Fred Spofforth

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Lore & Background

Spofforth was born in Balmain, Sydney, to Yorkshire-born Edward Spofforth, a bank director, and Anna McDonnell. He spent early childhood in Hokianga, New Zealand, and was educated privately at Reverend John Pendrill's Eglinton House and briefly at Sydney Grammar School. He worked as a clerk for the Bank of New South Wales. He began bowling underarm 'lobs' but changed to overarm after seeing English quick bowlers on the 1863/64 tour. He mastered the overarm action over many years. He first gained notice in January 1874 playing for New South Wales eighteen against W.G. Grace's English eleven, taking two wickets for sixteen. He became a regular for New South Wales in intercolonial fixtures. In December 1877, batting at number four, he made 25, the highest score in either innings of a low-scoring match. He batted reasonably on the 1878 and 1880 tours of England but thereafter focused almost solely on bowling.

Reader's Guide

Spofforth's significance lies in his pioneering role in Test cricket. He was the first to take 50 Test wickets and the first to achieve a Test hat-trick, in 1879. His performance on 27 May 1878 at Lord's—taking ten wickets for 20 runs and clean-bowling W.G. Grace for a duck—earned him the nickname 'The Demon Bowler' and, according to Plum Warner, established Australian cricket's fame. He was the bowler English batsmen most feared and is regarded as the first to use eye-to-eye contact as a scaring technique. He is also considered a possible inventor of swing bowling (then called 'swerve'), first implementing it during or after the 1878 tour. His most famous match was the 1882 Oval Test, where he took 14 for 90, leading Australia to a seven-run victory that gave birth to the Ashes. He was lean, 6'3" tall, and initially fast, but later developed a disguised combination of fast-medium and slow paces, with a sharp break back. Of his 94 Test wickets, 50 were bowled. He also top-scored from number eleven with 50 against England in 1884–85. After his playing career, he became managing director of the Star Tea Company and died on the eve of the 1926 Ashes series.

Did You Know?

• Spofforth was the first bowler to take a Test hat-trick, dismissing Vernon Royle, Francis MacKinnon and Tom Emmett in three successive deliveries in January 1879.
• He clean-bowled W.G. Grace for a duck on 27 May 1878 at Lord's, then jumped 'about two feet in the air' and shouted 'Bowled! Bowled! Bowled!'
• Spofforth once top-scored in a Test from number eleven, hitting 50 against England at Melbourne in 1884–85; the next-highest Australian score was 35.
• He is considered a possible inventor of swing bowling (then called 'swerve'), first implementing it during or after the 1878 tour.
• Spofforth died on the eve of the 1926 Ashes series from chronic colitis at Long Ditton, Surrey, leaving a fortune of £164,000.