Frank Pitcher
Encyclopedia
Franklyn "Frank" Joseph Pitcher (24 June 1879 – 23 January 1921) was a former Australia
n first-class cricket
player who represented Victoria
in one match in 1910–11 against the touring South Africans. Pitcher was a right-arm medium pace bowler. During the match Pitcher became the first player to be no-balled by both umpires in a match at first-class level of cricket in Australia. Pitcher was also the only player to be no-balled for throwing in his debut match at first-class level.
Pitcher made his first-class debut for Victoria against South Africa on a match starting on 3 February 1911. John Zulch and Louis Stricker
were opening the batting for the tourists and Pitcher was no-balled by umpire Bob Crockett
for throwing his first three deliveries, with Zulch taking strike. Pitcher appeared to be shaken by the incident and he also delivered a wide
and another no-ball. At the end of this first over, he was replaced by his captain Warwick Armstrong
.
The following day, Pitcher was no-balled for a fifth time by umpire W. A. Young
in his second over. Pitcher was passed on the first five deliveries of the over but the sixth was called by Young as a no-ball. A correspondent for the Melbourne Age described the sixth delivery as "an undeniable throw". Pitcher attempted to change his action, but this disrupted his length and he was twice struck for four by South African captain Dave Nourse
. After the over, Pitcher was taken from the attack by Armstrong.
Pitcher was never selected at first-class level again and it was the first occasion in Australia when a bowler was called by both officiating umpires. The matter did not end after the match, as Pitcher's district club, Collingwood, pursued an inquiry with the Victorian Cricket Association although an executive committee of the VCA found that the complaints of the club were spurious. Pitcher was not called as district level before his only state appearance and he continued until the 1913–14 season without further complaints. Pitcher also played baseball
for Collingwood.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n first-class cricket
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...
player who represented Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
in one match in 1910–11 against the touring South Africans. Pitcher was a right-arm medium pace bowler. During the match Pitcher became the first player to be no-balled by both umpires in a match at first-class level of cricket in Australia. Pitcher was also the only player to be no-balled for throwing in his debut match at first-class level.
Pitcher made his first-class debut for Victoria against South Africa on a match starting on 3 February 1911. John Zulch and Louis Stricker
Louis Stricker
Louis Anthony Stricker was a South African cricketer who played in 13 Tests from 1910 to 1912....
were opening the batting for the tourists and Pitcher was no-balled by umpire Bob Crockett
Bob Crockett
Robert Maxwell Crockett , was an Australian Test match umpire.Crockett umpired a total of 32 Test matches, the highest number by an Australian umpire until passed by Tony Crafter in his last match in 1992...
for throwing his first three deliveries, with Zulch taking strike. Pitcher appeared to be shaken by the incident and he also delivered a wide
Wide
In the sport of cricket, a wide is one of two things:* The event of a ball being delivered by a bowler too wide or high to be hit by the batsman, and ruled so by the umpire.* A run scored by the batting team as a penalty to the bowling team when this occurs....
and another no-ball. At the end of this first over, he was replaced by his captain Warwick Armstrong
Warwick Armstrong
Warwick Windridge Armstrong was an Australian cricketer who played 50 Test matches between 1902 and 1921. An all-rounder, he captained Australia in ten Test matches between 1920 and 1921 and was undefeated, winning eight Tests and drawing two...
.
The following day, Pitcher was no-balled for a fifth time by umpire W. A. Young
W. A. Young
W A Young was a cricket Test match umpire.He umpired one Test match, between Australia and England, played at Melbourne on 9 February to 13 February 1912 and won easily by England, following a record first-wicket partnership of 323 between Jack Hobbs and Wilfred Rhodes. Young’s colleague was Bob...
in his second over. Pitcher was passed on the first five deliveries of the over but the sixth was called by Young as a no-ball. A correspondent for the Melbourne Age described the sixth delivery as "an undeniable throw". Pitcher attempted to change his action, but this disrupted his length and he was twice struck for four by South African captain Dave Nourse
Dave Nourse
Arthur William "Dave" Nourse, born at Croydon, England on 26 January 1878 and died at Port Elizabeth, South Africa on 8 July 1948, was a cricketer who played for Natal, Transvaal, Western Province and South Africa....
. After the over, Pitcher was taken from the attack by Armstrong.
Pitcher was never selected at first-class level again and it was the first occasion in Australia when a bowler was called by both officiating umpires. The matter did not end after the match, as Pitcher's district club, Collingwood, pursued an inquiry with the Victorian Cricket Association although an executive committee of the VCA found that the complaints of the club were spurious. Pitcher was not called as district level before his only state appearance and he continued until the 1913–14 season without further complaints. Pitcher also played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for Collingwood.