Lives in Cricket No 25 - Tom Richardson

67 himself full justice. 155 Despite his mediocre form in a series of mediocre results, he was the leading wicket-taker on the trip with 54 – albeit at an average of almost thirty – and 65 in all matches, ahead of Hearne with 44 and 61. There was one achievement in Australia which had nothing to do with his bowling. Twice, at his customary batting position of No.11, he improved on his career-best Test batting, 24 not out in the First Test in Sydney, sharing a tenth-wicket partnership of 74 in half an hour with Ranjitsinhji who let him down by getting out for 175, then eclipsed that with 25 in the Third at Adelaide. The Daily Telegraph , wise after the event, described Stoddart’s team as ‘the team of all the failures’. Cricket did not disagree but pointed to its late summer prescience the previous year. That is not very far wrong and it is at least certain that MacLaren is the only member of the team who has increased his reputation…. When Mr Stoddart’s team was practically complete last August, the following remarks appeared in Gossip: “The bowling is still very weak, 155 Cricket 31 August 1898 Australia 1897/98 Portraits of A.E.Stoddart’s team which sailed on the SS Ormuz to Australia for the 1897/98 tour. [Cricket Philatelic Society]