Vernon Ransford

Vernon Ransford

Ransford in 1909
Personal information
Born	20 March 1885 South Yarra, Melbourne, Australia
Died	19 March 1958 (aged 72) Brighton, Melbourne, Australia
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Slow left-arm orthodox
International information
National side	Australia
Test debut (cap 91)	13 December 1907 v England
Last Test	1 March 1912 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1903/04–1927/28	Victoria
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 20 142 Runs scored 1,211 8,268 Batting average 37.84 42.39 100s/50s 1/5 25/32 Top score 143* 190 Balls bowled 43 1,692 Wickets 1 29 Bowling average 28.00 30.62 5 wickets in innings 0 1 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 1/9 6/38 Catches/stumpings 10/0 74/0
Source: Cricinfo, 8 August 2021

Ransford was a smooth and stylish left-handed batsman who could score with ease all round the wicket or defend patiently as the situation required. He played for Victoria from 1904 to 1928. He was also an outstanding fieldsman, who could pick up and throw the ball in one movement and with great accuracy.

Ransford's best Test series was the 1909 tour of England when he topped the Australian batting averages, helped by a career best score of 143 not out, finishing with 353 runs at an average of 58.83. On the whole tour he made 1783 runs at an average of 43.48, and hit six centuries. The following year he was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

He toured New Zealand with Australian teams in 1913-14 and in 1920-21, when he captained the side. He also toured New Zealand with Victoria in 1924-25.

After retiring from playing Ransford served as President of the Melbourne Football Club in 1927/28, and secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club (where he had played his domestic cricket) from 1939 to 1957, ably steering the club and its ground, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, through the ground's use as a military camp in World War II and its later use as the chief venue for the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was awarded the OBE in the 1954 Queen's Birthday Honours.