England's Frank Woolley took 1,015 catches

by A.C. de Silva

CRICKET: Frank Edward Woolley - The older folk may well remember him. He belonged to the way back years of Test cricket and was one of the finest and most elegant left-hand allrounders of all time.

He was born at Tonbridge, Kent on May 27, 1887 and died on October 18, 1978 in Chester, Kalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, aged 91 years and 144 days.

It was cricket plain sailing for Frank Woolley, as he was popularly known. In a first-class career extending from 1906 to 1938, he hit 58,969 runs a total exceeded only by Sir Jack Hobbs. He tucked into his long period of time 145 centuries, to average 40.75; he took 2,068 wickets for 19.85 runs each and what is most astonishing is the fact that he held 1,015 catches, mainly at slip, a record which according to experts, remains unsurpassed.

Even more impressive than the number of runs, Woolley amassed was the manner in which he made them. Standing well over 6 feet, he was a joy to watch.

But before all his good knocks with the bat, there is one incident that will never be forgotten by all who knew Woolley from his early days. It was the Test match that England was playing against South Africa at Johannesburg in the 1922-23 series.

In the particular match, Woolley played the first ball he received from South African bowler A. E. Hall into his stumps, but the bails didn't fall off and Woolley went on to score 115 not out. That turned out to be a lucky escape!

He played an eminently straight bat, employed his long reach to full advantage, and used his feet in a manner nowadays rarely seen. He was a master of all strokes, he was at his best driving, cutting and turning the ball of his legs.

"Touching on a personal subject Woolley said that he had been asked if he can explain why he was dismissed so many times in the `nineties'.

The statisticians informed him that he was out 35 times between 90 and 99 and was also told that he was credited with 89 'ducks'. With regard to those `nineties', he said honestly that with him it was never a case of the `nervous nineties'.

Lots of times he was out through forcing the game. We were never allowed to play for averages in the Kent side or take half an hour or more to get the last ten runs under normal conditions. We always had to play the game and play for the team. It was a Kent tradition."As a matter of fact, Woolley said that the two finest innings he ever played were in the second Test against Australia in 1921 when he was out for 95 and 93. "I don't think I ever worked harder at any match during my career to get runs as I did then, nor did I ever have to face in one game such consistently fast bowlers as the Australian pair, Gregory and McDonald.Square cuts which ordinarily would have flashed to the boundary earned only two, and I believe that those two innings would have been worth 150 apiece in a county match.", Woolley said."He said he was not depressed when they got him out. "I have always taken my dismissals as part of the game." Woolley said.

"In many quarters surprise was expressed that at the age of 51, I went in number one. Until then I had never been in first regularly, though I had always preferred that place. Beginning as a bowler made Kent place me four or five in the order, and moreover the county were always rich in opening batsmen. Consequently my wish to start the innings was denied until 1938." Woolley said.

After his retirement from the field, Woolley was elected a life member of M.C.C. and Kent, and also to the county committee. He was quite active into his late 80s and in January 1971 flew to Australia to watch the last two Tests. Nine months later, in Canada, he married for a second time, his first wife having died ten years earlier. His second bride was Mrs Martha Morse, an American widow.

As a bowler he made good use of his height and bowled with a graceful easy swing. As a young boy he was always to be found on the Tonbridge cricket ground, and his natural ability as a batsman and bowler attracted so much attention that, in 1903, he was engaged to take part in the morning practice and play in a match or two in the afternoon if required.

When given his first chance in the Kent XI in 1906, he was almost unknown to the public and his allround form in his third match, against Surrey at the Oval, came as nothing less than a revelation.

When Frank Woolley announced his retirement in 1938, he had many stories to tell.In his first season with Kent, they won the Country Championship for the first time, and altogether between 1906 and 1913, they were top four times.

"Those were the great days when plenty of amateurs could spare time for cricket. I do not believe there are so many good players in the game now as before the First World War.

It is often argued that left-handed batsmen have an advantage compared with the right-handers. "I do not agree." said Woolley and added.

When the turf is worn, the right-hand leg-break bowlers and the left-arm slow bowlers are able to pitch the ball into the footholds of the bowlers who have operated at the other end.

"Right-handed batsmen can let these balls hit their pads, but the left-handlers must use their bats". This was the view of Woolley.

Frank Woolley - was a slow left-arm bowler with a pleasing action who took over 2,000 wickets and was at one time perhaps the best of his type in the world.

F.E. Woolley of Kent performed the hat-trick once - against Surrey at Blackheath in 1919.

* He took 10 or more wickets on 28 occasions.

* He scored 2,000 runs on 13 seasons and did the double on 8 occasions.

* For England vs Australia at the Oval in 1912, he had match analysis of 104 balls, four maidens, 29 runs, 10 wickets.

* Woolley made every score between 0 and 111, both inclusive, during his career.

* He played in 52 consecutive Test matches - a record that was later equalled by Peter May.

LONGEST CAREERS: F. E. Woolley - 25 years 13 days (England) Oval 1909 to 1934.

OLDEST TEST PlAYERS: F. E. Woolley - 47 years 87 days - England vs Australia at Oval 1934.