William Bradley (cricketer)

William Bradley

Personal information
Full name	William Francis Bradley
Born	(1867-10-08)8 October 1867 Brisbane, Queensland
Died	7 September 1948(1948-09-07) (aged 80) Ipswich, Queensland
Source: Cricinfo, 5 June 2020

William Francis Bradley (8 October 1867 – 7 September 1948) was an Australian cricketer. He played fifteen first-class matches for Queensland between 1892-93 and 1899-1900 and was the state team's first first-class captain and wicket-keeper.

As of the early 1890s Bradley was considered one of the best batsmen in Brisbane, characterized by patience, and a good wicket-keeper.^[1] He played for the Brisbane Graziers' Cricket Club and in December 1892 he was selected for a series between Graziers' and a Rockhampton XI.^[2][3] It was noted that Graziers' did not have a longstop in place during the series due to Bradley's skill as a wicket-keeper.^[4] Bradley captained Graziers' in the second match of the series.^[5]

Queensland was granted first-class status in the 1892-93 season, and in March 1893 a match between two Queensland sides was played to determine who would be selected for the state's inaugural first-class match. Bradley played in the match and took a catch and a stumping, and was observed to be one of the better batsmen.^[6] He was selected as wicket-keeper and captain of the first state side, which played New South Wales in Brisbane in April 1893. He scored a duck and 13 in the game, but did take a stumping and a catch and captained Queensland to victory by 14 runs.^[7]

In March 1894 Bradley was selected as Queensland's wicket-keeper in their second game, which was against NSW in Sydney, but not as captain, and took two stumpings and a catch,^[8] and in December 1894 he played for Queensland against the touring English Ashes team.^[9] In February 1895 NSW returned to Brisbane and Bradley took one catch and scored 44 and 21,^[10] and he also played in a second tour match against the English team.^[11] In December he continued his streak of representing Queensland in all its first-class games in a match against NSW in Sydney.^[12]

In the 1896-97 season Bradley was selected in a Queensland side which toured New Zealand, playing in five games from December 1896 to January 1897, and notably did not keep wicket for the first time in his first-class career.^[13] He returned to keeping in April 1897 in a game against NSW in Brisbane.^[14] In late 1897 a Brisbane electorate cricket competition was established and Bradley played for the Woolloongabba club in the new competition.^[15]

In February 1898 Bradley played against another English touring team for a combined Queensland and Victoria XI in Brisbane in a game which was drawn by agreement without the Australians batting.^[16] In January 1899 he returned to first-class captaincy leading Queensland in a match against South Australia in Brisbane, which Queensland lost by an innings and 284 runs,^[17] and he played his last first-class match in November against NSW in Brisbane, keeping wicket but not captaining.^[18]

In his professional career Bradley worked in the North Ipswich railway workshops in the sawmills department and in 1919 he participated in a cricket match between the sawmills department and the carriage and wagons workshop department.^[19]

• William Bradley at ESPNcricinfo