Duncan Anderson

For the fictional character, see Duncan P. Anderson.

Duncan Anderson

Personal information
Birth name	James Duncan Anderson
Born	(1931-12-17)17 December 1931 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	19 August 1996(1996-08-19) (aged 64) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Australian rules football career Personal information Position(s) Full-forward Playing career1 Years Club Games (Goals) 1950–1953 University 80 (390) 1954 Old Melburnians 16 (75) Representative team honours Years Team Games (Goals) 1950–1954 Victoria (amateur) 8 (??) 1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1954. Career highlights VAFL Section A premiership player: 1952 4× University leading goalkicker: 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 Old Melburnians leading goalkicker: 1954
Cricket information
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off spin Right-arm medium pace
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1955	Oxford University Cricket Club
First-class debut	11 May 1955 Oxford University Cricket Club v Yorkshire
Last First-class	14 May 1955 Oxford University Cricket Club v Warwickshire
Career statistics
Competition FC Matches 2 Runs scored 4 Batting average 4 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 4* Balls bowled 216 Wickets 4 Bowling average 29.50 5 wickets in innings 0 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 4/68 Catches/stumpings 3/–
Source: CricketArchive, 12 August 2008

James Duncan Anderson (17 December 1931 – 19 August 1996) was an Australian footballer and first-class cricketer.

Sporting career

Anderson played as a full-forward in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) from 1950 to 1954. He played four seasons with the University Blues, followed by a season with the Old Melburnians. He was noted for his prolific goalkicking and was the leading goalkicker in Section A in every season he played in, the only player to have done so. He was the vice-captain of the club during the 1952 season, where the Blues went on win their first Premiership title, defeating Ormond in the Grand Final, with Anderson scoring ten of the twenty goals that Blues put past Ormond. He took on a dual role in the 1953 season, acting as both captain and coach of the club, as the Blues finished as runners-up. Anderson also represented Victoria as an amateur in eight matches, including at the 1951 and 1953 AAFC Carnivals.

In August 1954, Anderson left Australia to study in the United Kingdom, attending Magdalen College, Oxford. In December, he was named Blue of the Game in the annual Australian rules match between Oxford and Cambridge, where he played alongside future Prime Minister Bob Hawke. In May 1955, he played cricket in first-class two matches for Oxford University. His highest score of 4* came against Warwickshire. His best bowling of 4/68 came against Yorkshire.

Despite having not played competitive football for two years, Anderson appeared in a demonstration match at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was selected to play in a team representing the Victorian Amateur Football Association against a combined team of players from the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the Victorian Football Association (VFA). Although the combined VFL/VFA team were favoured to win the match, some football journalists backed the VAFA team, citing Anderson's performances at both team training and in a "special" practice match as reasons for a potential upset. On 7 December, the VAFA team were victorious, defeating the combined team by 26 points. Anderson finished the match with three goals.

Death

In later life, Anderson moved to Canberra, working for the ANZ bank. He died in August 1996 after a short illness.

See also

• Australian football at the 1956 Summer Olympics

External links

• James Anderson at ESPNcricinfo