LONDON, July 18 (APP): Five cricketing greats were inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the course of the second day of the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lord’s on Friday. Australia’s Richie Benaud, alongside England’s Graham Gooch, Denis Compton, Harold Larwood and Frank Woolley were inducted into the Hall of Fame, a joint venture between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA).
Benaud and Gooch, along with family representatives of Compton, Larwood and Woolley were presented with their commemorative caps by ICC President David Morgan, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman and ICC Director Giles Clarke, Cricket Australia (CA) Chairman and ICC Director Jack Clarke alongside MCC Secretary Keith Bradshaw.
One of 13 Australians to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Benaud was an outstanding leg-spinner who played in 63 Test matches. In a career that lasted 12 years, he claimed 248 wickets with a bowling average of 27.03. The New South Welshman captained his side to Ashes victory over England on three successive occasions between 1958 and 1963.
England’s Graham Gooch was one of the most prolific batsmen of his time, making a total of 8,900 Test runs in 118 Tests with an average of 42.58, with 20 Test hundreds to his name.
Gooch played for England for 20 years, captained it for five years and is probably most remembered for his mammoth 333 runs against India in the first innings of the 1990 Lord’s Test followed by123 runs in the second innings. He still holds the record for the most runs amassed in a Test match.
He also played in 125 ODIs, including 50 as captain, and scored 4,290 runs at an impressive average of almost 37, including eight centuries and 23 half-centuries. He captained England in 1992 World Cup where England reached the final.
Denis Compton was an attractive batsman known particularly for his impressive sweep shot. Born in 1918, Compton played his way through World War Two.
Compton played in 78 Test matches, making 5,807 runs with an average of 50.06 and 17 centuries. He was not just a talented cricketer but also played soccer for Arsenal besides appearing for England in war time matches.
Compton’s grandson and current Middlesex batsman Nick received his grandfather’s commemorative cap.
Frank Woolley played 64 Tests for England, scoring 3, 283 runs whilst also claiming 83 Test wickets. Woolley was a tall left-arm all-rounder but also known for his superb fielding skills. After fellow Hall of Famer Jack Hobbs, Woolley is the second highest run-scorer in first-class cricket with 58, 959 runs. He took over 2,000 wickets and is the only fielder to take 1,000 first-class catches.
Woolley passed away in 1978 and his grandson Richard Burnett received his grandfather’s cap:
The final inductee, Harold Larwood played 21 matches for England taking a total of 78 wickets. He was one of the fastest bowlers of his time and was perhaps best known for his role in implementing the Bodyline approach adopted by his England captain Douglas Jardine in an attempt to combat Sir Don Bradman on the 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia.
That Ashes tour was Larwood’s most successful taking 33 wickets at 19.51 but he didn’t play in another Test after the conclusion of the Ashes series. He played in 361 first-class matches and claimed 1,427 wickets at an average of 17.51. The 1927 Wisden Cricketer of the Year passed away in 1995 in Australia. Larwood’s daughter, Enid Todd received the cap.
Pakistan’s representatives in the Hall of Fame are Hanif Muhammad, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad.
Benaud and Gooch, along with family representatives of Compton, Larwood and Woolley were presented with their commemorative caps by ICC President David Morgan, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman and ICC Director Giles Clarke, Cricket Australia (CA) Chairman and ICC Director Jack Clarke alongside MCC Secretary Keith Bradshaw.
One of 13 Australians to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Benaud was an outstanding leg-spinner who played in 63 Test matches. In a career that lasted 12 years, he claimed 248 wickets with a bowling average of 27.03. The New South Welshman captained his side to Ashes victory over England on three successive occasions between 1958 and 1963.
England’s Graham Gooch was one of the most prolific batsmen of his time, making a total of 8,900 Test runs in 118 Tests with an average of 42.58, with 20 Test hundreds to his name.
Gooch played for England for 20 years, captained it for five years and is probably most remembered for his mammoth 333 runs against India in the first innings of the 1990 Lord’s Test followed by123 runs in the second innings. He still holds the record for the most runs amassed in a Test match.
He also played in 125 ODIs, including 50 as captain, and scored 4,290 runs at an impressive average of almost 37, including eight centuries and 23 half-centuries. He captained England in 1992 World Cup where England reached the final.
Denis Compton was an attractive batsman known particularly for his impressive sweep shot. Born in 1918, Compton played his way through World War Two.
Compton played in 78 Test matches, making 5,807 runs with an average of 50.06 and 17 centuries. He was not just a talented cricketer but also played soccer for Arsenal besides appearing for England in war time matches.
Compton’s grandson and current Middlesex batsman Nick received his grandfather’s commemorative cap.
Frank Woolley played 64 Tests for England, scoring 3, 283 runs whilst also claiming 83 Test wickets. Woolley was a tall left-arm all-rounder but also known for his superb fielding skills. After fellow Hall of Famer Jack Hobbs, Woolley is the second highest run-scorer in first-class cricket with 58, 959 runs. He took over 2,000 wickets and is the only fielder to take 1,000 first-class catches.
Woolley passed away in 1978 and his grandson Richard Burnett received his grandfather’s cap:
The final inductee, Harold Larwood played 21 matches for England taking a total of 78 wickets. He was one of the fastest bowlers of his time and was perhaps best known for his role in implementing the Bodyline approach adopted by his England captain Douglas Jardine in an attempt to combat Sir Don Bradman on the 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia.
That Ashes tour was Larwood’s most successful taking 33 wickets at 19.51 but he didn’t play in another Test after the conclusion of the Ashes series. He played in 361 first-class matches and claimed 1,427 wickets at an average of 17.51. The 1927 Wisden Cricketer of the Year passed away in 1995 in Australia. Larwood’s daughter, Enid Todd received the cap.
Pakistan’s representatives in the Hall of Fame are Hanif Muhammad, Imran Khan and Javed Miandad.
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