page_title: Warwick Armstrong
section_title: Captain
hierarchical_section_title: Warwick Armstrong / Representative cricket / Captain
caption_attribution_description: English: Image of 1920 Australian cricket team Back row: Warren Bardsley, Jack Ryder, Stork Hendry, Jack Gregory, Edgar Mayne, Tommy Andrews, Sydney Smith (manager) Sitting: Arthur Mailey, Edward McDonald, Herbie Collins, Warwick Armstrong (captain), Charlie Macartney, Hanson 'Sammy' Carter, Johnny Taylor. Front: Clarence Pellew and Bill Oldfield
context_page_description: Warwick Windridge Armstrong was an Australian cricketer who played 50 Test matches between 1902 and 1921. An all-rounder, he captained Australia in ten Test matches between 1920 and 1921, and was undefeated, winning eight Tests and drawing two. Armstrong was captain of the 1920–21 Australian team which defeated the touring English 5–0: one of only three teams to win an Ashes series in a whitewash. In a Test career interrupted by the First World War, he scored 2,863 runs at an average of 38.68, including six centuries, and took 87 wickets. He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2000.
  Armstrong was a large man and was known as the "Big Ship". He was not a stylish batsman but his strokeplay was effective, with a sound defence and temperament. He bowled leg spin with a gentle action and while not a big turner of the ball, he relied on accuracy to dismiss opponents. He made his Test debut in 1902 against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and was selected to tour England later that year where he was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. That was the first of four tours of England.
context_section_description: When international cricket resumed after the Great War, Armstrong, now over forty years of age, was appointed captain of a strong Australian team boosted by the inclusion of players such as Jack Gregory and Herbie Collins who had starred in the Australian Imperial Forces cricket team.  Armstrong was much older than many of his teammates and was the subject of some awe; Gregory describing him as "my ideal cricketer". The English team, captained once again by Johnny Douglas was no match for the Australians, who won all five Tests in the 1920–21 series, completing the first and only Ashes whitewash for 86 years on 1 March. Armstrong was masterful throughout the Test series.  He scored 474 runs at an average of over 77 including three centuries; 158 in Sydney, 121 in Adelaide and 123 not out in Melbourne. Before going out to bat in the second innings at Sydney, he was seen, "padded up, [drinking] whisky with his mates at the members' bar".
  Armstrong remained unpopular with the Board of Control. Despite Armstrong's triumphs, it was reported that he was only appointed captain of the 1921 Australian team to tour England by "the narrowest possible margin". On the voyage to England, Armstrong attempted to lose some weight by spending some time each day in the stokehold of the ship.  On arrival, however, he weighed in 4 pounds (2 kg) heavier. Against English teams badly affected by the Great War, the Australians dominated the series.  Armstrong marshalled his troops well, utilising Gregory and Ted McDonald to devastating effect.  Australia won the first Test in two days, the second Test by lunch on the third day and the third Test and the Ashes by 5.00 pm on the third day. Throughout the tour, Armstrong fought a series of running battles against the Board appointed manager, Syd Smith, on behalf of his men.  Smith, looking to cut overheads, had suggested boarding with wealthy cricket devotees; Armstrong dismissed the idea.
  The fourth Test at Old Trafford was famous for two events, both involving Armstrong.  The first day's play was washed out and England commenced their innings the following day, the match now a two-day affair.  Lionel Tennyson, the English captain, declared his innings closed with twenty minutes of play left in the day.  The Australian wicket-keeper, Sammy Carter pointed out to Armstrong that a declaration at that time in a two-day match was against the laws of cricket as they stood at that time.  Armstrong protested to the umpires and England were forced to continue batting.  In the commotion, Armstrong managed to bowl two overs in succession, an action also against the laws of cricket.
  By the fifth Test, the Australian team was in sight of being the first Australian team to remain unbeaten throughout a tour of England.  Once again, much of the first day was lost to rain. Determined not to lose, Armstrong attempted to delay commencement after the rain and was heckled by English supporters. He told his three main bowlers, "I won't ask you not to get a man out, but as long as Mead (a notoriously slow scoring batsman) remains at the wicket we can't be beaten". In the last three hours of the Test, Armstrong decided to rest his key bowlers and allowed his part-time bowlers to rotate as they pleased and fielders to configure themselves. During this time, Armstrong picked up a newspaper that had been blown across the field and began to read.  When asked about this later, Armstrong was said to have replied, "I wanted to see who we were playing", although this is claimed to be apocryphal. The Australians drew the Test and won the series three–nil, however they could not maintain their unbeaten record, losing by 28 runs to an English XI at Eastbourne and again to C. I. Thornton's XI at Scarborough.
  Despite the two losses, the tour was a triumph for Armstrong. Personally, he achieved the 1,000 runs and 100 wickets milestone for the third time in an English summer.  About his captaincy, former rival Frank Foster said, "I honestly think that Australia have got to thank one man, one man only for their success.  That man is War
caption: Armstrong (centre, middle row) with his 1920–21 team, considered one of the great Test teams of all time.
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