12 Facts about John Gleeson: Australia’s finger flick spinner

The bent finger or the carrom ball bowling style, originally invented by Jack Iverson, saw itself getting reincarnated as a result of the experimentation of Australian spinner John Gleeson. He used a grip similar to that of the unique “bent-finger” action of Jack Iverson, using two fingers: a bent middle finger and the thumb pressing against the ball on both sides in an attempt to find a new variety of bowling tricks. He was one a small number of Australians who experimented with revolutionary bowling grips in the wake of Iverson’s stay in international cricket. But, unlike, Iverson who was quickly demystified and rendered ineffective at the Test level, his successor Gleeson enjoyed fair amount of success before meeting with the same destiny.

1.Born on:

John William Gleeson was born on 14 March 1938 in Kyogle of the Northern River Region of New South Wales.

2. Early life:

Gleeson was the son of a dairy farmer from Wiangaree in north-eastern New South Wales. However, he grew up in the country town of Tamworth in the New England region

3. Milk cows for strong finger:

Gleeson attributed the finger strength required to bowl with his two-fingered grip to his childhood which he spent milking cows.

4. Tactical prowess:

Gleeson wasn’t a large spinner of the ball and preferred to bowl downwind on a greenish surface, since pace from the wicket. His accuracy resulted in him mainly being used for defensive purposes, rather than an attacking one.

5. Tactics to nullify the mystery:

Gleeson was a tricky bowler but Batsmen developed their own ways to counter his threat. Under the old LBW law, batsmen could not be given out if they were struck outside off stump, allowing batsmen to safely use their pads without offering a shot to nullify his googly.

6. Primary employment:

While playing as a cricketer, Gleeson joined Telecom in 1955 at the age of 17 and retired in 1995 after 40 years of service as the New South Wales internal communications manager for the firm.

7. Prominent debutants:

Gleeson was one of the prominent debutants of the 1966–67 Australian cricket season in the Sheffield Shield, taking 23 wickets in six matches.

8. Four in Five:

In the 1966–67 season, he took four wickets in five balls, including a hat-trick, in a Sydney grade game, before taking 5/28 against Victoria.

9. Test Debut:

Gleeson was selected for the 1967–68 Test series against India in Australia. He made his debut in the 1st Test at Adelaide Oval, taking 2/36 and 2/38. However, he managed less success in the remaining three Tests, taking only five wickets to end with nine at an average of 28.55.

10. The precious right hand:

In 1969–70, when Australia toured South Africa, Gleeson’s value was such that he insured his right hand for A$10,000.

11. The nemesis in Barry Richards:

During the 1969-70 South Africa tour, most of the South Africans were seeing him for the first time and struggled to understand his action and bowling style. However, it was batting legend Barry Richards, the most junior of them at that time, worked him out and demystified him to such an extent that not once in seven innings did Gleeson, who took 19 wickets at 38.94 in the series, could dismiss Richards, as South Africa took a 4–0 series win.

12. Life post-retirement:

Gleeson served on the inaugural governing committee of World Series Cricket.