More about Frank

posted by John Winn

'While all the other members of the team returned to England, FW Milligan stayed behind'. Thus reads the last sentence on page 466 of the 1900 Wisden and concludes its report on 'Lord Hawke's Team in South Africa', a tour that began in Cape Town on Christmas Eve with a match against 13 of Western Province and concluded in early April with the second of two matches against South Africa at the same venue.

In my last post I made reference to Frank Milligan who played in both the test matches and who was killed when part of Colonel Plumer's force attempting to relieve Mafeking on March 30th 1900. Thus the match at Newlands was Milligan's last match and a remarkable game it was for England despite being  dismissed for 92 in their first innings won the match by 210 runs. Milligan was dismissed for nought in that innings but batting at eight made 38 useful runs in the second knock. He bowled only two overs in the match but made what Wisden describes as 'an extraordinary catch at long on just securing the ball (while) leaning back on the ropes'. South Africa were bowled out for 35 in their second innings.

Milligan's death is reported in the 1901 Wisden but in fewer than ten lines which seems somewhat parsimonious for a cricketer good enough to represent his country and the Gentlemen and play 95 games for Yorkshire. His last first class match in England was at Scarborough in September 1898 against CI Thornton's XI, a match in which he did not shine but the previous week at the same ground he had taken seven for 61 against The Players in a match won by The Gentlemen. His last championship match was at Hove, a game won by Yorkshire by 192 runs. Spectators at the game would have enjoyed an innings of 179 not out by CB Fry and those favouring the white rose much appreciated 150 by JT Brown. Brown was in decent nick at this time for just a week earlier at Queen's Park Chesterfield he made 300 before being out hit wicket. That 300 was part of what was then the record first wicket stand of 554 made with Tunnicliffe who was out for 243.

Coldham's biography of Lord Hawke gives a fuller picture of Milligan as a cricketer. He is described as 'a cricketer in the nineteenth century mould; all bustle and unthinking aggression He bowled fast, batted with abandon and in the field was a bundle of reckless energy, his whole hearted cricket made him an instant favourite among the crowds'. It is a shame that Wisden could not find space to tell us a little more about such an exciting cricketer.