Jack Wilson

Who was Jack Wilson?

John William Wilson was an Australian cricketer who played in one Test in 1956.

A left-arm spinner who delivered the ball at almost medium pace, Wilson was nicknamed "Chuck" or "Chucker" because of the jerkiness of his action, a legacy of a childhood injury. He played once for his home state before moving to South Australia in 1950–51, playing virtually every first-class match for the state side until 1956–57.

He toured England with the 1956 Australian cricket team, but Wisden commented that he "never adapted himself to English conditions" and "lacked finger-spin". He took just 43 wickets on the tour. His one successful match in an undistinguished tour came at Bristol, where he took 12 Gloucestershire wickets for 61 runs in the match, at one point taking six wickets in seven overs for no runs as the county were all out for just 44 in their first innings. His seven for 11 in that innings remained his best bowling performance.

On the way home from England, the Australians played one Test match in Pakistan and three in India. Wilson was picked for the second Indian match at Bombay, did not bat and took only one wicket. He was discarded for the third Test, played on a spinners' wicket at Calcutta.