Never forget the 'Terror'

At the end of every Australian cricket summer, the Allan Border Medal night is held to honour the previous year’s cricket and also to induct those of the cricketing fraternity who have given great service to the game into the hall of fame.

One name I find curiously absent is a medium-pace bowler who was feared to such an extent that he earned the sobriquet ‘Terror’: Charles Thomas Biass Turner.

Charlie Turner was the most acclaimed fast bowler from Australia in his time, bridging the gap between Spofforth and Joey Palmer to ‘Tibby’ Cotter and Monty Noble. He battled jostled with George Lohmann for billing as the world’s best bowler and kept Australia competitive during that time.

His record makes impressive viewing; 101 test wickets at 16.53, with a best of 7/43; 993 first class wickets at an average of 14.25, with a best of 9/15.

No Australian bowler with more than 100 wickets has a better average. No Australian has claimed more than his 106 wickets in a first class season like he did in the 1887/88 summer.

His first test coincided with the debut of another young and promising bowler, left-armer John ‘Jack’ Ferris. Such was the immediate rapport these two had on their debut that Spofforth, the greatest bowler of the era, retired immediately after this test.

In the eight matches Turner and Ferris played together, they shared a phenomenal 104 wickets. Even more unbelievable, Australia only won one of those matches; at Lords in 1888 where they shared 18 wickets and in Australia’s second innings were the only batsmen to reach double figures.

This was often the story of their careers, as Australia did not have the batting depth to support their two bowling heroes. This would lead to Ferris eventually forsaking Australia to try his luck in England, and he eventually turned out for the old enemy in a match against South Africa, taking 13 wickets in the only test he ever won.

Turner continued to play well for Australia, being supported by Hugh Trumble, Albert Trott and George Giffen. In 1894/95 Ashes series, he was back to his best in a series dominated by Giffen and ‘Honest’ Tom Richardson.

With 18 wickets at 19.39, he was dropped from the team by fellow selectors Jack Blackham and Giffen (Who quickly took the opportunity open the bowling himself) for Tom McKibbin. McKibbin took 2/120 in the must win game that England won to claim the series.

Turner was furious about the lack of support he had received after years without support from his batsmen. He famously roared ‘I’ll never play cricket again’, and he never played test cricket again.

One of my favourite stories relating to Turner was a recollection of a young Bill O’Reilly turning up for a grade training session and being advised by champion spinner Arthur Mailey to change his grip ‘Or you won’t succeed in cricket’.

O’Reilly thanked Mailey for his advice, and at this point Turner, who was present, felt obliged to intervene. He told him to ignore Mailey and, to prove him there was nothing wrong with being different, showed him his grip in which he bent his middle right down to his wrist.

“I hadn’t ever seen it before, and still haven’t’ recalled O’Reilly. Turner really was one-of-a-kind, and needs to be finally given the recognition that his ability and hard work deserved.