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Ernest Raymond Herbert Toshack (8 December 1914 – 11 May 2003) was an Australian cricketer who played in 12 Tests from 1946 to 1948. A left arm medium paced bowler who was known for his accuracy and stamina in his application of leg theory, Toshack was best known for being as member of Don Bradman's ''Invincibles'' that toured England in 1948 without incurring a defeat, where he reinforced Australia's new ball attack of Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller. Born in 1914, Toshack overcame many obstacles to reach international level cricket. He was orphaned as an infant, and his early cricket career was hindered because of financial difficulties caused by the Great Depression. The Second World War prevented Toshack from competing at first-class level until he was into his thirties. In 1945–46, the first season of cricket after the end of the War, Toshack made his debut at first-class level and after only seven matches in the Sheffield Shield he was selected for Australia's tour of New Zealand. In Wellington, he opened the bowling in a match that was retrospectively classed as an official Test match. Toshack became a regular member of the Australian team, playing in all of its Tests until the 1947–48 series against India. He took his career-best match bowling figures of 11/31 in the First Test but began to suffer recurring knee injuries, and a medical board had to approve his selection for the 1948 England tour. Toshack played in the first four Tests before being injured. After a long convalescence, he attempted a comeback during Australia's 1949–50 season, but further injury forced him to retire. He was a parsimonious bowler, who was popular with crowds for his sense of humour. ==Early years== Born in the New South Wales bush town of Cobar on 8 December 1914, he was one of five children born to a stationmaster, but was orphaned at the age of six.〔Pollard (1990), p. 5.〕〔 He was raised by relatives in Lyndhurst, in the northwest of the state and played his early cricket and rugby league for Cowra. At this stage of his life, Toshack's ambition was to play rugby league for Australia. One of his childhood friends, Edgar Newham, also played both sports and wanted to play Test cricket. However, the town's doctor, a local community leader, advised them that they were targeting the wrong sport, and the two boys followed his recommendation. Newham later played rugby league for Australia.〔 In his youth he was also a boxer, and earned the nickname "Johnson" for his dark-skinned resemblance to American black heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. In the mid-1930s, he made brief appearances for the State Colts and Second XI,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/7960.html )〕 and played cricket against the likes of Stan McCabe,〔 an inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. In December 1933, Toshack played in a colts match for New South Wales against Queensland. He took 3/63 and 3/36 but was unable to prevent a five-wicket defeat.〔 He then took a total of 3/88 in a match for New South Wales Country against their city counterparts, and was promoted into the state's Second XI.〔 Toshack took a total of 1/91 in a match against the Victorian Second XI and did not play for his state again until 1945.〔 His cricket aspirations, already hindered due to economic difficulties caused by the Great Depression, were further interrupted when he was wheelchair-bound for months after a ruptured appendix in 1938.〔 He was not allowed to enlist in the Australian Defence Force during World War II and worked at Lithgow's Small Arms factory, in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Only at the end of the war, aged 30 did he go to Sydney. At the time, he was a medium-fast left-arm bowler and approached Petersham—as Toshack lived in their locality, they had the right to register him ahead of other clubs. They did not select Toshack, so he joined Marrickville in Sydney Grade Cricket, starting in the third grade team in 1944–45.〔 Within two matches, he rose to the first grade team.〔 By this time, Petersham regretted their decision to spurn Toshack and lodged a complaint with the cricket authorities, claiming that he was obliged to represent them and ineligible to play for Marrickville.〔 Toshack later recalled that Petersham were "told where to go".〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ernie Toshack」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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