Malcolm Francke

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Malcolm Francke
Personal information
Full name
Fredrick Malcolm Francke
Born (1939-03-21) 21 March 1939 (age 86)
Mount Lavinia, Colombo, Ceylon
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLegbreak googly
Career statistics
Competition First-class List A
Matches6112
Runs scored69650
Batting average 10.5412.50
100s/50s0/00/0
Top score37*26
Balls bowled12,090636
Wickets 17817
Bowling average 31.0222.47
5 wickets in innings 80
10 wickets in match10
Best bowling6/624/23
Catches/stumpings 31/–4/–
Source: CricketArchive, 3 February 2023

Fredrick Malcolm Francke (born 21 March 1939) is a former Australian first-class cricketer who played for Queensland.

Contents

Leading Australian spinner Ashley Mallett considered Francke to be the best legspinner in Australia during his time and was disappointed Francke never played Test cricket. [1]

A leg spinner, Francke played for Ceylon in 1957/58, and worked and played cricket in England for several years prior to migrating to Australia. He reports having had offers to play first-class county cricket in England but chose not to because it would have been a full-time commitment requiring him to suspend his career as an accountant.

Francke represented Queensland from 1971/72 to 1985/86, making his debut against a touring World XI side. He went on to take a total of 167 career first class wickets for Queensland with an innings best of 6 for 62 against South Australia in 1974.

Life and career

Sri Lanka

Francke made his first class debut in April 1957 playing for Ceylon Cricket Association v Madras. He took no wickets. The following year he played two more first class games for Ceylon against the Madras; in the second he took 6-83 in Madras' secong innings.

In September 1958 Francke was selected in an All Ceylon side that was to play the touring MCC. However the game was washed out.

England

In 1959 he played for Falmouth Club in England as a professional. Francke was offered a two year contract by Leicestershire but turned it down because he wanted a five year contract. [2]

He later played for Penzance.

Queensland

Franke moved to Australia after marrying a Brisbane girl in London. He made his debut for Queensland in 1971-72 against the World XI. [3] Francke dismissed Clive Lloyd twice and also took the wickets of captain Rohan Kanhai and Sunil Gavaskar.

He had been mentioned as a test chance in 1972/73. [4] He took 35 first class wickets that summer at 26 and won a Man of the Match Award for the semi final of the Coca-Cola Knockout Cup when his 4-23 bowled Queensland to victory. However the selectors preferred Kerry O'Keefe, Terry Jenner and John Watkins.

Francke was also disscussed as a test prosect in 1973/74 when he took 39 wickets at 22.8. [5]

In November 1974 Franke bowled so well against the touring English side for Queensland Bill O'Reilly wrote "there should be a place made for him immediately in the Australian team." [6] Once again he was overlooked. [7] He took 31 wickets at 27.

In 1975 he was part of a rebel tour of South Africa, playing for the Brian Close-led DH Robins XI.

In 1975-76 Francke was overlooked for national selection in favor of Terry Jenner, who says the Gabba crowd booed him as a result. He took 27 first class wickets at 28.96

He had a lean 1976-77 only taking 13 first class wickets and Graham Whyte became Queenslan's leading spinner. In a January 1977 article Ian Chappell called Francke "a very steady type of spinner, with good line and length, but I can't really see him bowling out Test batsmen. As well, he is getting on in years." [8]

Francke only played one first class game in 1977-78, none the following season, and only two in 1979-80.

Francke appeared to have finished with first class ricket but made a return 6 years later to play in the 1985/86 Sheffield Shield season. [9] [10] Francke played in three games.

Honours

In September 2018, he was one of 49 former Sri Lankan cricketers felicitated by Sri Lanka Cricket, to honour them for their services before Sri Lanka became a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). [11] [12]

References

  1. ↑ Mallett, p. 158.
  2. ↑ "Leg spinner's late entry in first class". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 November 1971. p. 27.
  3. ↑ "Six team changes by Queensland". The Canberra Times . 17 November 1971. p. 32. Retrieved 15 December 2014– via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "WEST INDIES TOUR Test hopes have days left". The Canberra Times . 15 December 1972. p. 22. Retrieved 15 December 2014– via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "Queensland hopes rest on Chappell". The Canberra Times . 6 February 1974. p. 28. Retrieved 15 December 2014– via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ O'Reilly, Bill (23 November 1974). "Willy Franke baffles MCC". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 57.
  7. ↑ "Test selectors prefer experienced players". The Canberra Times . 25 November 1974. p. 16. Retrieved 15 December 2014– via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ Chappell, Ian (January 1977). "England 1977... Ian Chappell Predicts". Cricketer. p. 21.
  9. ↑ "Qld reels against Sth Australia". The Canberra Times . 23 December 1985. p. 36. Retrieved 15 December 2014– via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ "Kiwi top-order puts India on the slide". The Canberra Times . 24 January 1986. p. 1 Section: SPORTS SECTION. Retrieved 15 December 2014– via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ "Sri Lanka Cricket to felicitate 49 past cricketers". Sri Lanka Cricket. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "SLC launched the program to felicitate ex-cricketers". Sri Lanka Cricket. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.

Sources

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