Malcolm Jardine
Encyclopedia
Malcolm Robert Jardine (8 June 1869 – 16 January 1947) was an English first-class
cricketer who played 46 matches, mainly for Oxford University
. Although his first-class record was not impressive, he scored 140 in the University Match
of 1892 using an unorthodox batting method. He played a few matches for Middlesex
but later went to work in India, in effect ending his English first-class career. He played first-class cricket in India for the Europeans
and after a successful legal career, returned to England. His son Douglas
went on to play cricket for Oxford, Surrey
and England, captaining the latter two and being associated with the use of Bodyline
bowling.
, British India
on 8 June 1869 to a family which had been connected with India for many years. He was the second son of William Jardine, a barrister
and later a judge in Allahabad
who had a successful legal career before he died from cholera
aged 32. He was educated at Fettes College
, a boarding school in Edinburgh
, making it into the school cricket team for four consecutive years. He established a good reputation and was appointed captain of the side in 1888. That year, his batting average was 77.70, and he took 24 wickets at an average
of 6.30, coming top of both sets of averages for the school.
, Jardine went to Balliol College, Oxford
. He made his first-class debut for Oxford University
against the Gentlemen of England. In his third match, against Lancashire
, he passed fifty for the first time. Although his next highest score in fifteen innings was just 33, and he failed to reach double figures eight times, he was awarded his Blue. He had some success with his bowling, taking five wickets for 78 in a Surrey
total of 614. He played in the University Match
but failed to score in either innings and Oxford lost heavily. In total, he scored 198 runs at an average of 13.20. The following season
, Jardine scored more runs at a higher average, but failed to pass fifty in an innings. He scored 218 runs at an average of 14.53 and did not bowl. Although he was more successful in the University Match, scoring 3 and 24, Oxford lost again after being bowled out for 42 in their first innings. In 1891
, Jardine was appointed captain of the University. He further improved his aggregate and average with 255 runs at an average of 18.21, and took two wickets for five runs in the only innings in which he bowled. In the second and third matches, he scored 62 not out
and 70 in consecutive innings against the Gentlemen of England and H Phillipson's XI, but did not pass fifty again. Playing in the University Match, he scored a duck
in the first innings and 15 in the second, and Oxford lost their third successive match, although they took eight wickets before Cambridge reached their target of 93.
Jardine's final season at Oxford was his most successful; he recorded his highest aggregate and average despite playing only four matches for the club. At the start of the season, Lionel Palairet
took over the captaincy. Jardine's studies preventing him from playing in any of Oxford's home games, and he did not appear in the team until June. He only took part in three games before the University Match, although in the last of these he scored 60 against Marylebone Cricket Club
(M.C.C.) at Lord's
.
described his innings as faultless. Wisden noted his strong defence and his powerful leg glance. Critics noted that he frequently hit Stanley Jackson
to the leg side
, a method of play which was unusual at the time. Players educated at Public School generally considered hitting to leg highly unorthodox and almost unfair. K. S. Ranjitsinhji, who was in the crowd at Lord's, would develop the leg glance and make it respectable within a few years, but he had not yet made his first-class debut in 1892. It is likely that Jardine was one of the first players to use this shot. Jackson refused to depart from the orthodox methods of the time, continuing to bowl with seven fielders on the off side and only two on the leg side, making it easier for Jardine to score runs.The Times commented that Cambridge "appeared a little slow to grasp the idea of putting a man on the leg side for [Jardine]". Jardine also hit 39 in the second innings as Oxford chased down a target to win for the only time in his University career. Jardine's first innings remained his only first-class century.
. He played six matches, but scored just 102 runs and averaged 12.75 with the bat; hitting a highest score of 32 not out. Subsequently, Jardine's work as a barrister took him to India, and he played just four more first-class matches in England. These were for the M.C.C. at the beginning of the 1897 season, where he scored 185 runs at an average of 23.12 with two fifties and a highest score of 85. His only other first-class cricket was for the Europeans cricket team
in India. He played in the annual Presidency Match against the Parsees
between 1894 and 1902, only missing the 1899 and 1901 games. He scored just one fifty in eight matches, but his batting was admired by critics.
Although Jardine did not have an impressive first-class record, critics including Ranjitsinjhi, and Plum Warner
considered him a good batsman. C. B. Fry believed that if Jardine had played regular county cricket, he would have played for England. Fry described him as a superb fielder and as "a beautiful player, with a perfect back-stroke and a perfect cut and neat late off drive." He did not bowl regularly after 1889, saving his energy for fielding. In 46 first-class matches, he scored 1,439 runs at an average of 17.76, took 15 wickets at an average of 14.40 and held 42 catches.
by the Middle Temple
in 1893. He returned to India, where he practised at the Bombay Bar until 1916. At the time, British barristers dominated the Indian legal system, finding considerable financial reward, but causing resentment among the Indian legal profession. At the same time, Jardine held positions of increasing influence in India. He was Perry Professor of Jurisprudence and Roman Law from 1898 to 1902 and then Principal of the Government Law School until 1903. Subsequently, he was Clerk of the Crown
, before being appointed Advocate General
of Bombay in 1915 before retiring from India in 1916.
