Charlie Frank

Charles Newton Frank (27 January 1891 – 25 December 1961) was a South African Test cricketer of the 1920s.

For 19th-century baseball players, see Charlie Frank (baseball).
For other people named Charles Frank, see Charles Frank (disambiguation).

Charlie Frank
Personal information
Full nameCharles Newton Frank
Born(1891-01-27)27 January 1891
Jagersfontein, Orange Free State
Died25 December 1961(1961-12-25) (aged 70)
Bryanston, Johannesburg, South Africa
BattingRight-handed
International information
National side
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1919–20 to 1925–26Transvaal
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 3 17
Runs scored 236 683
Batting average 39.33 24.39
100s/50s 1/0 2/1
Top score 152 152
Balls bowled 0 0
Wickets – –
Bowling average – –
5 wickets in innings – –
10 wickets in match – –
Best bowling – –
Catches/stumpings 0/0 3/0
Source: Cricinfo

Born in Jagersfontein, Orange Free State, on 27 January 1891, Frank served in the First World War, where he was badly gassed, before returning to South Africa. A short and slightly-built man, known as "Charlie", he made his first-class cricket debut for Transvaal against the Australian Imperial Forces cricket team at Johannesburg in October 1919. He scored 108 and came into contention for national selection.[1]

During Australia's tour of South Africa in 1921–22, Frank was selected for all three Test matches. He played a starring role in the Second Test at Johannesburg. South Africa were forced to follow on in their second innings 207 runs behind, and Frank batted for over eight and a half hours, scoring 152 to prevent an Australian victory. His time at the crease, against a strong Australian attack including Jack Gregory, Ted McDonald and Arthur Mailey, included partnerships of 105 with Herbie Taylor and 206 with Dave Nourse. Frank's century is one of the slowest in Test cricket. The Australian wicket-keeper Bert Oldfield later wrote: "He gave one the impression that he did not have the strength to hit the ball to the boundary."[2][3]

Frank died in Bryanston, Johannesburg, on 25 December 1961, aged 70. No obituary appeared in Wisden.

Frank holds the record for the lowest career aggregate of runs scored in a complete Test match career (236) that includes a score of 150.[4]

References
  1. "Transvaal v AIF 1919–20". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  2. "2nd Test, Australia tour of South Africa at Johannesburg, Nov 12-16 1921". Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  3. A. G. Moyes, Australian Cricket: A History, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1959, p. 327.
  4. Walmsley, Keith (2003). Mosts Without in Test Cricket. Reading, England: Keith Walmsley Publishing Pty Ltd. p. 457. ISBN 0947540067..

Sources
  • World Cricketers - A Biographical Dictionary by Christopher Martin-Jenkins, published by Oxford University Press (1996)
  • The Wisden Book of Test Cricket, Volume 1 (1877-1977) compiled and edited by Bill Frindall, published by Headline Book Publishing (1995)
  • Who's Who of Cricketers by Philip Bailey, Philip Thorn & Peter Wynne-Thomas, published by Hamlyn (1993)


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