Mumbai: Former Australian Leg Spinner John Gleeson passes away on Saturday in Tamworth, northern New South Wales at the age of 78.
John Gleeson represented the Australian team between the year 1967 to 1972 and featured in the total number of 29 Test matches for his country. The spinner claimed 93 wickets at an average of 36.20. The spinner came into the limelight in the year 1966-67 when he snapped the telly of 23 wickets in the games of the shield field games.
Although, in the upcoming years the folded spinner lost his touch and soon he was out of the scheme of Australia selector. Ian Chappel announced the death news of the Greeson during a commentary in a domestic match. Although. Greeson has a minor International career, but his first class record is exceptional where he claimed 430 wickets at an average of 24.95 in just 116 matches.
“He’s sadly passed away in the Tamworth hospital, aged 78,” former Australian captain, Ian Chappell confirmed to the media.
Chappell while remembering Gleeson said, “The folded finger-spinner they called him. He came from Tamworth, started out his cricket life as a wicketkeeper and he fiddled around flicking these balls … I think he started with a table tennis ball, and developed into a very fine finger spinner.”
“I spoke to him the other day, he’d come to grips with his situation and his last words were to me, Don’t fret, mate, I’m in good shape” Chappell added.
Gleeson was the 242nd Australian to wear the Baggy Green and took 93 wickets, with a career average of 36.2. He had a top score of 45 in Test cricket.
It is a descend of a forgotten legend and though not very famous his contribution in Australian cricket will always be remembered.