Bill Ponsford
Ponsford on a 1930 signed postcard
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| Full name | William Harold Ponsford | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
19 October 1900 Fitzroy North, Victoria, Australia |
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| Died | 6 April 1991 (aged 90) Kyneton, Victoria, Australia |
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| Nickname | Ponny, Puddin' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting style | Right-hand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling style | Right-arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Opening batsman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 117) | 19 December 1924 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 22 August 1934 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1921–1934 | Victoria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source: CricketArchive, 29 February 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
William Harold "Bill" Ponsford MBE (19 October 1900 – 6 April 1991) was an Australian cricketer. Usually playing as an opening batsman, he formed a successful and long-lived partnership opening the batting for Victoria and Australia with Bill Woodfull, his friend and state and national captain. Ponsford is the only player to twice break the world record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket; Ponsford and Brian Lara are the only cricketers to twice score 400 runs in an innings. Ponsford holds the Australian record for a partnership in Test cricket, set in 1934 in combination with Donald Bradman—the man who broke many of Ponsford's other individual records.
Despite being heavily built, Ponsford was quick on his feet and renowned as one of the finest ever players of spin bowling. His bat, much heavier than the norm and nicknamed "Big Bertha", allowed him to drive powerfully and he possessed a strong cut shot. However, critics questioned his ability against fast bowling, and the hostile short-pitched English bowling in the Bodyline series of 1932–33 was a contributing factor in his early retirement from cricket a year and a half later. Ponsford also represented his state and country in baseball, and credited the sport with improving his cricketing skills.
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