Charles Turner (Australian cricketer) facts for kids
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| Full name |
Charles Thomas Biass Turner
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| Born | 16 November 1862 Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Died | 1 January 1944 (aged 81) Manly, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Nickname | Terror | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium-fast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | AE Goldman (brother-in-law) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Test debut (cap 46) | 28 January 1887 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 1 February 1895 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1882–1910 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 14 April 2009
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Charles Thomas Biass Turner (born November 16, 1862 – died January 1, 1944) was an amazing Australian cricket bowler. Many people think he was one of the best bowlers Australia has ever had. He was so good that he earned the nickname "Terror" Turner because he was so hard to play against!
Contents
Charles Turner: Cricket's Early Star
Charles Turner achieved many incredible things in his cricket career. He set records that stood for a very long time.
Amazing Achievements
- In the English cricket season of 1888, he took 283 wickets. A wicket is when a bowler gets a batsman out. This was a huge number, much more than anyone before him.
- He took 314 wickets in all matches during 1888.
- In Australia, during the 1887–88 season, he took 106 wickets in just twelve matches. This was a record for any bowler in Australia.
- He once took 17 wickets for only 50 runs against an England team in 1888. Most of these were bowled wickets, meaning he hit the stumps directly.
- He was the first Australian bowler to get 100 wickets in Test matches. Test matches are the highest level of international cricket.
- His performance of 12 wickets for 87 runs against England in 1887–88 is still the best bowling record for a Test match at the SCG.
- He is the only bowler to take 50 wickets in his first six Test matches.
Early Life and Cricket Journey
Charles Turner was born in Bathurst, New South Wales. When he first started playing first-class cricket (a high level of cricket below Test matches), he didn't have much success.
Moving to Sydney and Improving Skills
In 1886–87, Charles moved from Bathurst to Sydney to work as a banker. This move helped his cricket skills grow a lot. He took 70 first-class wickets, giving away very few runs. He was especially good against a touring English team led by Alfred Shaw. In one Test match, he took 6 wickets for only 15 runs on a very "sticky pitch" (a wet pitch that makes the ball behave unpredictably).
Record-Breaking Seasons
The next year, 1887–88, was a very wet summer in Australia due to a weather pattern called La Niña. This made the pitches difficult for batsmen, and Turner loved it! He had some amazing performances:
- He took 10 wickets for 45 runs against Arthur Shrewsbury's team.
- In another match against Shrewsbury's team, he took 16 wickets for 79 runs.
- He also took 11 wickets for 119 runs against G.F. Vernon's team at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground).
Success in England (1888 Tour)
In the English summer of 1888, Charles Turner and fellow bowler John Ferris were incredibly successful. Turner took 10 wickets for 53 runs in Australia's only win in the Test series at Lord's. He also took 9 wickets for 15 runs against an England team in another game. He even showed he could bat, scoring his first century (100 runs) in a match at The Oval.
Later Career and Challenges
After three amazing seasons, it became harder for Turner to keep up his incredible performance. The weather changed, and the pitches in Australia became drier, which made it harder for his type of bowling.
Facing New Conditions
In 1888–89, the weather pattern called El Niño made the pitches dry and less helpful for bowlers like Turner. He still played well, but not as spectacularly as before. However, he was still considered the best bowler for English conditions. In 1890, he took 179 first-class wickets in England.
Business and Speed Measurement
In 1893, during a dry English summer, Turner was still Australia's top bowler, taking 148 wickets. But his business work started to take up more of his time. During this tour, his bowling speed was measured electronically at Woolwich Arsenal. He bowled at 81 feet per second, which is about 55 miles per hour!
Reaching 100 Test Wickets
When England toured Australia again in 1894–95, Turner was close to a big record.
On December 31, 1894, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Turner reached 94 Test wickets. This equaled the record held by Fred Spofforth. Just two days before, an English bowler named Johnny Briggs also reached 94 wickets. So, for a short time, three bowlers held the record together!
First to 100
Turner missed the next Test match, and Johnny Briggs became the first player to take 100 Test wickets on February 1, 1895, at the SCG. Charles Turner became the second player to reach 100 Test wickets on February 4, 1895, in what was his very last Test match. He finished his Test career with 101 wickets.
Turner's Unique Bowling Style
Many batsmen who played against Charles Turner said he was unmatched. He bowled right-handed at a medium-fast pace. He had a smooth and rhythmic run-up to the wicket.
The "Terror" Nickname
Turner was not very tall, about 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm), but he used his body perfectly. He could change the speed of his bowling a lot. He also bowled with great accuracy and a sharp "off-break" (a type of spin that makes the ball turn away from the batsman). This made him extremely difficult to play, especially on wet or "treacherous" pitches. This is how he got his famous nickname, "Terror" Turner.
Life After Playing Cricket
Even after he stopped playing, Charles Turner continued to help cricket in Australia. He worked as an administrator for many years.
Changes in Cricket
He often talked about how much cricket in Australia changed after his playing days. The climate became drier, and pitches were prepared better. Also, from the 1930s, pitches in Shield matches started to be covered, which made them less helpful for bowlers like him. This led to Australian teams relying more on "leg spin" bowlers.
Legacy and Recognition
On January 15, 2007, Charles Turner was honored by being named in the NSW Cricket Team All Time Twelve. This was part of the celebrations for 150 years of the New South Wales Cricket Team.
His ashes are kept in the council chambers of Bathurst. There's also a special plaque at the Bathurst Oval that recognizes all the great things he did for both cricket and his hometown of Bathurst. His family had a long history in Bathurst, owning several hotels, including the Royal Hotel, which is still there today.