In 1898, he married Alison Moir and they had one son, Douglas
in 1900, who went on to play first-class and Test cricket for Surrey
and England. Eventually, Douglas became a controversial England captain, introducing a form of hostile bowling known as Bodyline
. The family lived in a wealthy area of Bombay and were well known in its social and sporting circle. With Douglas at Public School, Jardine and his wife returned to England in 1916. He took an interest in the Surrey team, becoming a member and later a Vice-President. His wife died in 1936 while Jardine died in South Kensington
on 16 January 1947.
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...
cricketer who played 46 matches, mainly for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
. Although his first-class record was not impressive, he scored 140 in the University Match
The University Match (cricket)
The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
of 1892 using an unorthodox batting method. He played a few matches for Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
but later went to work in India, in effect ending his English first-class career. He played first-class cricket in India for the Europeans
Europeans cricket team
The Europeans cricket team was an Indian first-class cricket team which took part in the annual Bombay tournament. The team was founded by members of the European community in Bombay who played cricket at the Bombay Gymkhana....
and after a successful legal career, returned to England. His son Douglas
Douglas Jardine
Douglas Robert Jardine was an English cricketer and captain of the England cricket team from 1931 to 1933–34.When describing cricket seasons, the convention used is that a single year represents an English cricket season, while two years represent a southern hemisphere cricket season because it...
went on to play cricket for Oxford, Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
and England, captaining the latter two and being associated with the use of Bodyline
Bodyline
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman...
bowling.
Early life
Jardine was born in SimlaShimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
, British India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
on 8 June 1869 to a family which had been connected with India for many years. He was the second son of William Jardine, a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and later a judge in Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
who had a successful legal career before he died from cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
aged 32. He was educated at Fettes College
Fettes College
Fettes College is an independent school for boarding and day pupils in Edinburgh, Scotland with over two thirds of its pupils in residence on campus...
, a boarding school in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, making it into the school cricket team for four consecutive years. He established a good reputation and was appointed captain of the side in 1888. That year, his batting average was 77.70, and he took 24 wickets at an average
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
of 6.30, coming top of both sets of averages for the school.
Career at Oxford
In 18891889 English cricket season
The 1889 English cricket season saw the number of balls per over increased from four to five. The four-ball over had been used since time immemorial....
, Jardine went to Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. He made his first-class debut for Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
against the Gentlemen of England. In his third match, against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, he passed fifty for the first time. Although his next highest score in fifteen innings was just 33, and he failed to reach double figures eight times, he was awarded his Blue. He had some success with his bowling, taking five wickets for 78 in a Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
total of 614. He played in the University Match
The University Match (cricket)
The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
but failed to score in either innings and Oxford lost heavily. In total, he scored 198 runs at an average of 13.20. The following season
1890 English cricket season
The 1890 English cricket season was the first year the County Championship was officially held, which Surrey won after winning nine out of fourteen games...
, Jardine scored more runs at a higher average, but failed to pass fifty in an innings. He scored 218 runs at an average of 14.53 and did not bowl. Although he was more successful in the University Match, scoring 3 and 24, Oxford lost again after being bowled out for 42 in their first innings. In 1891
1891 English cricket season
The 1891 English cricket season featured no international tours, but the County Championship went into its second season. Surrey won in even more dominant fashion before, winning 12 of 16 games, while debutants Somerset finished fifth out of the nine teams....
, Jardine was appointed captain of the University. He further improved his aggregate and average with 255 runs at an average of 18.21, and took two wickets for five runs in the only innings in which he bowled. In the second and third matches, he scored 62 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
and 70 in consecutive innings against the Gentlemen of England and H Phillipson's XI, but did not pass fifty again. Playing in the University Match, he scored a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
in the first innings and 15 in the second, and Oxford lost their third successive match, although they took eight wickets before Cambridge reached their target of 93.
Jardine's final season at Oxford was his most successful; he recorded his highest aggregate and average despite playing only four matches for the club. At the start of the season, Lionel Palairet
Lionel Palairet
Lionel Charles Hamilton Palairet was a famous cricketer of the so-called "Golden Age" of English cricket before the First World War...
took over the captaincy. Jardine's studies preventing him from playing in any of Oxford's home games, and he did not appear in the team until June. He only took part in three games before the University Match, although in the last of these he scored 60 against 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...
(M.C.C.) at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
.
