Freddie Brown (cricketer) - 1950-51 Tour of Australia

1950-51 Tour of Australia

Australia was 151 for seven - and the man wreaking the havoc was F. R. Brown! That was the remarkable part of this afternoon of sensations...one would not expect him to run through a first-class side of batsman, yet here was his name on the board with three Test batsman to his credit at a very small cost and at a very vital stage of the game. With his sun-hat on, a 'kerchief tied round his neck, and an ambling jovially in the field, Freddie Brown lacked only a wisp of straw in his mouth to make him look like the original Farmer Brown.

Jack Fingleton

Perhaps we are sticking our necks out by naming England's captain, Freddie Brown, our Cricketer of the Year? We don't think so. When he was first chosen to lead England all of Australia wondered why. Since then he has inspired his team by his own refusal ever to give up a losing fight. That, for our money, is what makes a real cricketer.

Australian Magazine Cover

England's popular captain did a magnificent job both as an individual unit of the Test team and as captain of it. His unstinted devotion to his job and the unselfish manner in which he delved in with a will when the going was hardest won the admiration of all Australian enthusiasts and met a fitting reward when England emerged victorious from the Fifth Test at the end of the tour.

Bill O'Reilly

Brown led the MCC tour of Australia in 1950-51, they lost the 1950-51 Ashes series 4-1, but won 4 First-Class matches with 7 draws and 2 minor games with another 7 draws. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the Ashes. However, these facts do not tell the whole story as the inspirational Brown exposed flaws in the powerful Australian team. By winning the Fifth and final Test he ended Australia's record of 26 Tests without defeat and paved the way for England's victories in 1953, 1954-55 and 1956. Despite his age (he turned 40 on tour) Brown had the most successful series of any England captain in Australia; Taking 18 wickets (21.61) and making 210 runs (26.25), third in the batting averages (behind Len Hutton and Reg Simpson) and in the bowling averages (behind Trevor Bailey and Alec Bedser). Brown's jovial bonhomie and refusal to admit defeat won him many fans in Australia and he was a magnificent ambassador for the game, a role which the MCC regarded quite as important as sporting success, and the scorer Bill Ferguson said it was the easiest, happiest tour he had been on since 1905. After losing 4-1 to Australia he won 1-0 in New Zealand and beat South Africa 3-1 at home in 1951. At 42 he was recalled to the England team for the 1953 Lords Test, where took 4/82 and hit 50 runs to ensure a vital draw in the year England regained the Ashes. Like many amateur captains he was happy to take advice from the senior professional and 'Brown conferred with Len Hutton before he made a bowling change...there was little room for doubt...that Brown had tremendous respect for Hutton's advice on the cricket field', as well he should as the Yorkshireman was recognised as 'a tactical genius, whose advice was often sought',