Famous Cricketers No 59 - Aubrey Faulkner

1905/06 A fine all-round performance for Transvaal against the first MCC side to tour South Africa, earned Faulkner selection for the First Test, at his home ground, the Wanderers. His scores of 10 not out and 63 not out, and figures of 3/46 and 3/62 were major contributions to Transvaal’s win by 60 runs over the visitors. Seven of Faulkner’s Transvaal team-mates were also selected for the First Test, and all were retained for the five-match series, South Africa fielding an unchanged eleven throughout and winning the rubber 4-1. Faulkner was not one of the outstanding successes, finishing ninth in the batting averages (129 runs at 18.42, with a top-score of 45). His bowling was more effective, returns of 2/35 (opening the attack) and 4/26 in the First Test, being major contributions to South Africa’s first Test victory – the last-wicket pair of “Dave” Nourse and skipper Percy Sherwell adding 48 to wring out a one-wicket win. Other valuable efforts were 3/38 in the England first innings of the Second Test, 4/49 in the Fourth Test and an innings of 45 in the final match. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 4. Transvaal v MCC, Wanderers, Johannesburg, December 26, 27, 28 (Transvaal won by 60 runs) not out 10 135 17 3 46 3 E.G.Hayes lbw 265 2 L.J.Moon b W.S.Lees b not out 63 305 18 3 62 3 P.F.Warner c J.C.Wilson 115 1 F.L.Fane lbw S.Haigh c sub (T.T.Cradock) 5. SOUTH AFRICA v ENGLAND, Wanderers, Johannesburg, January 2, 3, 4 (South Africa won by one wicket) b C.Blythe 4 91 22 7 35 2 F.L.Fane c R.O.Schwarz 184 1 S.Haigh b run out 6 287-9 12.5 5 26 4 D.Denton b 190 A.E.Relf c P.W.Sherwell J.H.Board lbw C.Blythe b 6. SOUTH AFRICA v ENGLAND, Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 6, 7, 8 (South Africa won by nine wickets) c D.Denton b W.S.Lees 17 277 17 6 38 3 F.L.Fane c and b 148 2 A.E.Relf c G.C.White S.Haigh c C.M.H.Hathorn did not bat - 34-1 7 0 19 0 160 7. SOUTH AFRICA v ENGLAND, Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 10, 12, 13, 14 (South Africa won by 243 runs) c and b W.S.Lees 19 385 15 3 46 0 295 not out 0 349-5d 8 0 21 0 196 8. SOUTH AFRICA v ENGLAND, Newlands, Cape Town, March 24, 26, 27 (England won by four wickets) b C.Blythe 34 218 25.5 11 49 4 A.E.Relf lbw 198 C.Blythe b P.F.Warner c S.J.Snooke W.S.Lees c C.M.H.Hathorn b C.Blythe 4 138 5 0 21 1 L.J.Moon lbw 160-6 9. SOUTH AFRICA v ENGLAND, Newlands, Cape Town, March 30, 31, April 2 (South Africa won by innings and 16 runs) c L.J.Moon b A.E.Relf 45 333 4 1 11 0 187 1 3 1 6 0 130 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Test matches 5 8 1 129 45 18.42 - - 4 Other match 1 2 2 73 63* - - 1 3 Season 6 10 3 202 63* 28.85 - 1 7 Career 9 15 5 294 63* 29.40 - 1 9 8