Bill Brown dies, aged 95

[RustyCage]

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=392982

Cricket great Bill Brown dies
23:36 AEST Mon Mar 17 2008Go mobile


Bill Brown, regarded as the grandfather of Australian cricket, has died at the age of 95, News Limited reports.

Brown, the last of those who played Test cricket for Australia before World War II, died at an RSL nursing home in Brisbane on Sunday.

Only four of the Invincibles, who took part in the undefeated 1948 tour of England, remain; Neil Harvey, Arthur Morris, Sam Loxton and Ron Hamence.

Former Test captain Steve Waugh told News Limited he regarded Brown as a mentor.

"He certainly had a very big influence over my era," Waugh said.

"I was very keen to have him involved in the Australian side because I looked at Bill and though he was what the baggy green was all about.

"The spirit he had and the respect he had playing for Australia and what it meant - he understood the modern era very well and gave us a great perspective on what it was like to play in his era."

Cricket fans, especially from the younger generation, treasured any conversation with Bill Brown.

Brown played alongside the likes of Bradman, Ponsford, O'Reilly and Grimmett and his career stretched into the famous Invincibles tour of England in 1948.

But he also played against some great names, like Hutton, Hammond and Hobbs, and he could provide insight into those players unmatched by textbooks and film reels.

Before Australia played England at The Oval in 2001, Brown's wit and memory was typically sharp.

"If you're watching that game on television, make sure you have a look for my footprints at short fine-leg," Brown said.

"Because I'm sure they're still there from 1938. That's where I was fielding when Len Hutton batted and batted and batted.

"Boy, weren't they a tough few days."

Hutton made a world record 364 and Australia collapsed to its worst ever Test loss despite the efforts of Brown, who made 69 as the tourists battled without the ill Don Bradman.

That was one of just two losses Brown suffered in his 22-Test career, which would have been much greater if the second World War had not intervened.

Brown served in the Pacific as a flight lieutenant in the Royal Australian Air Force after marrying Barbara Hart in 1940 - a union that endured until his death.

When Brown resumed Test cricket in 1946 after an eight-year break, he led Australia in its first ever Test against New Zealand.

It was his only Test as captain and it was the only clash between the trans-Tasman rivals until 1973, when the quieter nature of Brown's era had given way to a more aggressive Australian team stocked with the fire of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.

Brown remained an outstanding ambassador for the era which was dominated by Bradman.

He fondly remembered opening the batting for NSW with Jack Fingleton while the crowd waited for Bradman to come to the crease.

"Sometimes we would bat until lunch, and the word would go around Sydney that Bradman would probably be batting sometime soon after the break," Brown said.

"The crowd would swell from 10,000 up to something like 30,000 and they only wanted to see one man bat.

"They would give us about 20 minutes after lunch and then they would start to get restless and anytime there was an appeal, the whole crowd would go up.

"And they would give you rapturous applause when you got out and walked off the field, but that was only because you were letting Bradman bat.

"And he rarely let them down."

Brown's Test record was excellent, featuring 1592 runs at an average of 46.82.

Two of his four centuries came at Lord's, carrying his bat for 206 runs at the famous ground in 1938.

He retired in 1948-49, aged 37, after playing two Tests on the Invincibles tour.

At a time when Neil Harvey and Arthur Morris were emerging as Australia's next batting stars, Brown left Test cricket on a winning note as Australia won by 409 runs at Lord's.

But those statistics don't tell the story of Brown the person, a much-loved character throughout the cricket community.

Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist was thrilled to receive his first Test cap from Brown in November 1999, revelling in his tales of the past.

The photos of Brown and Gilchrist together represented the past and present of an Australian cricketing nation which owes plenty to the likes of Bill Brown.

Born in Toowoomba in 1912, Brown moved to Sydney aged three.

After making his Test debut on the 1934 Ashes tour, Brown accepted a player-coach offer from Queensland and moved to Brisbane in 1936.

Under the coaxing of Test teammates Stan McCabe and Bill O'Reilly, Brown set up a sports gear business - "Bill Brown Sports" - which operated in Brisbane city for 30 years.

Brown is survived by his wife Barbara, sons Peter, Geoffrey and Steve, ten grandchildren ad 15 great-grandchildren.

[am Bays]

RIP

A legend, an invincible, he will never be forgotton

[Dogwatcher]

RIP Bill Brown.

Who is now the oldest Australian test cricketer? I'm thinking it would be Morris.

[evans01]

legendary man, great cricketer!!!

RIP...

[the joker]

does anyone know how many times he captained queensland

[the joker]

does anyone know how many times he captained queensland

its ok it was 34