Oxenham Ron Image 1 Queensland 1924

Description

Nundah, Queensland born all-rounder Ron Oxenham was described as “The Pride of Queensland” and made his debut in State cricket in 1911-12, although opportunities in first class cricket were limited until Queensland’s entry into the Sheffield Shield in 1926-27. A right-handed batsman he was described as “solid rather than brilliant… his hard driving being a feature of most of his innings”. A right-arm medium pace bowler, noted for accuracy of length and skill in flight, with “the knack of getting ‘nip’ off the pitch, from time to time he sends down a most deceptive slower ball” it was said of him. He played his club cricket for Toombul in Queensland.

Already 37 when he made his Test match debut for Australia against England at Melbourne in December 1928, he played five Test matches for Australia without overwhelming success. He was considered a certainty for the 1930 England tour but was overlooked in favour of Ted a’Beckett.  He scored 48 in Australia’s first innings of the Brisbane Test against The West Indies in January 1931 and took his best Test bowling figures in the same match, cleaning up the tail to record 4-39 in West Indies’ first innings and recording match figures of 6-76 as Australia won by an innings and 217 runs. His final Test was also at Brisbane, against South Africa in November 1931, although in 1932-33 was named in the Australian squad twice for the Bodyline Tests but did not make the final XI on either occasion.

He suffered serious injury in a car accident in 1937 and, never fully recovering, took no further part in first class cricket, and died two years later after a long illness aged 48. At the time of his death he was the only man to have taken more than 100 Sheffield Shield wickets for Queensland and his total of 187 was more than double that of the next man on the list.

In 97 first class matches he averaged 25.64 with the bat scoring 4 centuries and 19 half centuries with a highest score of 162 not out against Victoria at Brisbane in 1931-32. With his bowling he took 369 wickets at 18.67 apiece and had a best return of 9-18. He took five wickets in an innings 22 times and ten wickets in a match 8 times. He also held 45 catches in first class play.

His elder brother Lionel Oxenham also played first class cricket for Queensland in the 1920’s.

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