Famous Cricketers No 78 - Bruce Mitchell

Bruce Mitchell Bruce Mitchell was born at Ferrierer Deep Gold Mine, Johannesburg on 8 January,1909 and died of pneumonia on 2 July, 1995, aged 86. At his death he was the oldest living South African Test cricketer. A tall (5’10") dour right hand batsman with a rigid defence, he had a capacity to bat all day as if his life depended upon it and frequently did. He always seemed to have plenty of time for his strokes and had a glorious off-drive. He appeared for South Africa in all 42 Tests played between 1929 and 1949 and in a career almost entirely for Transvaal he played in 281 innings and was only dismissed for a ‘duck’ on nine occasions, twice in a Test Match, three times in Currie Cup matches and four times in extraneous matches. He was probably at his best in the second innings of a match when he had to bat to save the game, and this is borne out by his figures. A very successful player while at St. John’s College, where he was coached by E.G.McDonald and H.W.Taylor he had been coached by E.A.Halliwell at junior school who confidently predicted a successful career in the game. In his last year at school he made over 1000 runs and in 1926 his aggregate was 648 runs average 49 and he took 67 wickets at around 16 runs apiece. He appeared for Transvaal the next season displaying an uncommon defence even then, being not out in his first three innings which included 41 against Border in 1926/27. Thus, not surprisingly, he moved up the order and although bowling less frequently in the latter half of his career he still managed to take 249 wickets with fifteen 5 or more wickets in an innings in his career. Twice he went on to take more than 10 in a match. At the age of twenty, having played only one game on a turf wicket he was picked for the 1929 tour of England and at once came to the fore with 88 in the First Test at Edgbaston, opening the innings and batting for seven hours. Thereafter he was mainly an opening batsmen although he dropped down the order late in his career. He acclimatised to the English conditions almost immediately and was a great success on his three tours to this country making over a thousand runs each time. His first century in Test matches came in 1930/31 putting on 260 with I.J.Siedle which is still a record for the South Africans against England. He was less successful in Australia in 1931/32 by reason of illness, but became a first class slip fielder taking six catches in the Third Test, his only lapse being in dropping Bradman on 15 in the First Test , and the Don went on to make 226. As if to make amends for this he then batted 70 minutes without adding to his score. Recovering his health he batted very well in New Zealand making 333 runs with two centuries and averaging over 80. Given more opportunity with the ball in 1934/35 he topped the bowling averages in the Currie Cup taking 32 wickets for about 15 apiece as well as scoring 342 runs at almost 49. His highest score in the Currie Cup, 179, was made against Natal in Durban this year and he was first choice for the tour to England in 1935 which the South Africans won the Test series by winning one Test and leaving the others drawn. His great innings of 164 not out won the match at Lord’s as it gave Balaskas plenty of time to bowl the home side out. Still, by batting for three hours and forty five minutes for 48 at Kennington Oval he was heavily criticized though it ensured that South Africa would not lose although in the end it was a great stand by H.F.Wade and E.L.Dalton who held out for a long time to save the match. Not at his best against Australia in 1935/36 his bowling being better than his batting he returned to form for the visit of the M.C.C. in 1938/39. The ‘Timeless’ Test which seemed to last for ever and only terminated as England had to catch their boat home was ‘heaven sent’ for Mitchell but his 89 in the second innings lasted for slightly less than four hours. With the advent of the War in 1939 he served with the Transvaal Scottish Regiment throughout playing for the Ist. South African Division in a match against the Rest of South Africa and returned to the fray in 1946/47 as stubborn as ever and was first choice for the tour to England in 1947. This was an experienced team as it included the captain A.Melville, A.D.Nourse, K.G.Viljoen, A.M.B. Rowan, ‘Tufty’ Mann and J.B.Plimsoll. Although beaten in the ‘Tests’ the team laid the foundation for the excellent teams of the nineteen fifties although by this time Mitchell had retired, no doubt seriously affected by being omitted from the Test Matches against Australia in 1949/50 through, it was said, apparent loss of form. His greatest moment came at Kennington Oval in 1947 when he played two 3