Basil Melle
Encyclopedia
Dr
Basil George von Brandis Melle (31 March 1891 – 8 January 1966) was a South African cricketer
. Melle was a right-handed batsman who bowled leg break
and medium pace
. Melle was one of the earliest leg theory
bowlers.
Melle made his first-class debut for Western Province in 1909 against Eastern Province
. Melle played nine first-class matches for the province from 1909 to 1911, with his final match for the province coming against Transvaal
. In his nine matches for Western Province he scored 439 runs at a batting average
of 31.35, with 2 half centuries and a single century score of 145 against Griqualand West
in 1911.
In 1911 Melle played single first-class matches for The Rest against Transvaal and for PT Lewis' XI against LJ Tancred's XI.
Melle later moved to England
to study at Oxford University, where he represented the University cricket team
. Melle made his debut for the University in 1913 against HK Foster's XI. Melle represented the University in 15 first-class matches from 1913 to 1914, before first-class cricket was suspended due to the onset of the First World War. Melle's final match for the University came against Cambridge University
at Lord's
. In his 15 matches for the University Melle scored 497 runs at a batting average of 20.70, with three half centuries and a high score of 72 against Sussex
in 1913. With the ball Melle took 74 wickets at a bowling average
of 20.04 with six five wicket hauls, one ten wicket haul in a match and best figures of 7/48 against the Marylebone Cricket Club
in 1913. Melle led the Universities averages in 1913 with 55 wickets at an average of 15.90. The same year he gained his Oxford Blue.
In 1914 Melle made his debut for Hampshire
in the County Championship
against Essex
. Melle played 3 matches for the county before the war and a further 24 after the war from 1919 to 1921. In his 27 appearances for Hampshire, Melle scored 1,207 runs at an average of 29.43, with six half centuries and a single century score of 110. During his time with Hampshire his bowling had declined to such an extent that it was seldom used in matches. Still, Melle took 25 wickets an average of 42.96, with two five wicket hauls and best figures of 5-70 against Kent
in 1919.
While in England Melle played a single first-class match for the Free Foresters
against Oxford University in 1919. He also represented the Marylebone Cricket Club
in two first-class matches against Oxford University and Cambridge University in 1919.
Melle returned to South Africa at some point after 1921. In 1923 he joined Transvaal
where he made his debut for them against Orange Free State
in the 1923/24 Currie Cup. Melle represented Transvaal three times in competition, with his final first-class match coming against Western Province. Melle scored 161 runs at an average of 32.20, with a single half century score of 59 against Natal. Melle took 8 wickets for the province at an average of 20.50, with one five wicket haul of 5/47 against Natal.
In Melle's overall first-class career he scored 2,535 runs at an average of 27.55, with 13 half centuries, 3 centuries and a high score of 145. With the ball he took 114 wickets at a bowling average of 25.71, with nine five wicket hauls, a single ten wicket haul in a match and best figures of 7/48. In the field Melle took 33 catches.
Melle died at Johannesburg
, Gauteng
, on January 8, 1966.
played Test cricket
for South Africa as well as first-class cricket for Transvaal and Western Province.
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Basil George von Brandis Melle (31 March 1891 – 8 January 1966) was a South African cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
. Melle was a right-handed batsman who bowled leg break
Leg break
A leg break is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. A delivery of a right-handed leg spin bowler. Leg breaks are also colloquially known as leggies or wrist spinners, as the wrist is the body part which is primarily used to impart spin on the ball, as opposed to the fingers in the case of...
and medium pace
Seam bowling
Seam bowling is a phrase used for a bowling technique in cricket whereby the ball is deliberately bowled on to its seam, to cause a random deviation. Practitioners are known as seam bowlers or seamers....
. Melle was one of the earliest leg theory
Leg theory
Leg theory is a bowling tactic in the sport of cricket. The term leg theory is somewhat archaic and seldom used any more, but the basic tactic still plays a part in modern cricket....
bowlers.
