The Cricket Statistician No 195

3 ANDREW HUNT They must have been guided by logic when they named the fielding positions in cricket; for instance, the supplement to the two fielders on the off-side at slip and point being named ‘third man’. I can’t help feeling, however, that with a bit of imagination, an additional ‘man’ might also have been created. Instead of wicket-keeper, how about ‘misunderstood man’, for that is what the poor chap behind the timbers seems to be, particularly if he is a specialist in that department and likely to be excluded from his team because he won’t score mountains of runs. Never mind that he’ll create his own chances, get to balls that others wouldn’t and lift the bowlers and whole team through his expertise. Keith Andrew, John Murray, Bob Taylor…the list of wicket-keepers not fully understood and appreciated could go on for some time. And then there was the case of Edward ‘Ted’ Pooley, the only wicket-keeper on the 1876/77 tour of Australasia and who might have felt he was misunderstood in quite a lot of ways, given the scrapes he got into, one of which, a dispute over a gambling debt, led to his detention in New Zealand and cost him his chance of playing Test cricket. Granted, he wasn’t the most God-fearing man, though the clergy might have cut him some slack as he still employed their traditional position in any cricket team, that of long stop, but he was arguably the finest wicket-keeper of his day, even setting a world record – that of 12 dismissals in a first-class match, for Surrey v Sussex at the Oval in 1868 – of such magnitude that it remained unbeaten not just for the rest of the 19th century, but for most of the 20th as well. Yet was this manifestation of the wicket-keeper’s art fully appreciated? It seems not: the Wisden Anthology for 1964-1900 omits the said match. Thus, another specialist behind the stumps is downgraded, robbing not only the keeper himself of recognition, but also those of us who appreciate such artists and would like to see their deeds preserved in print. If only the Wisden Anthology had thought differently of wicket-keeping! Or if only one had an 1869 Wisden! ADAM OAKLEY The year 1868 saw the famous tour of England by an Australian Aboriginal XI, one that was the first by an Australian side and they played 47 matches between May and October. Charles Lawrence, an Englishman, was the captain/coach and Johnny Mullagh (real name Unaarrimin), who was recently inducted to the Australian Cricket hall of Fame, was amongst the star players. All the Aboriginal players were given anglicised names as their real names were deemed unpronounceable. As well as cricket, they would also engage in a display of boomerang throwing, spear throwing and one player (Yanggendyinanyuk or Jungunjinanuke) would even challenge people to throw a cricket ball at him whilst he dodged them. On the 2nd September, in what was a fine summer weather-wise, the team was in Derby for the two-day match against South Derbyshire. This fixture took place on the site of the present ground (give or take a little from the site of the present strips). Although the county side was still two years away from its formation, the South Derbyshire side featured a number of players who would go on to appear for the county and be remembered for their on and off the field exploits. As the South Derbyshire openers made their way onto the field, they were preceded by the two umpires, one of whom, Dove Gregory (actual name Gregory Dove) would go on to be