Australian Ashes Star Dies At 87

A former Australian and Queensland cricketer who was just one of three to set a remarkable bowling record has died.

On Thursday, June, 22, the death of former Queensland and Australian cricketer, Peter Allan, 87, was announced, according to ESPN.

Although he only played in one Test Match, Allan is one of just three men to have claimed the incredible feat of 10 wickets in a Sheffield Shield (Australia’s first-class cricket competition) innings.

Queensland Cricket paid their tribute to him today on social media: ‘Queensland Cricket has today expressed its condolences to the family and friends of former Australian pace bowler Peter Allan who has passed away. Allan, at one stage the State’s all-time leading Sheffield Shield wicket-taker and the only Queenslander to claim all 10 wickets in Shield innings, was 87.’

Allan, originally from Brisbane, Queensland, only ever played one test for his country in the 1965-66 Ashes against England on his home ground, known as the Gabba. He took two wickets, including the prized scalp of England captain Mike Smith.

His test career had had a faltering start when he had previously toured the Caribbean with Australia in 1965 but unfortunately, due to illness, did not get to play in any of the Tests.

However, less than a month later bowled his way into the cricketing history books when he managed the remarkable achievement of taking 10 wickets in innings for Queensland against Victoria in a first-class Sheffield Shield match.

His efforts made him the second man to claim the record and put him up alongside Tim Wall who had done it for New South Wales in 1933. A third player joined the exclusive ’10 wicket club’ in 1967 when Ian Brayshaw did it playing for Western Australia against Victoria. To this day those three alone remain the only ones to take 10 wickets in a Sheffield Shield innings.

Incredibly, Allan also took another 10 wickets in an innings in 1966 in a Brisbane club game. Peter’s impressive first-class statistics also include 12 five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket hauls from 57 matches.

Upon retirement from the game he assumed a variety of roles including with the Brisbane City Council, as a hotel publican.