History of Yorkshireman Fredrick Sewards Trueman by Arshad Chughtai

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Player:

FS Trueman

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DateLine: 10th June 2006

 

One of the outstanding personalities in post war cricket - the fiery Yorkshireman Fredrick Sewards Trueman after a long time is back in the news again. He has been diagnosed as suffering with cancer and is to undergo a 15 week course of treatment on a condition known as small cell carcinoma. The news has been received with great concern by his fans all over the world including this writer who had followed his performances with deep passion during his playing days. Reportedly 75 year old FS Trueman is in exceedingly good spirit. Performances of the first bowler to claim 300 wickets in Test Cricket are recounted below:

 

FS Trueman was a man of temper and hostility on the field but in full flight was one of the cricket's greatest sights.

 

Paying rich compliments to Fred famous Cricket writer David Frith in his book "The Fastmen" wrote that Fredrick Sewards Trueman, then was received into the hearts of English Cricket followers every where with great warmth and pride and gratitude. By the time his Test career came to close he had talked and gesticulated - but most of all bowled - his way into the hearts of spectators the world over.

 

It is said that Trueman was larger than life character through out the 20 years of first class cricket until 1969, bringing spirit to every match he played. Born on Feburary 6 - 1931 at stainton he made his first class debut far Yorkshire against Cambridge University in 1949. His career tally of first class wickets was 2302 (Average 18.27), claimed 4 hat tricks, 126 time Five wickets in an innings and 25 ten wickets haul in a match. In Test Cricket he was the first bowler to claim 300 wickets and finished with 307 in 67 Tests at an average of 21.54. Had he not fell foul with the selectors it is estimated he could well have grabbed 400 wickets having missed some 35 tests. He had made a sensational debut against India in 1952 claming 29 wickets in only 119.4 overs at an average of 13.31 apiece in the series.

 

He also took his career best in the same series with a devstating display of fast bowling claming 8 for 31 in 8.4 overs in the first innings at old Trafford Manchester. India were bowled out for 58. Out of 20 seasons Fred had claimed 100 wickets in 12. He had also scored three centuries, 26 fifties and had held 438 catches in first class cricket. He was a gifted fiddsman at the shortleg. Incidentally he was also declared as Pipe man of the year 1975.

 

Let us hope and pray that one of the greatest bowler the world has ever been soon regains health.

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2006 smyaserrafique@yahoo.com)