Melle made his first-class debut for Western Province in 1909 against Eastern Province
Eastern Province cricket team
Eastern Province cricket team is the team representing the Eastern Province in domestic first-class cricket in South Africa.-Honours:* Currie Cup - 1988–89, 1991–92; shared - 1989–90* Standard Bank Cup - 1989–90, 1991–92...
. Melle played nine first-class matches for the province from 1909 to 1911, with his final match for the province coming against Transvaal
Transvaal cricket team
Gauteng cricket team is the first-class cricket team of the province of Gauteng in South Africa....
. In his nine matches for Western Province he scored 439 runs at a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 31.35, with 2 half centuries and a single century score of 145 against Griqualand West
Griqualand West cricket team
The Griqualand West cricket team is the first-class cricket team that represents the province of Griqualand West in South Africa. For the purposes of the SuperSport Series, Griqualand West has merged with Free State to form the Eagles from October 2004....
in 1911.
In 1911 Melle played single first-class matches for The Rest against Transvaal and for PT Lewis' XI against LJ Tancred's XI.
Melle later moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to study at Oxford University, where he represented the University cricket team
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
. Melle made his debut for the University in 1913 against HK Foster's XI. Melle represented the University in 15 first-class matches from 1913 to 1914, before first-class cricket was suspended due to the onset of the First World War. Melle's final match for the University came against Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
. In his 15 matches for the University Melle scored 497 runs at a batting average of 20.70, with three half centuries and a high score of 72 against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
in 1913. With the ball Melle took 74 wickets at a bowling average
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
of 20.04 with six five wicket hauls, one ten wicket haul in a match and best figures of 7/48 against the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
in 1913. Melle led the Universities averages in 1913 with 55 wickets at an average of 15.90. The same year he gained his Oxford Blue.
In 1914 Melle made his debut for Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
. Melle played 3 matches for the county before the war and a further 24 after the war from 1919 to 1921. In his 27 appearances for Hampshire, Melle scored 1,207 runs at an average of 29.43, with six half centuries and a single century score of 110. During his time with Hampshire his bowling had declined to such an extent that it was seldom used in matches. Still, Melle took 25 wickets an average of 42.96, with two five wicket hauls and best figures of 5-70 against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
in 1919.
While in England Melle played a single first-class match for the Free Foresters
Free Foresters Cricket Club
Free Foresters Cricket Club is an English amateur cricket club, established in 1856 for players from the Midland counties of England. It is a 'wandering' club, having no home ground....
against Oxford University in 1919. He also represented the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
in two first-class matches against Oxford University and Cambridge University in 1919.
Melle returned to South Africa at some point after 1921. In 1923 he joined Transvaal
Transvaal cricket team
Gauteng cricket team is the first-class cricket team of the province of Gauteng in South Africa....
where he made his debut for them against Orange Free State
Orange Free State cricket team
The Free State cricket team is the first-class cricket team representing the province of Free State in South Africa....
in the 1923/24 Currie Cup. Melle represented Transvaal three times in competition, with his final first-class match coming against Western Province. Melle scored 161 runs at an average of 32.20, with a single half century score of 59 against Natal. Melle took 8 wickets for the province at an average of 20.50, with one five wicket haul of 5/47 against Natal.
In Melle's overall first-class career he scored 2,535 runs at an average of 27.55, with 13 half centuries, 3 centuries and a high score of 145. With the ball he took 114 wickets at a bowling average of 25.71, with nine five wicket hauls, a single ten wicket haul in a match and best figures of 7/48. In the field Melle took 33 catches.
Melle died at Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
, on January 8, 1966.
Family
Melle's son Michael MelleMichael Melle
Michael George Melle was a South African cricketer who played in seven Tests from 1950 to 1953....
played Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for South Africa as well as first-class cricket for Transvaal and Western Province.
External links
- Basil Melle at CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
- Basil Melle at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...
- Matches and detailed statistics for Basil Melle