Rated by former Australian captain and fellow Channel Nine commentator, the late Richie Benaud, the quickest bowler he had seen, former England quickie Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson passed away on Sunday in a hospital on Australia's Gold Coast. He was 85.
– Australia: Bangladesh tour on hold due to concerns
He appeared in only 17 Tests from 1954 to 1959, but he claimed 76 wickets at a very low average of just 18.57, with a strike rate of 45.42 – the best by an English bowler since World War II.
The high point of his rather short career was his 28 wickets @ 20.82 in the five match Ashes Test series of 1954/55 in Australia. England won the Ashes 3-1 after losing the opener at Brisbane by an innings & 154 runs. But came back to win the next three and with some luck could have won the final Test too at Sydney, but rain intervened as the home side escaped with a draw. England's hero in the series was undoubtedly Tyson, whose 7/27 at the MCG destroyed Australia in the second innings. This spell is still regarded by many as one of the quickest ever bowled on Australian soil. In the previous Test at SCG the home side chasing a target of just 223 runs, fell short by 38 runs, thanks to Tyson's 6/85.
An extremely educated man, Tyson graduated in English literature from Durham University. He emigrated to Australia after retiring from Test cricket. He taught English, French and history at Melbourne's Carey Baptist Grammar School for a brief period. He also had a stint as a cricket commentator with radio and Channel Nine. He also coached Victoria before retiring and moving to the Gold Coast.
His career in numbers is given below:
| Full name | Frank Holmes Tyson |
|---|---|
| Born | June 6, 1930, Farnworth, Lancashire, England |
| Died | September 27, 2015, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia (aged 85 years) |
| Main teams | England (1954-1958/59) |
| Northamptonshire (1952-1960) | |
| MCC (1954/55-1959) | |
| Batting | Right-hand lower order batsman |
| Bowling | Right-arm fast bowler |
His first-class and Test career
Batting & fielding
| Format | Mts | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | 50s | Cts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 17 | 24 | 3 | 230 | 37* | 10.95 | 0 | 4 | |
| First-class | 244 | 316 | 76 | 4103 | 82 | 17.09 | 13 | 85 | |
| Bowling | |||||||||
| Format | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/R | 5wi | 10wm |
| Tests | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 8.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 |
| First-class | 244 | 38173 | 16030 | 767 | 860 | 20.89 | 49.77 | 34 | 5 |
His Test bowling summary
| Oppponent | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/r | 5wi | 10wm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 8 | 1724 | 810 | 32 | 727 | 25.31 | 53.88 | 2 | 1 | |
| South Africa | 4 | 1010 | 358 | 22 | 628 | 16.27 | 45.91 | 2 | 0 | |
| New Zealand | 4 | 582 | 186 | 17 | 416 | 10.94 | 34.24 | 0 | 0 | |
| Pakistan | 1 | 136 | 57 | 5 | 435 | 11.40 | 27.20 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 8.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 |
| In each Country | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/r | 5wi | 10wm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| in Australia | 7 | 1640 | 776 | 31 | 727 | 25.03 | 52.90 | 2 | 1 | |
| in England | 4 | 838 | 349 | 20 | 628 | 17.45 | 41.90 | 1 | 0 | |
| in New Zealand | 4 | 582 | 186 | 17 | 416 | 10.94 | 34.24 | 0 | 0 | |
| in South Africa | 2 | 392 | 100 | 8 | 640 | 12.50 | 49.00 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 8.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 |
| His Home/Away record | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/r | 5wi | 10wm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| away | 13 | 2614 | 1062 | 56 | 727 | 18.96 | 46.68 | 3 | 1 | |
| home | 4 | 838 | 349 | 20 | 628 | 17.45 | 41.90 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 8.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 |
| His record each calendar year | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/r | 5wi | 10wm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 3 | 620 | 347 | 16 | 685 | 21.69 | 38.75 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1955 | 7 | 1636 | 641 | 42 | 727 | 15.26 | 38.95 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1956 | 2 | 156 | 56 | 1 | 134 | 56.00 | 156.00 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1957 | 1 | 320 | 78 | 8 | 640 | 9.75 | 40.00 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1959 | 4 | 720 | 289 | 9 | 323 | 32.11 | 80.00 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 8.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 |
| His record in each team innings | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/r | 5wi | 10wm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st team innings | 17 | 2351 | 1018 | 35 | 435 | 29.08 | 67.17 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2nd team innings | 15 | 1101 | 393 | 41 | 727 | 9.58 | 26.85 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 8.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 |
| Series-wise | Opponent | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/r | 5wi | 10wm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Pakistan | 1 | 136 | 57 | 5 | 435 | 11.40 | 27.20 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954-55 | Australia+ | 5 | 1208 | 583 | 28 | 727 | 20.82 | 43.14 | 2 | 1 |
| 1954-55 | New Zealand+ | 2 | 294 | 90 | 11 | 416 | 8.18 | 26.73 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | South Africa | 2 | 618 | 258 | 14 | 628 | 18.43 | 44.14 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | Australia | 1 | 84 | 34 | 1 | 134 | 34.00 | 84.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-57 | South Africa+ | 2 | 392 | 100 | 8 | 640 | 12.50 | 49.00 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958-59 | Australia+ | 2 | 432 | 193 | 3 | 120 | 64.33 | 144.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958-59 | New Zealand + | 2 | 288 | 96 | 6 | 323 | 16.00 | 48.00 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 8.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 | |
| + indicates away series |
His bowling record for each first-class side he represented
| For team | Mts | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Best | Ave | S/r | 5wi | 10wm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northamptonshire | 170 | 26102 | 10998 | 525 | 860 | 20.94 | 49.72 | 25 | 3 | |
| MCC | 39 | 6201 | 2424 | 124 | 668 | 19.54 | 50.01 | 3 | 0 | |
| England | 17 | 3452 | 1411 | 76 | 727 | 18.56 | 45.42 | 4 | 1 | |
| EW Swanton's XI | 4 | 771 | 365 | 20 | 528 | 18.25 | 38.55 | 2 | 1 | |
| Players | 5 | 474 | 194 | 6 | 215 | 32.33 | 79.00 | 0 | 0 | |
| Commonwealth XI | 2 | 327 | 201 | 5 | 453 | 40.20 | 65.40 | 0 | 0 | |
| England XI | 2 | 288 | 126 | 3 | 229 | 42.00 | 96.00 | 0 | 0 | |
| Rest of England | 2 | 234 | 119 | 3 | 17 | 39.66 | 78.00 | 0 | 0 | |
| TN Pearce's XI | 2 | 216 | 128 | 3 | 27 | 42.66 | 72.00 | 0 | 0 | |
| North of England | 1 | 108 | 64 | 2 | 246 | 32.00 | 54.00 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 244 | 38173 | 16030 | 767 | 860 | 20.89 | 49.77 | 34 | 5 |
