Percy Hornibrook
{{short description|Australian cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2011}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Percy Hornibrook
| image = PercyHornibrook.jpg
| caption = Hornibrook in 1930
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1899|07|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Obi Obi, Queensland, Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1976|08|25|1899|07|27|df=yes}}
| death_place = Spring Hill, Brisbane, Queensland
| heightft = 6
| heightinch = 3
| batting = Left-handed
| bowling = Left-arm slow-medium
| club1 = Queensland
| year1 = {{nowrap|1919/20–1933/34}}
| columns = 2
| column1 = Test
| matches1 = 6
| runs1 = 60
| bat avg1 = 10.00
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 26
| deliveries1 = 1,579
| wickets1 = 17
| bowl avg1 = 39.05
| fivefor1 = 1
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 7/92
| catches/stumpings1= 7/–
| column2 = First-class
| matches2 = 71
| runs2 = 754
| bat avg2 = 10.77
| 100s/50s2 = 0/1
| top score2 = 59*
| deliveries2 = 15,721
| wickets2 = 279
| bowl avg2 = 23.83
| fivefor2 = 17
| tenfor2 = 6
| best bowling2 = 8/60
| catches/stumpings2= 66/–
| international = true
| country = Australia
| testdebutagainst = England
| testdebutdate = 8 March
| testdebutyear = 1929
| lasttestdate = 16 August
| lasttestagainst = England
| lasttestyear = 1930
| testcap = 132
| source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/5707.html Cricinfo
| date = 10 September
| year = 2022
}}
Percival Mitchell Hornibrook (27 July 1899 – 25 August 1976) was an Australian cricketer who played in six Test matches from 1929 to 1930. He played first-class cricket for Queensland from 1919–20 to 1933–34.
Early life
Hornibrook was born in the rural settlement of Obi Obi, Queensland, and moved to Brisbane with his parents when he was 12. After leaving school he worked as a dental assistant before studying dentistry.The Oxford Companion to Australian Cricket, Oxford, Melbourne, 1996, p. 253. He qualified as a dentist in 1928."Obituary", The Cricketer, October 1976, p. 28.
Cricket career
Hornibrook made his first-class debut in 1919–20 for Queensland against Victoria, taking four wickets.{{Cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Queensland/Scorecards/9/9740.html | title=Queensland Cricket Archive}} In 1920–21 he took 3–89 for Queensland against the touring English side.{{Cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Queensland/Scorecards/9/9985.html | title=Queensland Cricket Archive}}
He was selected for the Australian side which toured New Zealand in 1920–21 and took 47 first-class wickets at an average of 12.{{Cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/3/Australia_in_New_Zealand_1920-21/f_Australians_Bowling.html |title = The Home of CricketArchive}} 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 did not require it."[http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/5707.html Percy Hornibrook Wisden profile]
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.{{Cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/12/12972.html |title = The Home of CricketArchive}} In 1929–30 he took 35 first-class wickets at an average of 32.
=1930 Ashes=
Hornibrook toured England for the 1930 Ashes series. He played in all the Tests, taking 13 wickets.{{Cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/Australia_in_British_Isles_1930/t_Australia_Bowling.html |title = The Home of CricketArchive}} He took 96 wickets on the tour in all, Australia's second best bowler after Clarrie Grimmett.{{Cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/0/Australia_in_British_Isles_1930/f_Australians_Bowling.html | title=The Home of CricketArchive}}
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.{{cite web |title=England vs Australia, 5th Test at London, Aug 16 1930 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-england-1930-61334/england-vs-australia-5th-test-62584/full-scorecard |publisher=Cricinfo |access-date=3 March 2025}} 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."
=Later career=
Hornibrook played one Sheffield Shield game in 1930–31{{Cite web | url=https://cricketarchive.com/Queensland/Scorecards/13/13724.html |title = Queensland Cricket Archive}} and made a comeback to first class cricket in 1933–34.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article184272813 |title=Percy Hornibrook's Come-back |newspaper=Sporting Globe |issue=1196 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=17 January 1934 |access-date=15 April 2016 |page=1 (Edition1) |via=National Library of Australia}} It was not successful but he continued to play club cricket for Toombul District Cricket Club.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37011801 |title=The Cricketer of the Week—No. 3 |newspaper=The Courier-Mail |issue=967 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=5 October 1936 |access-date=15 April 2016 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}
Hornibrook retired from club cricket in 1940.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188814829 |title=Percy Hornibrook Retires |newspaper=Sporting Globe |issue=1905 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=25 September 1940 |access-date=15 April 2016 |page=9 (Edition1) |via=National Library of Australia}}
Personal life
Hornibrook married Blanche Baldwin in Brisbane in June 1927.{{cite journal |title=Wedding |journal=Telegraph |date=2 June 1927 |page=14 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/180115104}} He died in Brisbane in August 1976.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=5707}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hornibrook, Percy}}
Category:Australia Test cricketers
Category:Queensland cricketers
Category:Australian cricketers
Category:Cricketers from Queensland
Category:People from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland