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Australia pays tribute to Brown

March 18, 2008 12:18 IST

Cricket Australia paid tribute to cricketer Bill Brown, who died on the weekend in Brisbane.

Brown, who was baggy green cap number 150, made his Test debut at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, in June 1934, making 22 and 73.

He was Australia's oldest Test cricketer and last pre-World War 2 Test cricketer, and leaves Ron Hamence, Sam Loxton, Arthur Morris and Neil Harvey as the last surviving members of Sir Donald Bradman's famous Invincibles side of 1948.

CA chairman Creagh O'Connor, in expressing condolences to Bill Brown's wife Barbara, sons Peter, Geoffrey, Steve, family and friends, said on Tuesday that Australian cricket had lost a good friend and great character.

"Bill was a fine cricketer, good enough to carry his bat while making a double century at Lord's, and will always be honoured as a member of the extraordinary Invincibles," he said.

"But those of us who had the good fortune to meet and know him in more recent years will also remember him with great affection as an impish wit and good-humoured servant of the game, always ready to lend his assistance."

One of his last public duties was to officially unveil the restored Sheffield Shield at the Sir Donald Bradman Oration in Brisbane in November 2006, where attendees were treated to his repartee with Ian Healy.

Brown, who was born on July 31, 1912, played for New South Wales, being run out for a duck without facing a ball on debut, and Queensland. The right-hander represented Australia in 22 Tests between 1934 and 1948, with war service with as an RAAF Flight Lieutenant interrupting his international career.

He made 1592 Test runs at 46.82 with four centuries, captained Australia in what was later awarded status as the first Australia-New Zealand Test in 1946, and in later years served as a Queensland and as an Australian selector. He was awarded an OAM for services to cricket in 2000.

Image: Bill Brown with former Australia captain Steve Waugh talk during the Test cricketers Cap Presentation Reunion media call at the Marriott Hotel in Sydney, on  July 11, 2003.

Photograph: Nick Laham/Getty Images

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