Percy Stanislaus McDonnell (13 November 1858 – 24 September 1896
— ''

Australian Dictionary of Biography The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...

'') was an Australian

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er who captained the Australian Test team in six matches, including the tour of England in 1888. McDonnell was born in London in 1858, son of Morgan McDonnell and his wife Frances Marie, née Bonham. In 1864 the family migrated to Melbourne, where he was educated at

St Patrick's College, East Melbourne St Patrick's College was an independent Catholic school in Melbourne, Victoria from 1854 until 1968. It was the second independent school and the first Catholic Church, Catholic secondary education in Australia, secondary school in Victoria founde ...

and

Xavier College Xavier College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, founded in 1872 by the Society of Jesus, with its main campus located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Classes started in 1878. ...

. He played for the

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First XI while still at Xavier, and made his first-class debut for

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at the age of 17. Ray Robinson, ''On Top Down Under'', Cassell Australia, Stanmore, 1976, pp. 49–54. McDonnell was an attacking batsman and his averages are among the very best of his era. His top Test score of 147Profile of Percy McDonnell
— ''

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'' was made in a partnership of 199 with

Alick Bannerman Alexander (usually "Alick"; also "Alec") Chalmers Bannerman (21 March 1854 – 19 September 1924) was an Australian cricketer who played in 28 Test matches between 1879 and 1893. Bannerman made his Test debut at Melbourne in 1879, joining brot ...

at the SCG when the other 9 batsman in the team contributed 29 to the team score. In 1886/87, McDonnell became the first Test captain ever to win the toss and elect to field. He had mixed results. England were dismissed for just 45, but nonetheless won the match. McDonnell died of cardiac failure at his

South Brisbane South Brisbane is an inner southern Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , South Brisbane had a population of 7,196 people. Geography The suburb is on the southern bank of the Brisba ...

residence aged 37 and his funeral proceeded from there to the

Toowong Cemetery Toowong Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery on the corner of Frederick Street and Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was established in 1866 and formally opened in 1875. It is Queensland's largest ceme ...

.McDonnell Percy Stanislaus
— Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search

Gallery

Image:Aus1888Team.jpg, 1888 Australian team in England, captained by Percy McDonnell Image:Percy McDonnell graph.png, Percy McDonnell's Test career batting graph. Image:Percymcdonnellgrave.JPG, Percy McDonnell's grave.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McDonnell, Percy 1858 births 1896 deaths Cricketers from Greater London People educated at Xavier College Australia Test cricketers Australia Test cricket captains Queensland cricketers New South Wales cricketers Victoria cricketers Melbourne Cricket Club cricketers Burials at Toowong Cemetery Australian cricketers English emigrants to Australia