Richard Townsend (sportsman)
Encyclopedia
Richard James Bruce Townsend (12 August 1886 - 17 January 1960) was an Australian sportsman who represented South Australia
in both
Australian rules football
and cricket
. He played for Norwood
in the South Australian Football League
(SAFL) and Sheffield Shield cricket for the South Australian cricket team
.
Townsend was in his mid 30s when he established a spot for himself in the state cricket team, by which time his football career had ended. He had been one of the best pre-war players in the SAFL, playing in Norwood's 1904 and 1907 premiership sides. An interstate representative at the 1908 Melbourne Carnival
, Townsend had one of his best league seasons in 1909 when he topped the SAFL goal-kicking list
. In 1911 he was Norwood's leading goal-kicker for the second time and in 1912 he won their "Best and Fairest" award. He continued playing after the war, by which time he was a veteran of the club and was rewarded with the captaincy in 1920, his final season. Norwood made it all the way to the grand final that year but lost to North Adelaide.
With his football career almost over, Townsend was recalled to the South Australian cricket team in 1918/19, after an eleven year gap between appearances. He had previously, in 1907/08, played a Sheffield Shield match, where he didn't bowl yet batted far down the order at nine. His role this time was more clear and in his return match, against Victoria
, he took 5-27 in the their second innings and opening the batting in the first.
Although he was an all-rounder
, he only once passed 50 in 17 first-class
matches. That innings coincided with one of his best ever bowling performances, in the 1921/22 Shield season against New South Wales
at Adelaide Oval
. He took seven wickets in total for the match, five of them in the first innings, and put together scores of 46 and 117 with the bat. The 46 had equaled his highest first-class score and his century, made in the fourth innings, was made with 18 boundaries. His innings helped South Australia to a score of 406 but it wasn't enough for victory as they fell 17 runs short. He had nonetheless become just the third South Australian cricketer to take a five wicket haul and score a century in the same first-class match. Eight of the nine previous instances that feat had been achieved for South Australian were from Norwood footballer and Test cricketer George Giffen
.
After his last first-class match, in 1923/24, Townsend continued playing grade cricket for Sturt
until his retirement in 1928.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in both
Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. He played for Norwood
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
in the South Australian Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SAFL) and Sheffield Shield cricket for the South Australian cricket team
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
.
Townsend was in his mid 30s when he established a spot for himself in the state cricket team, by which time his football career had ended. He had been one of the best pre-war players in the SAFL, playing in Norwood's 1904 and 1907 premiership sides. An interstate representative at the 1908 Melbourne Carnival
1908 Melbourne Carnival
The 1908 Melbourne Carnival was the inaugural Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition. It was known at the time as the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival as it commemorated 50 years of Australian rules football.-Teams:The Victorian team was...
, Townsend had one of his best league seasons in 1909 when he topped the SAFL goal-kicking list
Ken Farmer Medal
The Ken Farmer Medal is named in honour of the Australian rules footballer , North Adelaide Football Club full forward Ken Farmer. The medal is awarded to the SANFL's top goalkicker at the end of the minor round of matches each season and was instigated in 1981.- Ken Farmer Medallists :- Leading...
. In 1911 he was Norwood's leading goal-kicker for the second time and in 1912 he won their "Best and Fairest" award. He continued playing after the war, by which time he was a veteran of the club and was rewarded with the captaincy in 1920, his final season. Norwood made it all the way to the grand final that year but lost to North Adelaide.
With his football career almost over, Townsend was recalled to the South Australian cricket team in 1918/19, after an eleven year gap between appearances. He had previously, in 1907/08, played a Sheffield Shield match, where he didn't bowl yet batted far down the order at nine. His role this time was more clear and in his return match, against Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
, he took 5-27 in the their second innings and opening the batting in the first.
Although he was an all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
, he only once passed 50 in 17 first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches. That innings coincided with one of his best ever bowling performances, in the 1921/22 Shield season against New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
at Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
. He took seven wickets in total for the match, five of them in the first innings, and put together scores of 46 and 117 with the bat. The 46 had equaled his highest first-class score and his century, made in the fourth innings, was made with 18 boundaries. His innings helped South Australia to a score of 406 but it wasn't enough for victory as they fell 17 runs short. He had nonetheless become just the third South Australian cricketer to take a five wicket haul and score a century in the same first-class match. Eight of the nine previous instances that feat had been achieved for South Australian were from Norwood footballer and Test cricketer George Giffen
George Giffen
George Giffen was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. An all-rounder who batted in the middle order and often opened the bowling with medium-paced off-spin, Giffen captained Australia during the 1894–95 Ashes series and was the first Australian to score 10,000 runs and...
.
After his last first-class match, in 1923/24, Townsend continued playing grade cricket for Sturt
Sturt Cricket Club
The Sturt Cricket Club is a semi-professional cricket club in Adelaide, South Australia. It competes in the South Australian Grade Cricket League, which is administered by the South Australian Cricket Association ....
until his retirement in 1928.