Bill Johnston (cricketer)

Bill Johnston

Personal information
Full name	William Arras Johnston
Born	(1922-02-26)26 February 1922 Beeac, Victoria, Australia
Died	25 May 2007(2007-05-25) (aged 85) Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
Nickname	Big Bill
Batting style	Right-hand
Bowling style	Left-arm orthodox spin or fast medium
Role	Specialist bowler
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1945–1955	Victoria
Career statistics
Competition Tests FC Matches 40 142 Runs scored 273 1129 Batting average 11.37 12.68 100s/50s 0/0 0/0 Top score 29 38 Balls bowled 11048 34576 Wickets 160 554 Bowling average 23.91 23.35 5 wickets in innings 7 29 10 wickets in match 0 6 Best bowling 6/44 8/52 Catches/stumpings 16/0 52/0
Source: Cricketarchive.com, 29 February 2008

William Arras Johnston (26 February 1922 – 25 May 2007) was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles". Johnston headed the wicket-taking lists in both Test and first-class matches on the tour, and was the last Australian to take over 100 wickets on a tour of England. In recognition of his performances, he was named by Wisden as one of its Cricketers of the Year in 1949. The publication stated that "no Australian made a greater personal contribution to the playing success of the 1948 side". Regarded by Bradman as Australia's greatest-ever left-arm bowler, Johnston was noted for his endurance in bowling pace with the new ball and spin when the ball had worn. He became the fastest bowler to reach 100 Test wickets in 1951–52, at the time averaging less than nineteen with the ball. By the end of the season, he had played 24 Tests and contributed 111 wickets. Australia won nineteen and lost only two of these Tests. In 1953, a knee injury forced him to remodel his bowling action, and he became less effective before retiring after aggravating the injury in 1955. In retirement, he worked in sales and marketing, and later ran his own businesses. He had two sons, one of whom became a cricket administrator. Johnston died at the age of 85 on 25 May 2007.

Johnston took up cricket from an early age, playing with his elder brother Allan throughout the year on a backyard pitch on the family's dairy farm, owned by his father. Beeac's local team, which competed in the Colac District Association, occasionally had difficulty in assembling a full side. As a result, Johnston made his debut aged only twelve alongside his brother after an invitation from his schoolteacher. On debut, when a draw became a foregone conclusion, Johnston was allowed to bowl the final over, taking a wicket maiden. The following season, the brothers led Beeac's attack, continuing to do so after moving to Colac High School, where Bill became captain of the cricket and football teams and a prefect. Johnston left school at sixteen, working in Colac, before following Allan to Melbourne in 1939. He joined Richmond Cricket Club in the Third XI and took 6/16. After five games he was promoted to the Second XI, and made his first grade debut in the last game of the 1939–40 season. The following season, when nineteen, he was selected for Victoria's Sheffield Shield match against Queensland, but the Pearl Harbor attacks forced the cancellation of competitive cricket and the match did not go ahead. Johnston joined the Royal Australian Air Force along with his brother, serving for four years as a radar technician in northern Australia. It was at training camp that he first met Keith Miller. Johnston was not posted overseas, unlike his brother, who died in a plane crash in Ireland.