Portal:University of Oxford/Selected biography/43

Bernard Bosanquet (1877–1937) was an English cricketer. He is best-known for inventing the googly, a delivery designed to deceive the batsman. When bowled, it appears to be a leg break, but after pitching the ball turns in the opposite direction to that which is expected, behaving as an off break instead. Bosanquet played cricket for Eton College and whilst at Oriel College, Oxford. He played with moderate success as a batsman who bowled at fast-medium pace for Oxford University between 1898 and 1900. While playing a tabletop game, Bosanquet devised a new technique for delivering a ball, later christened the "googly", which he steadily practised during his time at Oxford. He then played first-class cricket for Middlesex. Having gone on several minor overseas tours, Bosanquet was selected in 1903 for the Marylebone Cricket Club tour of Australia. During that tour, he made his Test debut for England and although his batting was unsuccessful, he did well as a bowler and troubled all the opposing batsmen. He appeared in seven Test matches for England as an all-rounder. He was chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1905. (more...)