1892 University Match
In his final University Match, Oxford batted first and Jardine's innings began after his team had lost two wickets without scoring any runs. He batted for 285 minutes, scoring 140. Before lunch, he played very carefully but increased his scoring rate afterwards. In total, he hit 21 fours and The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
described his innings as faultless. Wisden noted his strong defence and his powerful leg glance. Critics noted that he frequently hit Stanley Jackson
Stanley Jackson
Sir Francis Stanley Jackson, GCSI, GCIE, PC, KStJ , known as the Honourable Stanley Jackson during his playing career, was an English cricketer, soldier and Conservative Party politician.-Early life:...
to the leg side
Leg side
The leg side, or on side, is defined to be a particular half of the field used to play the sport of cricket.From the point of view of a right-handed batsman facing the bowler, it is the left hand side of the cricket field...
, a method of play which was unusual at the time. Players educated at Public School generally considered hitting to leg highly unorthodox and almost unfair. K. S. Ranjitsinhji, who was in the crowd at Lord's, would develop the leg glance and make it respectable within a few years, but he had not yet made his first-class debut in 1892. It is likely that Jardine was one of the first players to use this shot. Jackson refused to depart from the orthodox methods of the time, continuing to bowl with seven fielders on the off side and only two on the leg side, making it easier for Jardine to score runs.The Times commented that Cambridge "appeared a little slow to grasp the idea of putting a man on the leg side for [Jardine]". Jardine also hit 39 in the second innings as Oxford chased down a target to win for the only time in his University career. Jardine's first innings remained his only first-class century.
Other first-class cricket
In the remainder of the 1892 season, Jardine played for MiddlesexMiddlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
. He played six matches, but scored just 102 runs and averaged 12.75 with the bat; hitting a highest score of 32 not out. Subsequently, Jardine's work as a barrister took him to India, and he played just four more first-class matches in England. These were for the M.C.C. at the beginning of the 1897 season, where he scored 185 runs at an average of 23.12 with two fifties and a highest score of 85. His only other first-class cricket was for the Europeans cricket team
Europeans cricket team
The Europeans cricket team was an Indian first-class cricket team which took part in the annual Bombay tournament. The team was founded by members of the European community in Bombay who played cricket at the Bombay Gymkhana....
in India. He played in the annual Presidency Match against the Parsees
Parsees cricket team
The Parsees cricket team was an Indian first-class cricket team which took part in the annual Bombay tournament. The team was founded by members of the Zoroastrian community in Bombay....
between 1894 and 1902, only missing the 1899 and 1901 games. He scored just one fifty in eight matches, but his batting was admired by critics.
Although Jardine did not have an impressive first-class record, critics including Ranjitsinjhi, and Plum Warner
Plum Warner
Sir Pelham Francis Warner MBE , affectionately and better known as Plum Warner, or even "the Grand Old Man" of English cricket was a Test cricketer....
considered him a good batsman. C. B. Fry believed that if Jardine had played regular county cricket, he would have played for England. Fry described him as a superb fielder and as "a beautiful player, with a perfect back-stroke and a perfect cut and neat late off drive." He did not bowl regularly after 1889, saving his energy for fielding. In 46 first-class matches, he scored 1,439 runs at an average of 17.76, took 15 wickets at an average of 14.40 and held 42 catches.
Legal career
In 1893, Jardine was called to the BarCall to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
by the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1893. He returned to India, where he practised at the Bombay Bar until 1916. At the time, British barristers dominated the Indian legal system, finding considerable financial reward, but causing resentment among the Indian legal profession. At the same time, Jardine held positions of increasing influence in India. He was Perry Professor of Jurisprudence and Roman Law from 1898 to 1902 and then Principal of the Government Law School until 1903. Subsequently, he was Clerk of the Crown
Clerk of Assize
A Clerk of Assize was a clerk of the Assize Courts of England and Wales, a position which existed from at least 1285 to 1971, when the Courts Act 1971 eliminated the Assize Courts...
, before being appointed Advocate General
Advocate General
An Advocate General is a senior law officer of a country or other jurisdiction, usually charged with advising the courts or Government on legal matters.-India:In India, an Advocate General is a legal adviser to a state government...
of Bombay in 1915 before retiring from India in 1916.
In 1898, he married Alison Moir and they had one son, Douglas
Douglas Jardine
Douglas Robert Jardine was an English cricketer and captain of the England cricket team from 1931 to 1933–34.When describing cricket seasons, the convention used is that a single year represents an English cricket season, while two years represent a southern hemisphere cricket season because it...
in 1900, who went on to play first-class and Test cricket for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
and England. Eventually, Douglas became a controversial England captain, introducing a form of hostile bowling known as Bodyline
Bodyline
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman...
. The family lived in a wealthy area of Bombay and were well known in its social and sporting circle. With Douglas at Public School, Jardine and his wife returned to England in 1916. He took an interest in the Surrey team, becoming a member and later a Vice-President. His wife died in 1936 while Jardine died in South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
on 16 January 1947.