Paul Nicholls (sportsman)
Encyclopedia
Paul Allen Nicholls was an Australian sportsman who represented Western Australia
at first-class cricket
during the 1970s and played Australian rules football
with the East Fremantle Football Club
.
Nicholls, a right-arm offspinner, started his career in the 1971/72 Sheffield Shield season and featured in the Western Australian side for much of the following two competitions. He then spent over four years out of the team before returning in 1977/78, but re-cement his place as the state's premier spinner.
He claimed eight wickets on his first-class debut, against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval, including a five wicket haul in the second innings. Despite his efforts, Western Australia lost the match by 25 runs.
Amongst his victims in first-class cricket were the Pakistani pair of Zaheer Abbas
and Mushtaq Mohammad
, whom he dismissed in a tour match for Western Australia against the touring nation. In all he was part of three successful Sheffield Shield campaigns.
Nicholls spent the 1972 and 1973 English summers playing for the Haslingden Cricket Club
in the Lancashire League.
Nicholls was also a good Australian rules football
er and played for East Fremantle
in the Western Australian Football League. He holds a place in the club's history for his performance in the 1974 WAFL Grand Final where he kicked four goals from full-forward to help East Fremantle defeat Perth.
Later in his life, Nicholls was a successful magistrate in Western Australia before he died in 2009, after losing his battle with cancer.
Western Warriors
The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia...
at 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...
during the 1970s and played 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...
with the East Fremantle Football Club
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
.
Nicholls, a right-arm offspinner, started his career in the 1971/72 Sheffield Shield season and featured in the Western Australian side for much of the following two competitions. He then spent over four years out of the team before returning in 1977/78, but re-cement his place as the state's premier spinner.
He claimed eight wickets on his first-class debut, against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval, including a five wicket haul in the second innings. Despite his efforts, Western Australia lost the match by 25 runs.
Amongst his victims in first-class cricket were the Pakistani pair of Zaheer Abbas
Zaheer Abbas
Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani , popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a former Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest batsman produced by that country. He is widely known as the "Asian Bradman", a reference to former Australian great Sir Donald Bradman...
and Mushtaq Mohammad
Mushtaq Mohammad
Mushtaq Mohammad is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 57 Tests and 10 ODIs from 1959 to 1979. A right-handed batsman and a leg-spinner, he is one of the most successful Pakistani all-rounders and went on to captain his country in nineteen Test matches...
, whom he dismissed in a tour match for Western Australia against the touring nation. In all he was part of three successful Sheffield Shield campaigns.
Nicholls spent the 1972 and 1973 English summers playing for the Haslingden Cricket Club
Haslingden Cricket Club
Haslingden Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at Bentgate in Haslingden. For the 2011 season its captain is Graham Knowles, and its professional is former Ramsbottom amateur Phil Hayes of England. The club has won the league on 12 occasions and the...
in the Lancashire League.
Nicholls was also a good 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...
er and played for East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
in the Western Australian Football League. He holds a place in the club's history for his performance in the 1974 WAFL Grand Final where he kicked four goals from full-forward to help East Fremantle defeat Perth.
Later in his life, Nicholls was a successful magistrate in Western Australia before he died in 2009, after losing his battle with cancer.