#jack blackham

2 incidents tagged

Jack Blackham — The Prince of Wicket-Keepers, 1880s

Australia

1882-08-29

Jack Blackham of Victoria stood up to the stumps even to the fastest Australian bowlers in the 1880s, in gloves Wisden later described as 'little more than gardening gloves'. He was the wicketkeeper in the inaugural 1877 Test, kept in 35 Tests through 1894, and effectively eliminated the long-stop position from cricket. Wisden called him 'the prince of wicket-keepers' — a title that has stayed attached to him for 140 years.

#jack-blackham#wicketkeeping#australia

🥊Moderate

Spofforth Boycotts the First Test — March 1877

Australia vs England

1877-03-15

Fred Spofforth, the leading fast bowler in the Australian colonies, refused to play in the first Test in March 1877. His protest was over the selectors' decision to pick Victorian Jack Blackham as wicketkeeper rather than the New South Welshman Billy Murdoch, the keeper Spofforth had bowled to all his career. Australia won without him.

#fred-spofforth#billy-murdoch#jack-blackham