Brian O'Connor (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Brian Redmond Devereaux O'Connor (5 July 1913 - 17 December 1963) was an Australian first-class cricket
er who played Sheffield Shield cricket for Queensland
.
O'Connor, a right-arm fast-medium
opening bowler and lower order batsman, made four of his five first-class matches in the 1934/35 Sheffield Shield season. He struggled on his debut, against South Australia at the Brisbane Cricket Ground
, going wicket-less in the first innings and conceding 80 runs off just 13 overs. In the second innings he dismissed opener Vic Richardson
and then helped Queensland win the match by scoring 11 not out from nine in the batting order, securing a narrow three wicket victory.
His next appearance was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
against Victoria and he was more successful with the ball, claiming 2/72, with the wickets of Leo O'Brien
and Len Darling
. The Queenslanders were outplayed on this occasions and were unable to score enough runs to make the Victorians bat a second time. He again played against South Australia for his third Shield match, this time at Adelaide Oval. In statistically his worst bowling effort, he finished with 0/120 off only 17 overs in South Australia's first innings, as each of their top four batsmen scored centuries. Chasing a small total, the home side won by eight wickets, with O'Connor picking up the wicket of Frank Collins. In his last Sheffield Shield appearance, O'Connor was part of the Queensland team which played New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground
. His only contribution was the wicket of Ted white
, caught and bowled.
The following summer, O'Connor was called into the team to play the Marylebone Cricket Club
in Brisbane. He opening the bowling with Eddie Gilbert
in the MCC's only innings and took 1/54, with Joe Hardstaff
his wicket. After being run-out for 13 in his first innings, O'Connor posted his highest score in the second, making 20 before he was sent back to the pavilion. Although he never again played for Queensland, O'Connor continued to compete at grade level
for Eastern Suburbs and topped the bowling averages in 1939/40.
He was the only son of Leo O'Connor, a Queensland cricket captain who also led his state in Australian rules football
interstate matches. Like his father, O'Connor was a Queensland representative in both sports. He played for South Brisbane
in the Queensland Australian National Football League
. They were not his only sports, he also played rugby union
with the GPS Rugby Club
.
During the war, O'Connor served as a pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force
. He flew a Hampden torpedo bomber
with the 455 Squadron
, where he was a Squadron Leader
.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er who played Sheffield Shield cricket for Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
.
O'Connor, a right-arm fast-medium
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
opening bowler and lower order batsman, made four of his five first-class matches in the 1934/35 Sheffield Shield season. He struggled on his debut, against South Australia at the Brisbane Cricket Ground
Brisbane Cricket Ground
The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as The Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. It is named after the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located....
, going wicket-less in the first innings and conceding 80 runs off just 13 overs. In the second innings he dismissed opener Vic Richardson
Vic Richardson
Victor York Richardson OBE was a leading Australian sportsman of the 1920s and 1930s, captaining the Australian cricket team and the South Australian Australian rules football team, representing Australia in baseball and South Australia in golf, winning the South Australian state tennis title and...
and then helped Queensland win the match by scoring 11 not out from nine in the batting order, securing a narrow three wicket victory.
His next appearance was at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
against Victoria and he was more successful with the ball, claiming 2/72, with the wickets of Leo O'Brien
Leo O'Brien
For the former US congressman from New York, see Leo W. O'BrienFor the former Wisconsin politician, see Leo P. O'BrienLeo Patrick Joseph O'Brien was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1932 to 1936.He attended both Xavier College and St Patrick's College, Ballarat....
and Len Darling
Len Darling
Leonard Stuart Darling was an Australian cricketer who played in 12 Tests from 1933 to 1937....
. The Queenslanders were outplayed on this occasions and were unable to score enough runs to make the Victorians bat a second time. He again played against South Australia for his third Shield match, this time at Adelaide Oval. In statistically his worst bowling effort, he finished with 0/120 off only 17 overs in South Australia's first innings, as each of their top four batsmen scored centuries. Chasing a small total, the home side won by eight wickets, with O'Connor picking up the wicket of Frank Collins. In his last Sheffield Shield appearance, O'Connor was part of the Queensland team which played New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
. His only contribution was the wicket of Ted white
Ted White (cricketer)
Edward Clive Stewart White was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and toured England with the Australian team in 1938 without playing a Test match. Born and raised in Sydney, he played grade cricket with the North Sydney club and scored 52 on his first-class debut against Victoria in...
, caught and bowled.
The following summer, O'Connor was called into the team to play the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
in Brisbane. He opening the bowling with Eddie Gilbert
Eddie Gilbert
Edward Gilbert may refer to:*Eddie Gilbert , Australian Aboriginal cricketer*Eddie Gilbert , American wrestler*Ed Gilbert *Edward Gilbert, U.S...
in the MCC's only innings and took 1/54, with Joe Hardstaff
Joe Hardstaff junior
Joseph Hardstaff junior was an English cricketer, who played in twenty three Tests for England from 1935 to 1948...
his wicket. After being run-out for 13 in his first innings, O'Connor posted his highest score in the second, making 20 before he was sent back to the pavilion. Although he never again played for Queensland, O'Connor continued to compete at grade level
Queensland Cricket
Queensland Cricket, formerly known as the Queensland Cricket Association, was formed in 1876 and is the governing body of Cricket in Queensland, Australia...
for Eastern Suburbs and topped the bowling averages in 1939/40.
He was the only son of Leo O'Connor, a Queensland cricket captain who also led his state in Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
interstate matches. Like his father, O'Connor was a Queensland representative in both sports. He played for South Brisbane
South Brisbane Football Club
South Brisbane Football Club was an Australian rules club which competed in the Queensland Football League. They joined the league in 1910 and played in it until 1940 with the exception of the 1925 season which they sat out. Notable players include Brian O'Connor, Harry Pegg and Donald...
in the Queensland Australian National Football League
Queensland Australian Football League
The Queensland Australian Football League was an Australian rules football competition for clubs from South East Queensland.Up until 2010, the QAFL was the premier semi-professional competition in Queensland, with salary cap rules and regulations in place.It was previously known as the Queensland...
. They were not his only sports, he also played rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
with the GPS Rugby Club
GPS Rugby
GPS Rugby Club is one of the oldest in Australia, tracing its roots to 1887 -even before the Australian Rugby Union was born.Based at Ashgrove in Brisbane, Queensland, Jeeps has produced 29 Wallabies including Ben Tune, Daniel Herbert, Matt Cockbain, and Daniel Heenan, along with a host of other...
.
During the war, O'Connor served as a pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
. He flew a Hampden torpedo bomber
Handley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
with the 455 Squadron
No. 455 Squadron RAAF
No. 455 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force torpedo bomber squadron during World War II and became famous as part of the so-called ANZAC Strike Wing.-History:No. 455 Squadron was formed at Williamtown, New South Wales on 23 May 1941...
, where he was a Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
.