Monty Noble

Montague Alfred Noble (28 January 1873 – 22 June 1940) was an Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia.

He was the youngest of eight sons of Joseph and Maria Noble, who emigrated from Egham, Surrey, England.

He "made a name" for himself in grade cricket with the Paddington club and first played for New South Wales (NSW) as a teenager.

[1] This cemented his place in the state side, and he was a significant contributor to NSW's consecutive Sheffield Shield victories in 1895–96 and 1896–97.

Noble, whose first-class form had earned him selection,[1] scored 17 in Australia's only innings of 520, then took one wicket as England stumbled to 315 all out.

[2] Wisden would later record on his death that "his patience equalled his skill in defence, while at times he used his height and reach with full effect in driving, pulling, forcing the ball off his legs, and cutting either square or late – a batsman of rare style and execution without any sign of weakness."

In a warm-up match at Hove against Sussex, he scored his career-best 284 in a then world-record partnership of 428 with Warwick Armstrong.

[1] His bowling was viewed as weaker than normal, however Wisden credited his innovative captaincy and field settings.

[1][2] He led his team to England once more in 1909, and reversed a hitherto unsuccessful tour for Australia with innovative captaincy and bowling.

[3] Noble unsuccessfully stood for preselection as the Nationalist Party candidate at the 1931 East Sydney by-election.

Noble in 1932.
Graph of Noble's Test batting performance.