Sid Barnes: Colourful, controversial but key player on 1948 Invincibles tour

Sid Barnes was born on 5 June 1916 at Annandale, Sydney. He was a right handed batsman who attended Stanmore Public School.

After school, Barnes undertook advanced training as a mechanical fitter. In 1934, he started playing first-grade cricket for Petersham.

He made his first class debut for NSW in 1936. After several good batting performances, Barnes became the youngest player chosen to tour England in the Australian team led by Donald Bradman in 1938. He broke his hand on the ship journey out to England. He performed well on the tour after recovering from his injury.  He made his Test debut in the ill-fated Oval match where Len Hutton ground out the Aussies in his monumental innings of 364. Barnes made a creditable 41 and 33.

After the war, Barnes was involved in an Australian Test record partnership of 405 for the fifth wicket in the Sydney Test against Wally Hammond's touring English team in 1946. Barnes scored 234, the exact same score as Bradman. This was his highest Test score.

Barnes formed a formidable opening partnership with Arthur Morris. He became a more dour batsman who put a high price on his wicket.

During the famous 1948 Ashes tour, Barnes scored 1354 runs. He averaged 56.41 in all matches and 82.25 in Tests, and scored 141 at Lord's. 'Suicide Sid' was much criticized for fielding at point or short leg, just yards from the batsmam. At Old Trafford, Manchester, he received a full-blooded stroke from Dick Pollard in the ribs that sent him to hospital for ten days.

Barnes is credited with coming up with the label "Invincibles" to describe the 1948 Ashes team that went undefeated in the UK, a first for any team.

He played 13 Tests, scoring 1072 runs at a phenomenal average of 63.05. He scored 3 hundreds and 5 fifties. In First Class cricket, he scored 7801 runs at an average of 56.53 with 34 centuries.

Barnes was involved with many controversies, particular in the latter period of his career. He had several run-ins and court actions against the Australian Cricket Board. He was later diagnosed with bipolar and suffered from depression.

Barnes was a successful businessman and was involved in writing several books. He also wrote a regular column for Sydney's Telegraph.

He took his own life on on 16 December 1973 at Colloroy, Sydney. He was aged 57.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter.