WARWICK ARMSTRONGS PASSING

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 July 1947, Page 8

WARWICK ARMSTRONGS PASSING

“MAN-MOUNTAIN” OF AUSTRALIAN CRICKET (Specially Written for the "Chronicle” by "COVER-POINT") One of the most famous of Australian cricketers, and hailed by some as Australia's greatest Test, captain Warwick Windridge Armstrong died at his home in Darlington Point Road recently, at the age of 68.

Every person who met this picturesque player was left with the one clear impression that he was a huge man who smoked a huge curved pipe. But although he presented an air of Falstaffiau good humour, he could be as unbending as a rock when the occasion demanded and few leaders have been more wily in their strategy. Armstrong was a genius at detecting the weaknesses of opposing batsmen and shaping his attack accordingly. As a batsman he combined strong defence with terrific hitting power and, despite his bulk (he weighed something like 18 stone when he visited New Zealand with the Melbourne Club team in 1927), he could bowl his accurate leg-breaks for .almost interminable periods. Born in Kyneton, Victoria, the son ’Of a solicitor, Armstrong played cricket from his earliest days. Until he retired in August of last year, he was Australasian manager for James Buchanan and Co. Ltd., Scotch whisky distillers, having been in the whisky business since 1921. Before that he was assistant secretary to the Melbourne Cricket Club. REMARKABLE CRICKETER Armstrong’s deeds on the field of play were remarkable. Between 1902 and 1921 he played in 42 Test matches against England scoring an aggregate in these of 2172 runs with an average of 35.03. His highest Test score was 158. He batted in 71 innings and was nine times not out. In all, he scored 46 centuries in lirst-class cricket with a highest knock of 303 not out against Somerset in 1905. Armstrong’s bowling average in Tests was 30.19. Three times m England he performed the feat of making 1000 runs and taking 100 wickets.

Though lie was at the peak of his career when World War 1 interrupted international cricket, Armstrong was among the few Australians who have notched over 2000 runs in Tests. His Test bowling average of 30.19 is a comparatively good one and to return it he sent down 1135 overs, including 360 maidens, for 74 wickets at a cost of 2288 runs.

Armstrong toured England in 1902, 1905, 1909 and 1921, in addition to playing in Tests in Australia, In 191011 and 1921-22 he played in Test matches against South Africa. In 1920 (in Australia) and 1921 he had the distinction of leading Australia to eight consecutive victories, England failing to win a match in either rubber.

He played 59 Sheffield Shield matches for Victoria scoring a total of 4993 runs and taking 177 wickets. He is one of the nine players in the history of the Sheffield Shield competition who scored over 4000 runs. Literally and figuratively he dominated the Victorian cricket scene for years. Weighing close on 20 stone in his hey-day he was a veritable colossus of a men. When he bent over his bat it looked like a mountain leaning on a twig, and a ball was almost lost in his huge hands. But he could do amazing things with both bat and ball. As a captain. Armstrong was sometimes temperamental and inclined to be difficult, but his superb skill as a cricketer more than compensated lor this. In 1921 the Australian team, still captained by Armstrong, sailed for England on the same ship as the returning English team to play the 1921 series in England. BAD SPORTSMANSHIP

It was in this series that the Manchester incident occurred which is of particular interest, showing as it does that Australian crowds have no premium on bad sportsmanship. England was playing Australia at Manchester. The date was Monday, July 25, 1921. It was the second day of the match but there had been no play on the first on* account of bad weather. England, captained by Lionel Tennyson (later Lord Tennyson) was batting. At 5.40 Tennyson declared and required Armstrong to bring the Australians in. But as it was a two-day game the M.C.C. rules demanded that an innings cannot be declared closed on tlie first day of the match later than 1 hour 40 minutes before the time agreed upon for drawing stumps. As stumps were being drawn on this Monday at 6.30 Tennyson could not declare. When this was pointed out to him he realised his mistake and the Australians filed back on the field. Their appearance was the signal for a storm of hooting that began in the members’ stand and swept around the field. It was an uncalled for anil shocking display of bad sportsmanship.

The hooting continued when Armstrong took up the ball to bowl, so he sat down and waited for the din to subside. Tennyson himself went around the ground explaining to the crowd that it was entirely his fault and the Australians were not to blame.

The interesting feature of the affai ” is that Armstrong had bowled the last over before leaving the field and in the confusion bowled the first over when the game recommenced. This must, be the only time in first-class cricket that the one man has bowled two overs in succession. Some English writers said the crowd's behaviour was due to rage over the bowling of these two overs n succession. But many of Armstrong’s favourite rcminisciences and stories had their origin in England. He often recalled that on one hot. sunny day a little boy kept following the Australian captain after having obtained his autograph. When Armstrong told the youngster he didn’t intend to sign the book again, the lad replied that it was shelter from the sun that he was seeking and not. another autograph! Until early this year, Warwick Armstrong had been playing golf and was considering taking up bowls. He wouldn't have found lhe game hard. Prominent columnist RobertsonGlasgow says of Armstrong in “The Observer,” “When he was here in the early ‘twenties, on the first morning of a' match after winning the toss he did say one word. 'Bat.' That, was was all, and two Australian batsmen duly appeared. Then came his turn Io get us out. He flipped a giant hand, and Jack Gregory went into action; flipped it again and Arthur Mailey took off his sweater. So we came and went to nods, signs and beckonings."