Wisden obituary
Francis Adams Iredale, the famous New South Wales cricketer, died at North Sydney on April 15. As he had been born on June 19, 1867, he was in his fifty-ninth year at the time of his death. A resourceful batsman, he combined sound defence with good hitting; he could also cut gracefully and vigorously, while in the long-field he was excellent, covering much ground and being a sure catch. He made his first appearance for New South Wales at the age of twenty-one, but it was not until the season of 1894-5 that he began to make a name for himself. Then he did very well against Mr. Stoddart's team, and, maintaining his form, was one of the first men chosen for the trip to England in 1896. Until the latter part of June he did not during that tour perform up to his reputation, but then in quick succession he scored 94 not out v. Notts, 114 v. Yorkshire, 106 v. Hampshire, 171 v. Players, 108 in the Test-match at Manchester, 73 v. Derbyshire and 62 v. M.C.C. During the tour only S. E. Gregory, Darling and Hill had better records, his average for 1,328 runs being 27.32. Coming to England again three years later he made 1,039 runs and averaged 29.68, his largest innings being 115 v. W. G. Grace's XI at the Crystal Palace and 111 v. Middlesex at Lord's. In all Test-matches, both at home and abroad, against England he scored 807 runs with an average of 36.68, his highest effort being 140 against Stoddart's Team at Adelaide in 1894-5. In Australia he made six centuries in big matches, the largest of them--both for New South Wales--being 196 v. Tasmania in 1898-9 and 187 (he scored 80 not out in his second innings) v. South Australia in 1895-6. Playing his last game for his State in 1901-2, he had a short though brilliant career in great matches. From early in 1922 until his death he was Secretary of the N.S.W. Cricket Association, and he also did much journalistic work besides being the author of a very interesting book entitled Thirty-three Years' Cricket. At Sydney in February, 1922, a match between The Australian Eleven and the Rest of Australia was played in his honour, and it brought him in £1,740 10s. 9d.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack