Charlie Macartney Cricket's ‘Governor-General’

Book Details

Peter Sharpham

Hardback, 208 pp.

wallawallapress.com

ISBN 1 876718 78 1

$39.95

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Charles George Macartney, small of stature but powerfully built, was dubbed the ‘Governor-General’ because of his imperious bearing and magisterial play. Macartney was a spectacular hitter who bludgeoned opposition attacks into submission. He was regarded as the best batsmen in the world from 1920 to 1926 and Bradman declared that he was the best number four batsman in history. Macartney was the second batsman to score a Test century before lunch in 1926 when he was 40 and his celebrated 345 against Nottingham in 1921 was scored in less than four hours. Macartney was a cheeky and innovative batsman who played the reverse sweep and loved to smash the ball back at the bowler's eyes. He was also a more than useful slow left arm bowler.

Yet Macartney has been largely neglected. He has not been recognised in Australia's Cricket Hall of Fame, nor is there any symbol of recognition of him at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the home of so many of his triumphs. Peter Sharpham explores some of the reasons why Macartney's achievements have not been properly acknowledged. Perhaps he suffered because he played in the 1920s, regarded as a frivolous decade. Possibly his achievements were overwhelmed by the dominating narratives of the 1930s, Bradman and Bodyline. Perhaps Macartney's self-effacing and complex personality were other reasons for neglect. There are also few striking pictures or film of Macartney in full flight.

Peter Sharpham argues cogently that Macartney should be properly acknowledged as one of Australia's great cricketers. Siberian Test cricketer Bill Brown, who watched Macartney play, endorses Sharpham's case in an eloquent Foreword.

Peter Sharpham was born in Sydney in 1945. He was educated at Epping Public School, Epping Boys' High School and Sydney Teachers' College. At Epping Boys' High School he played rugby in the first XV and cricket in the first XI, receiving Blues at this school in 1962 and 1963. He also played rugby for Eastwood 4th grade and played many games for Sydney Teachers' College, where he trained to become a physical education teacher. He obtained a scholarship to study sports history at Illinois State University where he earned a Masters' degree in 1980. Since the age of twelve, he has been a collector of photographs, programs and other ephemera. His interests include surfing, playing masters cricket, watching rugby and rugby league, mining opals at Coober Pedy, art history and classical music. He holds a postgraduate Diploma in Archives Management from the University of New South Wales where he was awarded a Metcalf Scholarship in 1995. As an author of two cricket biographies and one tour book, he is a member of the Sydney-based Company of Cricket Scribes. He has two sons, Leif and Eric.