Stan ‘Napper’ McCabe

Cricket

Stan McCabe was a courageous and stylish right-hand batsman who played all bowling skilfully, but when facing pace, drew from a daring array of hooks, drives and cuts.

The son of a barber from the country town of Grenfell, McCabe was also a splendid fieldsman in any position, and bowled at brisk medium pace.

At the age of 20, McCabe was selected on the 1930 tour of England under Bill Woodfull, playing all five test matches. He made 1,012 runs on that tour at 32.66.

McCabe's most famous innings came at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the 1932 bodyline series when he scored 187 not out, flaying the English attack to all corners of the field. This was the only Test match his parents saw.

Another superlative innings came in the First Test at Trent Bridge in 1938, where McCabe scored 232 not out to save the match. The greatness of this innings can be measured by the fact that Sir Donald Bradman is known to have asked his players in the dressing room to watch McCabe's onslaught, as they would never see the like of it again.

In his 39 Tests for Australia, McCabe scored 2,748 runs at 48.2, and took 36 wickets. 'Napper' also has the distinction of being Mosman Cricket Club's first international player.