T. N. Cole

T. N. Cole

Thomas Nicholas Cole (12 July 1844 – 27 January 1924) was an umpire in one Test match in Australia .

Cole was born in Australia.

His sole Test match as umpire was the 1st Ashes Test played between Australia and England at the Adelaide Oval in December 1884, when the Australian captain Billy Murdoch refused to accept the experienced English player and administrator James Lillywhite as umpire. This was also the only Test match umpired by fellow Australian umpire Isaac Fisher.

A timeless Test, the match lasted four days, starting on 12 December and ending on 16 December, with 14 December as a rest day. Despite the batting prowess of Australia's Percy McDonnell (124 and 83 out of Australia's totals of 243 and 191), England won by 8 wickets, with Bobby Peel taking 8 wickets in the match (3/68 and 5/51) and Billy Bates 5/51 in Australia's first innings. The Australian side had been weakened by the absence of Fred Spofforth and Billy Midwinter; George Giffen played despite suffering from rheumatism, and Alec Bannerman damaged his finger attempting to stop a ball in the field and was absent hurt in the Australian second innings.

Cole died in Australia.