Percival Mitchell Hornibrook (27 July 1899 – 25 August 1976) was an Australian

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er who played in six Test matches from 1929 to 1930.

Career

Hornibrook made his first class debut in 1919–20 against Victoria, taking four wickets. In 1920–21 he took 3–89 for Queensland against the touring English side. He was selected for the Australian side which toured New Zealand in 1921 and took 47 first class wickets at an average of 12. According to ''Wisden'', "Many thought he should have been included in the 1921 side to England, which was distinctly weak in slow-wicket bowling, though in the event it not require it."Percy Hornibrook ''Wisden'' profile
/ref> ''Wisden'' later said "There was far greater surprise when he was omitted from the 1926 side, and no less a judge than M. A. Noble advocated his inclusion. He would at least have saved Macartney from being bowled to death in the early weeks of the tour and in the vital last Test on a rain-affected pitch he might easily have tipped the scales in Australia's favour." Hornibrook made his test debut in the last game of the 1928–29 Ashes. He took four wickets and made some useful runs in Australia's victory. In 1929–30 he took 35 first class wickets at an average of 32.

1930 Ashes

Hornibrook toured England for the 1930 Ashes. He played in all the tests and took 13 wickets in tests. He took 96 wickets on the tour in all, Australia's second best bowler after

Clarrie Grimmett Clarence Victor "Clarrie" Grimmett (25 December 1891 – 2 May 1980) was a New Zealand-born Australian cricketer. He is thought by many to be one of the finest early spin bowlers, and usually credited as the developer of the flipper. Early l ...

. Hornibrook's best performance came in the 5th test. The series was 1–1, with England only having to draw to retain the Ashes. They batted first and scored 405, with Hornibrook taking no wickets. Australia batted and made 695. When England batted again Hornibrook took 7–92 and England were dismissed for 251. According to ''Wisden'', "his figures suggest, what good critics confirm, that he bowled far too many bad balls: one indeed said that bogey for a good slow left-hander on that wicket would have been seven for 30. Perhaps had he had longer experience of English conditions he would have been better. At any rate by then he was past his peak—his arm had dropped and he was more full-chested. At the end of the tour he retired from first-class cricket." He played one Sheffield Shield game in 1930–31 and made a comeback to first class cricket in 1933–34. It was not successful but he continued to play club cricket for Toombul District Cricket Club. Hornibrook retired from club cricket in 1940.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hornibrook, Percy 1899 births 1976 deaths Australia Test cricketers Queensland cricketers Australian cricketers Cricketers from Queensland People from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland