Barlow Carkeek

Barlow Carkeek
Personal information
Full name	William Carkeek
Born	17 October 1878; Walhalla, Victoria
Died	20 February 1937 (aged 58); Prahran, Victoria
Nickname	Barlow
Batting	Left-handed
Role	Wicket-keeper
International information
National side	Australia;
Test debut (cap 101)	27 May 1912 v South Africa
Last Test	19 August 1912 v England
Domestic team information
1903/04–1913/14	Victoria
Career statistics
	Source: Cricinfo, 10 September 2022
Years
Playing career1
Years	Club
1899–1902;1905–1907	Richmond (VFA)
1903–1905	Essendon
	1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1907.
	Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

William "Barlow" Carkeek (17 October 1878 – 20 February 1937) was an Australian sportsman who played Test cricket for Australia and first-class cricket for Victoria, as well as playing Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League (VFL) for Essendon.

"Barlow"

Carkeek, generally known otherwise as "Bill", earned the nickname "Barlow" among the Australian cricketing community, because his batting style was reminiscent of Dick Barlow, the notoriously defensive opening batsman for England and Lancashire.

Cricket

Principally played as a wicketkeeper, "Barlow" Carkeek was also a stolid, defensive left-hand batsman. He played for Victoria for 10 years from 1903 to 1914, and was rated as steady rather than spectacular.

He toured England in 1909 as the second wicketkeeper to Sammy Carter and returned in 1912 as first choice on the tour that was blighted by the dispute between Australia's leading Test players and the Australian Board of Control and the consequent unavailability of many players. It was on this tour that he played his six Test matches, three each against England and South Africa in the Triangular Tournament. He scored only 16 runs and took just six catches.

Australian rules football

A blacksmith by trade, Carkeek also played 26 top-class Australian rules football games, kicking 8 goals, for Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1903 to 1905.^[1]

He also played for Richmond in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) before and after his stint with Essendon. He left Essendon after the fourth home-and-away match of the 1905 VFL season; he returned to Richmond, and played in the 1905 Richmond winning VFA Grand Final Team.^[2]

Death

Carkeek died as the result of the injuries he sustained when he was struck by a motorist when crossing Point Nepean Road, opposite Hurlingham Park in the Melbourne suburb of East Brighton, in heavy rain during a thunderstorm on 20 February 1937.^[3] Taken by ambulance to the Alfred Hospital, he died several hours later.^[4]^[5] He was buried on 22 February 1937 in the Cheltenham Memorial Park (Wangara Road).^[6]

Notes

^ Brydon Coverdale Australia's Winter Allrounders: XI Test Cricketers who played Australian Rules football at the highest level, Cricinfo, 28 May 2007.
^ He was also a regular member of the Richmond Team that won the VFA Premiership in 1902; however, in 1902, the premiership was simply awarded to the team at the top of the ladder at the end of the season – thus, no "Grand Final" match was played in 1902.
^ His injuries included a fractured skull, a lacerated scalp, and a broken nose: Weekend Tragedies: Death After Accident: Former International Cricketer, The Age, (Monday, 22 February 1937), p. 12.
^ Deaths: Carkeek, The Age, (Monday, 22 February 1937), p. 1.
^ W. Carkeek's Death: Finding at Inquest, The Age, (Wednesday, 7 April 1937), p. 20.
^ Funeral Notices: Carkeek, The Age, (Monday, 22 February 1937), p. 1.

Sources

W. Karkeek Killed: Noted 'Keeper, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 24 February 1937), p. 8.
Hogan, P., The Tigers of Old, Richmond FC, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8

External links

Barlow Carkeek's playing statistics from AFL Tables
Barlow Carkeek at AustralianFootball.com
William "Barlow" Carkeek, at The VFA Project.
Barlow Carkeek at ESPNcricinfo

[1] Brydon Coverdale Australia's Winter Allrounders: XI Test Cricketers who played Australian Rules football at the highest level, Cricinfo, 28 May 2007.

[2] He was also a regular member of the Richmond Team that won the VFA Premiership in 1902; however, in 1902, the premiership was simply awarded to the team at the top of the ladder at the end of the season – thus, no "Grand Final" match was played in 1902.

[3] His injuries included a fractured skull, a lacerated scalp, and a broken nose: Weekend Tragedies: Death After Accident: Former International Cricketer, The Age, (Monday, 22 February 1937), p. 12.

[4] Deaths: Carkeek, The Age, (Monday, 22 February 1937), p. 1.

[5] W. Carkeek's Death: Finding at Inquest, The Age, (Wednesday, 7 April 1937), p. 20.

[6] Funeral Notices: Carkeek, The Age, (Monday, 22 February 1937), p. 1.

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