A workhorse medium pacer of utmost determination and focus, Harry Boyle had a very brief Test career. His success came in England where his brand of bowling worked well on surfaces that were tacky and uncovered. Not blessed with express pace or a bag of tricks, Boyle’s motto with the ball was very simple. He kept plugging away in good areas for a considerable period of time, and it was something that he could do at will for longer periods. Also, Boyle wasn’t worried about getting hit by the batsmen and this self-confidence played a big part in his success.

The tour to England in 1878 was the turning point for him and although the first visit wasn’t particularly encouraging, the experience held Boyle in good stead and by the time he travelled there again, he was ready to roar. Thereafter, he established himself as a bowler of high class and even his Test numbers were brilliant. One of Boyle’s most memorable moments came when he had the great WG Grace clean bowled in a game. Another aspect of Boyle that stood out was his fielding and he could fearlessly field anywhere, particularly close to the batsmen with short mid-on being his preferred area of operation. He was also a natural athlete and was also good at Australian Rules Football in the years before he took to cricket.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan