability in reaping the maximum benefit from it.” This was the highest score by an Australian on the tour and was 68.98 per cent of the Australian second innings. McCabe also took two important wickets, Mitchell and Nourse, who had scored a record 231 for South Africa. Two other hundreds followed in tour games against Border and Orange Free State & Basutoland in even time. Although runs dried up towards the end of the tour, he still finished top in the averages in the Test series. Australia totally outplayed all opposition on the tour, winning thirteen and drawing three matches with no losses, ten of the victories were by an innings, the others were by eight, nine and ten wickets - all this was without Bradman. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 110. Australians v Natal, Durban, November 23, 25, 26 (Australians won by an innings and 26 runs) c H.F.Wade b A.P.Murray 65 522-5d 13 4 28 0 242 6 2 15 0 254 111. Australians v Western Province, Cape Town, November 30, December 2, 3 (Australians won by an innings and 44 runs) c G.Napier b J.B.Robertson 29 318 170 104 112. AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA, Durban, December 14, 16, 17, 18 (Australia won by nine wickets) c E.A.B.Rowan b A.C.B.Langton 149 429 10 1 28 0 248 not out 7 102-1 2 0 5 0 282 20