Bob Cristofani
Encyclopedia
Desmond Robert Cristofani, known as Bob Cristofani (14 November 1920 – 21 October 2002), was an Australian cricket
er who played 18 first-class
matches in the 1940s. 14 of those games were for the Australian Services
, three for New South Wales and one for the Dominions
.
His best performances were both for the Australian Services side in the 1945 Victory Tests
against England. In July at Lord's
, in the first first-class match since the break forced by the Second World War, he took 5/49.
With the bat, his solitary hundred came a month later at Old Trafford, when he scored an unbeaten
110 from number eight. He also took 5/55 in the first innings of this match, but England won by six wickets.
Cristofani's century was mentioned in E. W. Swanton
's article "Cricket under the Japs" in the 1946 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
. At the end of his piece, Swanton wrote of his experience shortly after the end of the war and his release from his prisoner of war
camp:
In 1950 Cristofani was employed as a professional by Accrington Cricket Club
of the Lancashire League, and turned in some fine performances, for example his return of 6/23 from 8.7 eight-ball overs as Accrington crushed near neighbours Enfield
.
, as used in the infobox in this article, shows his death as occurring in Fleet
on 21 August 2002. This is backed up by UK government death records showing that a Desmond Robert Cristofani, with the correct date of birth, died in Northeast Hampshire (which contains Fleet) on that date. However, his obituary in the 2003 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
gives his death as occurring one day later, and in Canberra
, Australia
. Cricinfo
follows Wisden in this.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played 18 first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches in the 1940s. 14 of those games were for the Australian Services
Australian Services cricket team
The Australian Services XI was a cricket team comprising solely military service personnel during World War II. They became active in May 1945 after the defeat of Nazi Germany. The team played matches against English cricket sides of both military and civilian origins to celebrate the end of the war...
, three for New South Wales and one for the Dominions
Dominions cricket team
A Dominions cricket team, representing the Dominions of the British Empire, played seven cricket matches, all in England during wartime. Only once did the team play at first-class level, when it played against England at Lord's in late August 1945...
.
His best performances were both for the Australian Services side in the 1945 Victory Tests
Victory Tests
The Victory Tests were a series of cricket matches played in England from 19 May to 22 August 1945, between a combined Australian Services XI and an English national side...
against England. In July at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, in the first first-class match since the break forced by the Second World War, he took 5/49.
With the bat, his solitary hundred came a month later at Old Trafford, when he scored an unbeaten
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
110 from number eight. He also took 5/55 in the first innings of this match, but England won by six wickets.
Cristofani's century was mentioned in E. W. Swanton
E. W. Swanton
Ernest William Swanton CBE is chiefly known for being a cricket writer and commentator under his initials, E. W. Swanton. He worked as a sports journalist for The Daily Telegraph and as a broadcaster for BBC Radio for 30 years. He was a regular commentator on Test Match Special, easily recognised...
's article "Cricket under the Japs" in the 1946 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
. At the end of his piece, Swanton wrote of his experience shortly after the end of the war and his release from his prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp:
I had, by then, already taken my first walk for three and a half years as a free man. We found ourselves in a Thai village on the edge of the jungle. In the little café our hosts politely turned on the English programme. Yes, we were at Old Trafford, and a gentleman called Cristofani was getting a hundred....
In 1950 Cristofani was employed as a professional by Accrington Cricket Club
Accrington Cricket Club
Accrington Cricket Club are a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which play their home games at Thorneyholme Road in Accrington. For the 2011 season their captain is Jimmy Hayhurst and their professional is Ashar Zaidi....
of the Lancashire League, and turned in some fine performances, for example his return of 6/23 from 8.7 eight-ball overs as Accrington crushed near neighbours Enfield
Enfield Cricket Club
Enfield Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at Dill Hall Lane in Accrington. For the 2011 season its captain is Adam Bracewell, and its professional is Werner Coetsee of South Africa. The club has won the league on 5 occasions and the cup on 4...
.
Death
There is a discrepancy in the major sources regarding Cristofani's date and place of death. CricketArchiveCricketArchive
CricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...
, as used in the infobox in this article, shows his death as occurring in Fleet
Fleet, Hampshire
Fleet is a town and civil parish in the Hart district of Hampshire, England, located 37 miles south west of London. It is part of Hart District. The 2007 population forecast for Fleet was 31,687.-History:...
on 21 August 2002. This is backed up by UK government death records showing that a Desmond Robert Cristofani, with the correct date of birth, died in Northeast Hampshire (which contains Fleet) on that date. However, his obituary in the 2003 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
gives his death as occurring one day later, and in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Cricinfo
Cricinfo
ESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
follows Wisden in this.