Frederick Spofforth, the demonic 19th century Australia paceman who took seven wickets in the famous 1882 Test at The Oval which gave birth to the Ashes.

Frederick Spofforth

Tests: 18

Wickets: 94

Average: 18.41

Best bowling in an innings: 7-44

Best bowling in a match: 14-90

Five wickets in an innings: 7

10 wickets in a match: 4

Frederick Robert Spofforth did not like batsmen.

In an age when cricket was in its infancy and still a hobby sport for gentlemen, Spofforth played with a ruthless, confrontational manner that was some way ahead of its time. In many ways, he was the first fast bowler; a bristling, snarling, template for the future.

Spofforth was not express pace - he adopted an overarm action only after watching England bowlers play in the mid-1860s - but the 190cm bowler used radical variation and a taste for stare-outs to strike fear into batsmen.  He is also accepted by some as a pioneer of swing bowling.

On top of his statistical contribution in that game - he returned match figures of 14-90 - Spofforth was an inspiration for his teammates as England chased just 85 for victory. "This thing can be done," Spofforth famously said to his teammates in a rousing pep-talk. And done it was, leading to the "ashes" of English cricket being sent to Australia.

Spofforth continued to enjoy success into the 1880s, but growing business interests would lead to his retirement in 1887, when, despite being 33 years old, it was thought he was still in his prime and much more to offer.