Funny Incidents

Charlie Macartney — 'The Governor-General' of 1920s Cricket

1926-07-15Australia and English county oppositionCharlie Macartney's 1920s Test and county career2 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

From 1921 onward, the Sydney crowds called Charlie Macartney 'The Governor-General' for the way he batted as if owning the ground. The nickname stuck across cricket and was the source of dozens of contemporary one-liners — including his much-quoted aside to a slip fielder before destroying him for six.

Background

Macartney was born in 1886 and made his Test debut in 1907. By the 1920s he was the most experienced Australian batsman in the side. His left-arm orthodox bowling and his off-side strokeplay were both world-class, but it was his manner that defined him.

What Happened

Macartney's batting style — open stance, wristy pulls and cuts, and an air of complete disdain for the bowler — earned him the Sydney crowd's nickname 'The Governor-General' from his Trent Bridge 345 of 1921 onward. The nickname survived him into multiple cricket histories. The most-quoted of his on-field remarks came in the Headingley Test of July 1926. Walking in at 1 for 1, he was dropped second ball at slip off Maurice Tate by Arthur Carr.

The story, related by Tate himself in a 1934 magazine piece, was that Macartney turned to Carr and said something like, 'That's torn it.' Tate's version of the rest is well-known: Macartney scored 100 before lunch, finishing with 151 in 172 minutes. Whether or not the exact phrase was used, the substance — that Macartney took the dropped catch as a personal insult and proceeded to demolish the bowling — is supported by every contemporary account.

Macartney's persona was as much part of his cricketing reputation as his batting average. Wisden, in his Five Cricketer obituary in 1958, said: 'He was the most arrogant batsman of the inter-war period, and his arrogance was justified.' Charlie Walters, his 1920s Sydney club teammate, said: 'When he had bat in hand he honestly believed he was the best in the world. And when he had bat in hand, he generally was.'

Key Moments

1

1921 Trent Bridge: 345 in 232 minutes; nickname 'Governor-General' takes hold

2

1926 Headingley: 'That's torn it' to Carr after the dropped catch

3

100 before lunch on day 1 at Headingley

4

Series of three centuries in three Tests, 1926

5

Final Test 1926; retires aged 40

Timeline

1907

Macartney's Test debut

1921

Trent Bridge 345; 'Governor-General' nickname coined

1926

Three centuries in three Tests; 100 before lunch at Headingley

1926

Final Test; retires aged 40

Notable Quotes

“He was the most arrogant batsman of the inter-war period, and his arrogance was justified.”

— Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, obituary of Charlie Macartney (1959 edition)

“That's torn it.”

— Charlie Macartney, reportedly to Arthur Carr after Carr dropped him at slip, Headingley 1926 (per Maurice Tate, 1934)

Aftermath

Macartney retired after 1926 and worked as a cricket writer and broadcaster in Australia until his death in 1958. His seven Test centuries are spread across 35 Tests; his Test average of 41.78 is good but not exceptional, but his impact on the bowlers of his era was beyond statistics.

⚖️ The Verdict

'The Governor-General' is the most evocative cricket nickname of the 1920s and the perfect summary of a batsman whose self-assurance at the crease was the single most distinctive feature of his game.

Legacy & Impact

'The Governor-General' is the only nickname from the 1920s that survives in regular cricket commentary. Macartney himself was named one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Century in their 2000 retrospective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Macartney really say 'That's torn it'?▾
The phrase appears in Maurice Tate's 1934 recollection. Other contemporary accounts agree on the substance — that Macartney took offence at being dropped and immediately attacked — but the exact wording is recorded only in Tate's account.
Why was he called 'The Governor-General'?▾
Sydney crowds called him this from his Trent Bridge 345 of 1921 onward, in reference to the imperious manner in which he batted.

Tags

#charlie-macartney#australia#nickname#1920s#cricket-personality#ashes#test-cricket#headingley#trumper#history

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