Bernard Bosanquet

Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet was a former English cricketer who is better known as the acclaimed inventor of the googly style of bowling. He was a right handed batsman and a leg-break bowler. Bosanquet was born in Middlesex in England and attended the Eton College to represent the Uxbridge Cricket Club. While attending his college, he was also part of the college’s Ice Hockey Club as the captain of the squad.

Bosanquet was quite good at cricket right from his college days and he acquired three Blues when he was playing for the Oxford University Cricket Club. The Blue is an award given to a sportsperson, men or women, at the university level and also in some schools when they attain the highest level of competition. The awards were initiated by the Cambridge and Oxford Universities. Bosanquet made his debut at test matches in 1903 when he was selected to play against Australia at Sydney. He played test matches until 1905 which included seven matches in all.

His bowling average for test matches was 24.16 with a best figure of 8 wickets for 107 runs. He invented the googly style of bowling that resembles a lot to leg-break but is turned into for the right handed batsman. Bosanquet also led the national batting averages in the year 1908 with superb performances like scoring 214 runs off 195 minutes.

In 136, Bosanquet passed away in Surrey, England.

Career Highlights

He was named the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1905.