Name:

Blackham, John M

Nickname:

Jack, The Caged Lion

Date of Birth:

11 May 1854

Gender:

Male

Place of Birth:

North Fitzroy, Melb

Career:

Test: 1877 - 1894
First Class: 1874 - 1894

Teams:

Australia (Country)
VIC (Regional)

Spofforth and the Ashes myth

Jack Blackham: Wicketkeeeper in first ever Test

Jack Blackham was born on May 11, 1854, North Fitzroy, Melbourne. He died aged 78 on December 28, 1932 in Flinders Lane, La Trobe, Melbourne. He was referred to as the Prince of Wicketkeepers in his obituary in the Age newspaper.

He was a neat keeper and quick stumper. Typically, he kept upto the wicket even for fast bowlers, except for the ultra quick Fred Spofforth.

His enhanced skill at keeping minimised any byes, and did away with the long stop which upto that point was a regular fielding position. The legend goes that a South Melbourne teammate had complained of having nothing to do at long-stop when Blackham kept wickets. He was moved to fine-leg. Blackham’s first reaction was, “I did not like being deprived of the safety valve.” However, soon he would be roaring at captains who dared to place a man behind him, “Get him somewhere he can be of use.”

After making his Test debut in the first ever Test match at the MCG in 1877, Blackham became the established keeper until his retirement in 1894. He was captain of the Australia team on the Ashes tour in 1893, his seventh and last to England.

Blackham was a clerk at the Colonial Bank. This led him to grow a beard which he kept throughout his career.

He was nicknamed the Caged Lion as he used to pace around the dressing room during tense finishes.

Blackham was forced to retire in 1894 after a finger injury obtained while making his highest Test score of 74 against England in the 1st Test in Sydney.

In 35 Tests, Blackham took 37 catches and effected 24 stumpings. He also scored 800 runs at 15.64.

When asked to name the best wicketkeeper he had ever seen, WG Grace had responded, “Don’t be silly, there has only been one — Jack Blackham.”

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter