Albert William Wright (24 September 1875 – 23 December 1938) was an Australian cricketer and pitch curator. He played in 30 first-class matches for South Australia between 1905 and 1920 before taking over the preparation of the Adelaide Oval.[1]
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Albert William Wright | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Adelaide, Australia | 24 September 1875||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 23 December 1938 Adelaide, Australia | (aged 63)||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm leg-spin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1905/06–1920/21 | South Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 5 July 2023 |
Life and career
editWright was a leg-spin bowler who began his first-class career at the age of 30 in December 1905. In his second Sheffield Shield match, he took his best innings figures of 7 for 66 when South Australia beat Victoria.[2] Five years later he took his best match figures of 11 for 176 (5 for 75 and 6 for 101) in a 285-run victory over New South Wales.[3]
In 1907 Wright took a position with the ground staff at the Adelaide Oval. He became the curator at the ground in 1920 and held that position until his death in December 1938.[4] The first Test pitch he prepared yielded 1,753 runs and 40 wickets in six days during the Ashes series in 1920–21; both captains praised the pitch.[5][6]
Wright married Clara Elizabeth Doran in Adelaide in April 1901.[7] He died in Adelaide in December 1938, survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Albert Wright". Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Victoria v South Australia 1905-06". Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "New South Wales v South Australia 1910-11". Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Noted Maker of Wickets". Advertiser: 18. 24 December 1938.
- ^ "Alby Wright Dies after a Short Illness". News: 5. 23 December 1938.
- ^ "3rd Test, Adelaide, January 14 - 20, 1921, England tour of Australia". Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "Marriages". Express and Telegraph: 4. 29 June 1901.