Australian Cricket Captains Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dave Gregory

Gregory was born into a cricketing family in 1845 at Fairy Meadow in New South Wales. Primarily a right-hand batsman, he also bowled fast right-arm. England being the only other Test-playing nation at the time and the boat journey taking months, he played only 3 Tests scoring a modest 60 runs at 20, and taking no wickets from 20 balls bowled. Modest statistics indeed, but the first of a line of greats.

Answer: Joe Darling

Joseph "Joe" Darling CBE (21 November 1870-2 January 1946) scored 1657 runs at 28.56, including 3 centuries. His highest score was 178. He played against a new Test cricketing nation at the time, South Africa. His career was interrupted several times, owing to his duties as a farmer. There were no full-time cricketers in those days.

Answer: Warwick Armstrong

Warwick Windridge Armstrong (22 May 1879-13 July 1947) played 50 Test matches between 1902 and 1921 as an all-rounder. His career was interrupted by World War I. He had the satisfaction as captain of inflicting the first 5-0 'whitewash' on the 'Old Enemy' England.

A right-hand batsman, he scored 2863 Test runs at 38.68, including 6 centuries with a top score of 159* (* denotes not out). His right-arm leg-spin bowling yielded 87 wickets at 33.59 runs per wicket.

Answer: Bill Woodfull

William Maldon "Bill" Woodfull OBE (22 August 1897-11 August 1965) while not as flamboyant as others on his team, was able to mold a 'weak' Australian team into a formidable unit. With his fellow Victorian, Bill Ponsford, he faced the unfair 'bodyline' bowling tactics employed by English captain Douglas Jardine to combat the batting genius of Don Bradman.

This involved placing 7-8 fieldsman behind the batsman's back and bowling short, fast deliveries at the batsman's body. The batsman had several choices. Either duck, get hit, or play and get caught out. No helmets in those days.

A right-hand batsman, he scored 2300 runs at 46.00 with 7 centuries.

Answer: Don Bradman

Sir Donald George Bradman, AC (27 August 1908-25 February 2001) was undoubtedly the greatest batsman in the history of the game. The 'Don' as he was known, scored an amazing 6996 runs, being dismissed first ball for a 'duck' in his final innings, where a 4 would have given him the magical career average of 100.00.

A right-hand batsman, he scored 29 Test centuries, with a top score of 334 and took 2 wickets. A tribute to his greatness is the fact that the 'Bodyline' style of bowling was developed specifically to combat his skill.

As captain, he led the so-called 'Invincibles' to England.

Answer: Richie Benaud

Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE (born October 6, 1930 in Penrith, New South Wales) along with Alan Davidson a great fast bowler, helped Australia regain the world cricket supremacy it lost during the early 1950s. A right-hand middle order batsman and handy leg-spin bowler, he concentrated on 'positive cricket', often risking a loss in search of a win.

He scored 2201 runs at 24.45 with 3 centuries with a top score of 122, and took 248 wickets at 27.03 (an Australian record for some years). Since retirement, he has been the face of Australian Cricket Television coverages.

Answer: Bob Simpson

Robert Baddeley Simpson AO (born 3 February 1936) made his Test debut in 1956. A right-hand batsman and useful leg-spin bowler, he took some time to score his maiden test century, making the most of it to go on to 311. He scored 10 centuries in total, scoring 4869 runs at an average of 46.81 and taking 71 wickets at 42.26.

He was also an excellent slips fielder, taking 110 catches. Retiring in 1968, he came back to lead a young Australian team in 1977, with some success.

Answer: Ian Chappell

Ian Michael Chappell (born 26 September 1943) was a pugnacious right-hand batsman who enjoyed 'getting up the noses' of opposing players. His grandfather, Vic Richardson, and brother, Greg, also captained Australia while younger brother Trevor is best remembered (not fondly in New Zealand) for bowling the infamous 'underarm' delivery to deny NZ a chance of victory. Ian scored 5345 runs at 42.42 with 14 centuries, and took 20 wickets at 65.80. Also an excellent slips fielder, he took 105 catches.

Answer: Allan Border

Allan Robert Border, AO (born 27 July 1955) was born in New South Wales, where he started his cricket career. He later moved to Queensland, helping them to their first-ever victory in the Sheffield Shield competition, arguably the strongest domestic competition in World cricket.

He relieved Kim Hughes of captaincy of a struggling Australian team in 1984 and retained the position until 1994, amassing too many records along the way to list here. With the assistance of coach John Buchanan, he developed a team that dominated the world stage for years.

He scored 11,174 runs at 50.56 with 27 centuries and took 39 wickets at 39.10. Add to this 156 catches, and you have a truly remarkable cricketer who led from the front as captain.

Answer: Ricky Ponting

Ricky Thomas Ponting (born 19 December 1974 in Launceston, Tasmania) is a right-hand batsman and brilliant fielder. He was captain from 2003 until 2011, when he resigned the captaincy, but kept playing until 2013. Career statistics include a staggering 13,378 Test runs at an average of 51.85, with a top score of 257. Bowling figures include 5 wickets at an average of 54.6, having bowled all of 575 balls.

He took 195 catches.