Sydney Barnes

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Lore & Background

Barnes was born in 1916 in Annandale, an inner suburb of Sydney, though he later claimed in his autobiography to have been born in 1918 or 1919 in Queensland. His father, Alfred Percival Barnes, died from typhoid fever before Sid was born, after drinking contaminated water on the family's sheep station near Hughenden in North Queensland. His widowed mother, Hilda May Barnes, moved to Sydney and stayed with her sister, where Sid was born. From her husband's estate, Hilda was able to purchase and renovate real estate in Stanmore and Leichhardt to let or sell; later in life, Barnes would recount how, as a child, he used to collect the rents for his mother. He attended Stanmore Public School and was introduced to cricket by his older brother Horrie, who paid Sid sixpence to bowl to him after work. An early controversy saw Barnes suspended for three weeks for disputing an umpire's decision. Successes for his school team and local club St. Augustine earned him the nickname The Governor-General—the nickname of Australian Test player Charlie Macartney—and he was selected for New South Wales Schoolboys. In 1932–33, Barnes joined the Petersham club and made his first-grade debut as a batsman/wicket-keeper against Paddington, facing the bowling of Hunter Hendry and Alan McGilvray. He soon scored a century against Manly in February. When praised by the great Test bowler Bill O'Reilly, Barnes responded 'Thanks very much, you didn't bowl too badly yourself', leaving O'Reilly speechless. He made his first-class debut in the final Sheffield Shield match of the 1936–37 season against South Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, scoring 31 and 44. In that match, while fielding, he ran out opposition captain Vic Richardson after the end of the over was called; the New South Wales captain Stan McCabe withdrew the appeal. Barnes finally scored his maiden first-class century (110) against Victoria in the final game of the 1937–38 season, completing his hundred while bleeding profusely after being struck on the jaw by a ball from Ernie McCormick. As a result of scoring over 800 runs that season at an average of 50.56, he was selected as the youngest member of the Australian team to tour England in 1938.

Reader's Guide

Barnes broke his wrist while exercising on the sea voyage to England for the 1938 tour, keeping the injury secret until the tourists had departed Gibraltar. On arrival, he did not play an innings until the last day of June, missing half of the 30 first-class matches and the first two Tests. His first innings was 42 against Derbyshire, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 176 with Bill Brown. His Test debut came in the final Test at The Oval, where he had to field for 16 hours as England amassed 903 for seven declared, then the highest Test score. Barnes bowled 38 overs and took the wicket of Arthur Wood for 84. With Don Bradman and Jack Fingleton injured, Australia lost by an innings and 579 runs—still the largest winning margin in Test history—but Barnes played innings of 41 and 33, and according to Wisden, 'well justified his choice'. After the war, Barnes scored centuries in five successive matches for New South Wales in 1945–46 and was picked for the Australian tour of New Zealand, making 54 in the representative match later designated as the first Test between the two countries. In the 1946–47 series against England, he scored 234 in the second Test at Sydney—exactly the same score as his captain Don Bradman—setting a world-record 405-run fifth wicket partnership. Barnes was a member of The Invincibles, the 1948 Australian team that toured England without losing a single match. He retired from cricket at the end of that tour but attempted a comeback in the 1951–52 season that was ultimately and controversially unsuccessful. Barnes had a reputation as an eccentric and was frequently the subject of controversy, including a celebrated libel case following his exclusion from the national team for 'reasons other than cricket ability'. He was later involved in an incident where, acting as twelfth man, he performed his duties on the ground in a suit and tie rather than 'whites', carrying a bizarre range of superfluous items. Despite this reputation, Barnes was a shrewd businessman who used cricket to supplement his income through trading, journalism and property development. Increasing paranoia brought about by bipolar disorder saw him lose many friends as he sought treatment for depression. On 16 December 1973, he was found dead at his home in the Sydney suburb of Collaroy; he had ingested barbiturates and bromide in a probable suicide.

Did You Know?

• Barnes scored exactly 234 in the second Test against England at Sydney in December 1946—the same score as his captain Don Bradman—setting a world-record 405-run fifth wicket partnership.
• He was a member of The Invincibles, the 1948 Australian team that toured England without losing a single match.
• Barnes once acted as twelfth man on the ground in a suit and tie rather than cricket whites, carrying a bizarre range of superfluous items.
• He was found dead at his home in Collaroy on 16 December 1973, having ingested barbiturates and bromide in a probable suicide.
• As a child, Barnes used to collect the rents for his mother from the real estate she purchased and renovated in Stanmore and Leichhardt.