Albert Francis Borland (13 December 1901 – 19 July 1961) was a South African cricketer who played first-class cricket for Natal from 1921 to 1933.

Albert Borland
Personal information
Full name
Albert Francis Borland
Born(1901-12-13)13 December 1901
Durban, Colony of Natal
Died19 July 1961(1961-07-19) (aged 59)
Durban, Natal, South Africa
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingLeft-arm
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1920–21 to 1932–33Natal
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 34
Runs scored 751
Batting average 20.29
100s/50s 0/4
Top score 72
Balls bowled 6923
Wickets 104
Bowling average 23.50
5 wickets in innings 3
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 6/34
Catches/stumpings 18/–
Source: Cricinfo, 19 April 2020

Borland was a left-arm bowler whose lower-order batting improved as his career progressed. His highest first-class score was 72 in Natal's victory over Griqualand West in the Currie Cup in 1931–32, when he also took 5 for 51 and 4 for 112.[1] His best bowling figures were 6 for 34 when Natal dismissed Orange Free State in the 1925–26 Currie Cup to win by 235 runs.[2]

Borland's most notable feat was in becoming the first person to take four wickets in consecutive deliveries in South African first-class cricket. In the Currie Cup match against Griqualand West in 1926–27, Griqualand West were 120 for 6 in their first innings when he came on to bowl for the first time in the innings. After an uneventful first delivery, he took wickets with his next four to finish the innings, ending with figures of 0.5–0–0–4.[3] Borland was the 16th first-class player to take four wickets in consecutive deliveries, and as of 2022 the feat has been achieved only 45 times.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Griqualand West v Natal 1931-32". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Natal v Orange Free State 1925-26". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Griqualand West v Natal 1926-27". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  4. ^ "First-Class Four Wickets with Consecutive Balls". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
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