Frank Iredale – Parramatta DCC First International

Francis (Frank) Adams Iredale was born in Surry Hills, Sydney on 19th June 1867 and died at Crows Nest 15th April 1926, aged only 58 years.

Career Statistics:

• Tests – 14 matches, Batting 807 runs @ 36.88 [H.S. 140], Bowling 0 / 3.
• First –class – 133 matches, 6,795 runs @ 33.63 [H.S. 196], Bowling – 6 wickets @ 35.16.
• Test debut – 14th December 1894 vs. England at S.C.G.

The formative years of his life was spent on his father’s orchard in the Hills District. Tall and lean Iredale was described as a stylish and attractive right-hand batsman, although a nervous starter, once settled he played all types of bowling with equal facility, being particularly brilliant behind the wicket where he cut to perfection. He combined sound defence with controlled hitting, a free and elegant front foot player, he drove brilliantly through the offside and was also a part-time energetic medium-fast bowler, and a speedy outfielder and a sure slips catcher.

Iredale was already well-known as a young cricketer of promise, when the NSWCA, in 1893/94 abolished the old unsatisfactory club system under which senior cricket in Sydney then operated and replaced it with a District system requiring a residential qualification by the players. He had joined the powerful Belvidere club, and in 1888/89 made his debut in inter-colonial matches for NSW v. Victoria. In 1892/93 he narrowly missed selection in the Australian team to tour England. By this time, he was playing for the Parramatta Cricket Club that had applied for admission to join the NSWCA’s proposed Electorate competition - to which the club was admitted in 1893/94 as a foundation member under the name of Central Cumberland and Parramatta Electorate Cricket Club. The 1892/93 season also saw the commencement of the Sheffield Shield Competition and Frank Iredale become the first batsman to score a century (101) for NSW against Victoria in that competition.

For Central Cumberland F.A. Iredale was a commanding performer, as a proven first-class player he added authority to the Cumberland team when it entered the new 1893/94 Electorate competition and his elevation to Test cricket in December 1894 was widely celebrated by the club and the local community – he will forever hold the stage as ‘Our First International’. 

‘Noss’ Iredale played Electorate cricket for Central Cumberland from 1893/94 to 1896/97, during that period he scored 1,468 runs @ 58.72, this average remains the highest for any batsman in the club’s history who has scored in excess of a thousand runs. He scored 5 centuries for Central Cumberland, the highest being 156 v. North Sydney in 1895/96. In the same season Iredale scored 140 v. Burwood and in the process shared a club record 2nd wicket partnership of 333 runs with B. W. Farquhar (223). He also registered 124 v. University in 1895/96. His two stellar seasons for the club were 1894/95 where in only eight innings he produced 400 runs @ 80.00, and 1895/96 he backed up with 484 runs @ 80.66 in only 7 innings – excellent statistics in the days of uncovered pitches.

In his Cumberland days his fast medium bowling was somewhat sparingly utilized, and he claimed only 16 wickets @ 27.68, the highlight being the snaring of a hat-trick against Burwood in 1895/96 – the same game in which he featured in the huge partnership with Farquhar – the only instance of a player scoring a century and taking a hat-trick in the same game for Parramatta.

The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, 26th January 1895 – under the heading “Testimonial to Mr. Frank Iredale”, stated:

“A public meeting was held in the Parramatta School of Arts on Monday evening to consider the desirability of recognising in some way the recent brilliant batting performances of Mr. Frank Iredale, a member of the Central Cumberland Electorate team, in the Test matches against Mr. Stoddart’s English Eleven. The Mayor of Parramatta (Mr. J. W. Withers) occupied the chair, and among those present were Messrs. Dowell O’Reilly MP, H.M. Todhunter, S.R. Walford, J.J. Miller, J.C. Wilson, E.J. Brown, G.H. Mobbs, P.H. Robilliard, H.M. Dennis, H. Miller, and R.S. Richardson.

The mayor, in opening the meeting, said he was very pleased to preside. This game of cricket was one that should be supported and encouraged in every way, and their champion exponent of the game Mr. Iredale, was most unassuming, notwithstanding the prominence which his clever performances with the bat had brought him into. It was something for Parramatta to be proud of that her representative did so well against the team of English cricketers. In a way, Mr. Iredale’s performances had brought Parramatta prominently before the world, as his name was identified with the old town”.

In first-class cricket, his reputation advanced in spectacular fashion in the season1894/95. A fine 133 run out for NSW against England won him selection for Australia, and on debut he scored 81 and 5 at the SCG. He followed this up with 68 in Melbourne, and 140 at Adelaide to cement his Test position. In 1895/96, Iredale produced a wonderful double for NSW against South Australia, in scoring 187 and 80 not out, winning a place in the Australian team to tour England. He was slow to acclimatise and failed to be selected in the first test. He responded with a brilliant run of scores 94 not out, 114, 106 and 171, and was quickly reinstated into the 2nd Test team and rewarded the selectors good faith with 108 runs in the first innings.

With the residential rule operating Frank Iredale was lost to Cumberland in 1897/98 and transferred to Waverley, he later played for North Sydney and was a foundation member of the Gordon Club.

Iredale was always interested in cricket administration and was over time a delegate to the NSWCA from Central Cumberland, North Sydney and Gordon. He was an Australian selector at a particularly stormy period, when the Board of Control and leading players were fighting for administrative supremacy in the matter of team selection and control, and in 1922 was appointed Secretary of the NSWCA.

Frank Iredale will always remain a Parramatta Legend, a man of firsts – Our first International, our first century scorer in 1st Grade Electorate Cricket in 1893/94, holder of the club’s highest career batting average for anyone who has scored over 1,000 runs in 1st grade for the club.

By Tom Wood – Parramatta District Cricket Club Historian