Obituaries in 1961

BARING, MR. FRANK ALBERT, who died in Melbourne in December, aged 69, was a prominent cricketer in Australia between 1911 and 1923 and after the death of Victor Trumper in 1915 was regarded as the best batsman in the country on bad pitches. Tall, he used his reach in playing fast bowling and drove and pulled with splendid power. He was also a useful off-break bowler. He played most of his cricket with the East Melbourne Club and represented Victoria in a number of matches, scoring 1,846 for the State at an average of 34.18, with a highest innings of 131 against New South Wales in 1918-1919. He also played football for Victoria and baseball for East Melbourne.

MAYNE, MR. EDGAR RICHARD, who died in Melbourne on October 27, aged 78, was one of the best opening batsman produced by Australian cricket. A tall, stylish player, he excelled in the cut and the drive. He captained Victoria and South Australia in the Sheffiled Shield competition, in which he scored 3,464 runs, average 34.64. First appearing for South Australia in 1906, he joined Victoria in 197, and in 1923 he (209) and W. H Ponsford (248) set up a first wicket record for the state by scoring 456 against Queensland at Melbourne. Mayne played four test matches for Australia, one each against England and South Africa in the 1912 Triangular Tournament in England, and two in South Africa in 1921, and he also visited America and New Zealand with Australian teams.