Sid Emery

Sidney Hand Emery (15 October 1885 – 7 January 1967) was an Australian cricketer who played in four Tests in 1912. He played first-class cricket for New South Wales from 1908 to 1912.

Life and career Sid Emery, nicknamed "Mad Mick" by his teammates, was an unusually fast leg-spin and googly bowler who spun the ball prodigiously, making his bowling erratic and unpredictable. In 1909-10 he opened the bowling for New South Wales and took 7 for 28 and 5 for 85 against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield. He toured New Zealand with the Australian side later that season, playing in all six first-class matches, including two against New Zealand, and taking 22 wickets at an average of 16.13. A week later, against Surrey, he took 6 for 54 and 5 for 81. Australia won both matches easily. He played in two Tests against England and two against South Africa during the tour, but with little success, and finished the tour with 67 first-class wickets at an average of 23.89.

Emery was also a member of the Australian team that toured North America between May and September 1913. He played no further first-class cricket after the tour. The English Test batsman C. B. Fry described Emery as the world's "best-worst" bowler. A. G. Moyes wrote that "Emery on his day was a devastating bowler. He bowled his bosies faster than any other man I have seen, and when he found his length was as close to unplayable as any bowler within memory, but the trouble was that he did not find it, or keep it, often enough."

Emery worked for the Sydney Tramways, retiring in April 1950 owing to failing eyesight.