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Full name John McCarthy Blackham
Born May 11, 1854, North Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria
Died December 28, 1932, Flinders Lane, Latrobe, Melbourne, Victoria (aged 78 years 231 days)
Major teams Australia,Victoria
Batting style Right-hand bat
Fielding position Wicketkeeper
Batting and fielding averages
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
100
50
6s
Ct
St
Tests
35
62
11
800
74
15.68
0
4
0
37
24
First-class
275
442
61
6395
109
16.78
1
26
274
181
Bowling averages
Mat
Inns
Balls
Runs
Wkts
BBI
BBM
Ave
Econ
SR
4w
5w
10
Tests
35
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
First-class
275
312
138
2
1/8
69.00
2.65
156.0
0
0
Career statistics
Test debut
Australia v England at Melbourne, Mar 15-19, 1877 scorecard
Last Test
Australia v England at Sydney, Dec 14-20, 1894 scorecard
Test statistics
First-class span
1874/75 - 1894/95
Profile
By virtue of his capacities as a wicketkeeper in the very early days of
Australian first-class cricket, Jack Blackham is widely reputed to have been
one of the finest cricketers that his nation has ever produced. In an era in
which the flimsy texture of wicketkeeping gloves provided little protection
from the consistent pounding of balls into a wearer's hands, Blackham
displayed extraordinary skill and it is said that he rarely failed to seize
an opportunity to effect a dismissal in his position behind the wicket. He
was so competent that he was regarded as Australia's first choice
wicketkeeper for a period of no less than 18 years, occupying the role from
the time of his country's first ever Test - in 1877. Unlike many of his
peers or successors, Blackham was just as happy to stand up to the stumps to
pace bowlers as he was to spinners. He was also a stubborn batsman in the
lower order, and played many valuable innings. Of these, the 74 that he made
against England in Sydney in 1894-85 stands out statistically, for it was
both his own highest score and allowed him to join with Syd Gregory in
delivering Australia what still remains its all time record Test partnership
for the ninth wicket. As a reflection of his considerable ability, Blackham
was named by Wisden as one of its Cricketers of the Year in 1891. More
recently, he was honoured by being selected as one of the inaugural members
of the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. John Polack
Notes
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1891
Australian Cricket Hall of Fame 1996
