Malcolm Francke
Personal information
Full name
Fredrick Malcolm Francke
Born (1939-03-21) 21 March 1939
Mount Lavinia, Colombo, Ceylon
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLegbreak googly
Career statistics
Competition First-class List A
Matches 61 12
Runs scored 696 50
Batting average 10.54 12.50
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 37* 26
Balls bowled 12,090 636
Wickets 178 17
Bowling average 31.02 22.47
5 wickets in innings 8 0
10 wickets in match 1 0
Best bowling 6/62 4/23
Catches/stumpings 31/– 4/–
Source: CricketArchive, 3 February 2023

Fredrick Malcolm Francke (born 21 March 1939) is a former Australian first-class cricketer who played for Queensland.

A leg spinner, Francke played for Ceylon in 1957/58, and worked and played cricket in England for several years prior to migrating to Australia. He reports having had offers to play first-class county cricket in England but chose not to because it would have been a full-time commitment requiring him to suspend his career as an accountant. He represented Queensland from 1971/72 to 1985/86, making his debut against a touring World XI side.[1] Francke dismissed Clive Lloyd twice and also took the wickets of captain Rohan Kanhai and Sunil Gavaskar. He went on to take a total of 167 career first class wickets for Queensland with an innings best of 6 for 62 against South Australia in 1974.

In a 1977 article Ian Chappell called Francke "a very steady type of spinner, with good line and length, but I can't really see him bowling out Test batsmen. As well, he is getting on in years."[2]

He appeared to have played his last game in 1980 but made a return 6 years later to play in the 1985/86 Sheffield Shield season.[3][4]

In 1975 he was part of a rebel tour of South Africa, playing for the Brian Close-led DH Robins XI.

Leading Australian spinner Ashley Mallett considered Francke to be the best legspinner in Australia during his time and was disappointed Francke never played Test cricket.[5] He had been mentioned in particular as a test chance in 1972/73[6] and 1973/74[7] and 74/75.[8]

In September 2018, he was one of 49 former Sri Lankan cricketers felicitated by Sri Lanka Cricket, to honour them for their services before Sri Lanka became a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ "Six team changes by Queensland". The Canberra Times. 17 November 1971. p. 32. Retrieved 15 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ Chappell, Ian (January 1977). "England 1977... Ian Chappell Predicts". Cricketer. p. 21.
  3. ↑ "Qld reels against Sth Australia". The Canberra Times. 23 December 1985. p. 36. Retrieved 15 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Kiwi top-order puts India on the slide". The Canberra Times. 24 January 1986. p. 1 Section: SPORTS SECTION. Retrieved 15 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ Mallett, p. 158.
  6. ↑ "WEST INDIES TOUR Test hopes have days left". The Canberra Times. 15 December 1972. p. 22. Retrieved 15 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "Queensland hopes rest on Chappell". The Canberra Times. 6 February 1974. p. 28. Retrieved 15 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "Test selectors prefer experienced players". The Canberra Times. 25 November 1974. p. 16. Retrieved 15 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "Sri Lanka Cricket to felicitate 49 past cricketers". Sri Lanka Cricket. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "SLC launched the program to felicitate ex-cricketers". Sri Lanka Cricket. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.

Sources

  • Mallett, A. (1993) Clarrie Grimmett: The Bradman of spin, University of Queensland Press: Brisbane. ISBN 0 7022 2531 2.
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