Harry Price (cricketer)

Harry Price

Personal information
Full name	Reuben Henry Price
Born	27 April 1922 London, United Kingdom
Died	26 February 1991 (aged 68) Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Batting style	Left-handed batsman
Bowling style	Left-arm fast-medium
Role	Opening bowler
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1949–1955	Western Australia
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 26 Runs scored 378 Batting average 13.50 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 33 Balls bowled 5807 Wickets 93 Bowling average 27.39 5 wickets in innings 4 10 wickets in match 1 Best bowling 5–49 Catches/stumpings 11/0
Source: CricketArchive

Reuben Henry "Harry" Price (27 April 1922 – 26 February 1991) was an Australian cricketer who played for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield.

Price was born in London in 1922, with his family emigrating to Australia a few years later, settling in Margaret River, Western Australia.^[1][2] One of his younger brothers, Wally Price, played football for West Perth, and represented Western Australia at football.^[3]

Price, who usually opening the bowling, was a left-arm fast-medium bowler and one of Western Australia's best from the 1950s. He was at his peak in the 1950/51 Sheffield Shield season, when he took 24 wickets at 18.41, which was twice as many as the state's next best Charlie Puckett and equal fifth most by any bowler that summer.^[4]

In Western Australia's home match against Queensland that season, Price had a large role in a tense 19 runs win, despite coming into the side due to an injury. He took 5 for 68 in the first innings, with the fifth wicket coming from a hit wicket. Earlier in the innings, off his first three overs of the match, Price had three catches dropped off his bowling.^[5] Chasing 229 for victory, Queensland were well placed at 5-154, albeit with only 80 minutes remaining on the final day. After taking the new ball, Price dismissed all-rounder Colin McCool and wicket-keeper Ernest Toovey off successive deliveries.^[6] Queensland batsman Lawrence Chapman survived the hattrick but was trapped leg before wicket the very next ball to give Price a third wicket in the space of four balls. Price would secure the win soon after, dismissing Mick Raymer with just 16 minutes to spare, giving him a 10 wicket haul.^[7] It had been just his third first-class match for Western Australia and was the performance that secured a spot his spot in the team.

Some of his best performances came against touring international teams. In 1951/52 took seven wickets in a first-class match against the West Indies, with three in the first innings and four in the second.^[8] The following season he opened the bowling against South Africa and returned match figures of 6 for 94.^[9]

He was also a Western Australian state representative as an Australian rules footballer, which he played for Claremont in the West Australian National Football League.^[10] A defender, he featured in both of Western Australia's 1949 wins over South Australia, from the back pocket.

His early cricket career had been interrupted by World War II, during which time he served as a corporal on the island of Morotai in the Dutch East Indies.^[11]

References

1. Hall of Fame Inductees – wafootball.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
2. Townsend, John (2012).Falcons' pommy promo impresses – The West Australian online. Published 17 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
3. SPORTING FAMILY – The West Australian. Published 30 June 1953. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
4. "Bowling in Sheffield Shield 1950/51 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive.
5. The West Australian, "Missed Catches Fail to Deter Price", 19 December 1950. p. 14
6. "Western Australia v Queensland". CricketArchive.
7. The West Australian, "Dramatic Shield Win By State Team", 21 December 1950. p. 1
8. "Western Australia v West Indians". CricketArchive.
9. "Western Australia v South Africans". CricketArchive.
10. The West Australian, "Price Resting", 27 April 1951. p. 21
11. "WW2 Nominal Roll: Price, Reuben Henry". Australian Government.