Full Name

Frederick George Brooks

Born

May 01, 1883, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India

Died

September 05, 1947, Hermanus, Cape Province, South Africa, (aged 64y 127d)

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Freddie Brooks was educated at Bedford Grammar where he was a superb allround sportsman - he was the Public Schools champion at the 100 yards, 110 yard hurdles, long jump and high jump. He captained the XI and led from the front - his scores of 162 and 196 were the highest made for the school - and was also an outstanding rugby three-quarter. Word of his talent spread to Rhodesia and, aged 19, he was offered a position in the civil service and moved to Salisbury in 1902. He made an immediate impression, scoring 121 in his first outing in club cricket. Within a year he won the first of his Rhodesian tennis singles and athletic sprint titles, and also set the national record for the high jump. Although he was talked about as a potential South African international, Brooks struggled to find enough time to do his talents justice although he made 61 on his first-class debut for Rhodesia against Transvaal.

But he played Currie Cup rugby in South Africa and was controversially left out of the Springbok side which toured England in . Brooks, however, was in England at the time, and after attempts to draft him into the South African side failed, he remarkably found himself selected for England against the Stringboks after a series of outstanding performances. Brooks scored England's only try in a 3-3 draw. He turned down an offer to play against Wales and Scotland, returning to Rhodesia to get married.

His second first-class outing was for Rhodesia against HDG Leveson-Gower's XI in 1909-10; he again made a fifty.

"Brooks was for a number of year's Rhodesia's leading cricketer, athlete, football, rugby and tennis player," wrote Jonty Winch. "He was also one of the country's most respected personalities, serving as Master of the High Court and then Chairman of the Public Service before his death in 1947."

Freddie Brooks Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAve100s50sCtSt
FC2401236130.750210

Bowling

FormatMatBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
FC2000-----000

Debut/Last Matches of Freddie Brooks

FC Matches

Span
1904/05 - 1909/10

Photos of Freddie Brooks

Freddie Brooks