FAMOUS CRICKETER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 27, 29 December 1932, Page 7

FAMOUS CRICKETER.

“PRINCE OF 'WICKETKEEPERS’ 5 DEAD. MELBOURNE, Deo. 28. Mr John McCarthy Bhickham, a former famous international cricketer, who was known as the “Prince of Wicketkeepers,” died to-day after a long illness at the ago of 79. John McCarthy Blackham was born in a country district of Victoria on May 11, 1855. Ho was ono of those who placed Australia on the cricket map by showing such wonderful aptitude for the game that they were able to meet. England on level terms (writes “Burwood”). Blackham was a member of the first Australian team which toured England in 1878, and he revolutionised wicket keeping in England on that tour by standing close up to the wickets to £>pofForth without a long-stop. Up till Blackliam’s advent a long-stop had always been fielded behind the wicketkeeper in England, so Blackham will go down in history ns the man who gave cricket teams an extra man in tho field.

To this clay Blackham is regarded ns the “prince of wicketkeepers, ” even in England. With his jet black beard, ho was almost ns much of a personality on the cricket field ns the late Dr \V. (!. Grace. He was a contemporary of \V r . D. Murdoch and F. H. Spofforth, and with this famous pair was a member of the Australian team which startled the world by defeating a strong M.C.C. team in the second match of the 1878 tour in a single day. Blackham played for Australia for several years, and was flic wicketkeeper in many Tost matches, both in Australia and in England. He represented Victoria during the same period. Ho played in six matches against South Australia, and in eleven innings scored 221 runs, at an average of 22.10. Against New South Wales he played in thirty matches, and in 53 innings aggregated 1027 runs, with a highest score of 109, his average being 22.32;

In all lie played for Australia in 35 Test matches against England, and in 62 innings totalled 800 runs, with a highest score of 74. and an average of 15.68. Blackham played for Australia as late as 1894, when ho scored 74 and 2 in the Test match against A. E. Stoddardt’s team at Sydney, which was won by the Englishmen by 10 runs.

By tho time lie gave up first-class cricket, Blaekham had practically all his front teeth knocked out, thus paying tho penalty for introducing a new era in the art of wicketkeeping. Ho was a safe but never a showy performer with tho gloves. Ifo played in first class cricket for eight years, and in that time stumped 127 batsmen, and caught 177.