Garrett Tom Image 1 New South Wales 1888

Description

Wollongong, New South Wales born all rounder Tom Garrett was a right-hand batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler who played for New South Wales. He took part in the first two Test matches against James Lillywhite’s all-professional team in March and April 1877, making his Test match debut in the former match at Melbourne aged 18 years and 232 days, still the youngest representative to play for Australia against England. In that match on the second day he scored 18 not out in the Australian first innings, and helped sustain a crucial 43 run partnership with Charles Bannerman until the latter split his finger and retired hurt on 165. His 18 not out was, on that day, the 2nd highest Test score, albeit Garrett’s score was passed later in the day by England opener Harry Jupp. Promoted to number four in the second innings, Garrett made a duck. Opening the bowling with John Hodges he took two wickets in the first innings including that of top scorer Jupp.

He came to England and North America with first Australian team to go overseas in 1878, and toured England again in 1882, participating in an historic Ashes match at The Oval. His last match of 19 Test appearances was at Sydney in 1888, by when he had scored a single half century making 51 not out against England at Sydney in February 1885, and had taken 36 wickets at 26.94 apiece with a best performance of 6-78 at Sydney in March 1882.

As a bowler it was said by the all-rounder George Giffen that: “… he would keep a fine line outside the off-stump, and never minded being hit. Sometimes the ball would work a little from the pitch which victimised most of the batsmen.” He would release the ball from as high a point as he could reach, taking advantage of his 6 foot tall frame. Later in his career, as his bowling fell away, he became a powerful batsman, particularly square of the wicket. He was also noted for his speed in the field: in a Sydney match in 1887 it was reported in the press that he caught a skied ball “in a display of breathtaking agility”.

Garrett became captain of New South Wales, retiring after the 1897-98 season. He was rated highly as a skipper, especially for his skill in handling aspiring young bowlers. In 160 first class matches he scored two centuries and 10 half centuries at an average of 16.18 with a highest score of 163, and claimed 446 wickets at 18.72 apiece, with best figures of 7-38, taking five or more wickets in an innings 29 times and ten of more wickets in a match on 4 occasions.

Until his death aged 85 in 1943, Garrett was the oldest surviving Australian Test cricketer and the last survivor of the first Test match.