Albert Wright (Australian cricketer)

Albert William Wright (24 September 1875 – 23 December 1938) was an Australian cricketer and the 6th Adelaide Oval Curator. He played in 30 first-class matches for South Australia between 1905 and 1920 before taking over the preparation of the Adelaide Oval.^[1][2]

Wright was born on 24 September 1875^[3] to William Henry Wright (1853–1931) and Mary McLean Muirhead (1851–1903).^[4] He grew up in the Adelaide suburb of Norwood,^[5] and was educated at Sturt Street school, but he did not play cricket there. He started cricket with a Sunday school team.^[5]

Wright married Clara Elizabeth Doran in Adelaide on 29 April 1901.^[6] His mother died in 1903 when Wright was 28.^[4]

A leg-spin bowler, Wright began his first-class career at the age of 30 in December 1905.^[7] In his second Sheffield Shield match, he took his best innings figures of 7 for 66 when South Australia beat Victoria.^[8] Five years later he took his best match figures of 11 for 176 (5 for 75 and 6 for 101) in a 285-run victory over New South Wales.^[9]

Wright played first-class cricket for South Australia in 30 matches from 1905 to 1920, finishing with 110 wickets at a bowling average of 30.81, and 242 runs at a batting average of 7.56. After Wright became curator he was able to finish his season of cricket fully.^[10][7]

In 1907 Wright took a position with the ground staff at the Adelaide Oval. Wright was directly under Charlie Checkett as one of his Ground Staff.^[11]

Wright became the curator at the ground in 1920 succeeding George Dunn. Albert held that position until his death in December 1938.^[12][13][2] The first Test pitch he prepared yielded 1,753 runs and 40 wickets in six days during the Ashes series in 1920–21; both captains praised the pitch.^[14][15]

In 1925 after the match against New South Wales and a test match. Wright and his staff gathered 206 Dozen empty bottles. Later in 1927 the New South Wales Captain Complimented Wright for his work and during the years 1923 to 1929 the Adelaide Oval got some heavy modifications and new additions were added to the grounds.^{[16][17][18][19]}

In May 1927 Prince Albert, Duke of York and Elizabeth, Duchess of York visited the Adelaide Oval as a part of the Royal Tour.^[20] There was a school children's demonstration with 12 thousand children at the oval which has attended by 60 thousand. The royal party drove on the Adelaide Oval.^[21][22] In 1934 the Duke of Gloucester visited the Adelaide Oval^[22]

In 1930 during the Carnival the Oval was a mud patch the next time this happened was in 1951 under Curator Stan Williams.^[23]

In May 1935 at around 10pm a boy came up to Wright and said that someone was locked in the carpark when Wright came out William John Tremellen jumped and struck Wright and knocked him to the ground. Tremellen resisted arrest and was charged with assaulting and using insulting words against Wright. Tremellen had to pay a fine of £10 and pay others costs totalling £18.^{[24][25][26][27][28][29][30]}

Wright married Clara Elizabeth Doran (1876–1959) in Adelaide on 29 April 1901.^[6] Wright was 28 when his Mother died in 1903.^[4] Wright was 55 when his father William Wright died in 1931 shortly before Wright's 56th Birthday.^[4] Wright died in Adelaide on 23 December 1938 from a short illness. The Flags at the Adelaide Oval were half mast.^[31] His funeral left his residence on December 25th 1938 at 2:30pm for West terrace cemetery.^{[32][12][14][33]} Wright was survived by his wife, four sons, Albert, Clem, Charles and Lindsay, and two daughters, Florence and Clara.^[12] Wright lived at the Adelaide Oval with his family.^[5]

Wright was succeeded by Stan Williams following Wright's death in 1938.^[34][12] In 2024 the South Australian Cricket Association unveiled an honour board of oval curators featuring the Adelaide Ovals Curators from 1872 to the Present.^[13][2]

• Albert Wright in SACA Avenue of Honour
• Albert Wright at ESPNcricinfo