Jack Brown (cricketer)

Infobox Historic Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = ENG
name = Jack Brown
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-handed batsman (RHB)
bowling style = Leg-break
tests = 8
test runs = 470
test bat avg = 36.15
test 100s/50s = 1/1
test top score = 140
overs/balls = balls
test balls = 35
test wickets = 0
test bowl avg = N/A
test 5s = 0
test 10s = 0
test best bowling = N/A
test catches/stumpings = 7/0
FCs = 383
FC runs = 17,920
FC bat avg = 30.52
FC 100s/50s = 29/76
FC top score = 311
FC balls = 9,391
FC wickets = 190
FC bowl avg = 29.61
FC 5s = 4
FC 10s = 0
FC best bowling = 6-51
FC catches/stumpings = 230/0
debut date = 14 December
debut year = 1894
last date = 1 July
last year = 1899
source = http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/9263.html

John Thomas Brown (born 20 August 1869 in Great Driffield, Yorkshire, died 4 November 1904 in London), known as Jack, was an English professional cricketer who played primarily as a batsman. He was Yorkshire's first great opening batsman, a lineage continued by Herbert Sutcliffe, Len Hutton and Geoff Boycott. He took five wickets in an innings on three occasions with his leg breaks, but except in 1901 (when he claimed 57 wickets) he generally bowled little.

County career

Brown made his first-class debut for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1889. Here he formed a successful opening partnership with John Tunnicliffe. From 1895 to 1903 he passed 1,000 runs each season, and in 1897 made his highest score of 311, against Sussex at Bramall Lane, following it up with 300 the following year against Derbyshire at Chesterfield. In this match he added 554 for the first wicket with Tunnicliffe, which was then a record partnership for any wicket. He shared 19 century stands with Tunnicliffe in all. He is the only batsman to have scored 2 triple hundreds for Yorkshire. In 1900 he made 163 to help the Players to a startling two-wicket victory over the Gentlemen, successfully chasing a huge target of 501.

International career

Brown's form in 1894 was such to earn him both a mention as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1895, and a Test debut against Australia at Sydney in 1894/95. He kept his place for all five Test matches, and after England has suffered a crushing innings defeat in the fourth Test (also at Sydney) the teams went into the fifth and final Test at Melbourne with the series level at 2-2. Needing 297 to win, England fell to 28/2, but then Brown and Albert Ward put on 210 before Brown was out for 140, his only Test century. Brown reached his 50 in 28 minutes - still a record - and 100 in 91, then the fastest test century. England won the game by six wickets and the Ashes 3-2.

Brown played only three more Tests, all against the Australians - two in 1896 and one in 1899 - although many judges (not least "Wisden") felt that he was unlucky not to be selected for the 1897/98 Ashes tour. He continued to bat productively for Yorkshire for several more seasons, but in 1904 he played just two matches, both in May, against Cambridge University and Leicestershire before a heart condition forced his retirement.

Death

Brown's health continued to worsen, and later that year he died in a Medical Home in Pimlico, London at the age of just 35. Heavy smoking had contributed to asthma and heart problems. The cause of death was given as heart failure and "congestion of the brain".

External links

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