by Sumit Gangopadhyay

The legendary all-rounder Frank Tarrant was born on Dec 11, 1880

He played regular first class cricket for Victoria, Middlesex, MCC, and in India for the Europeans and Patiala. He also turned out for the Maharaja of Cooch Behar.

In Calcutta he played for the Dalhousie Club.

It was on the invitation of Maharaja Rajinder Singh of Patiala that this professional cricketer arrived in India. Following this he coached several Indian cricketers.

It was due to the inter-relational problems between Australia and England that this sterling performer did not play Test cricket.

However, he amassed 17952 runs in 329 First-Class matches at 36.41 with 33 hundreds and 93 half-centuries. With a highest score of 250 not out.

With the ball he captured 1512 wickets at 17.49. His best bowling figures of 10 for 90 was the first instance of a bowler taking all ten in an innings in India. Five more have done it after him. In that same match he hit an unbeaten 182. He ended with 133 five-fors and 38ten wicket hauls.

He also stood as umpire in two Tests, in Bombay and Calcutta, during the 1933-34 India-England series.

(translated from Bengali by Arunabha Sengupta)