{{short description|Australian}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Malcolm Francke | image = | caption = | fullname = Fredrick Malcolm Francke | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|3|21|df=yes}} | birth_place = Mount Lavinia, Colombo, Ceylon | death_date = | death_place = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Legbreak googly | columns = 2 | column1 = First-class | matches1 = 61 | runs1 = 696 | bat avg1 = 10.54 | 100s/50s1 = 0/0 | top score1 = 37* | deliveries1 = 12,090 | wickets1 = 178 | bowl avg1 = 31.02 | fivefor1 = 8 | tenfor1 = 1 | best bowling1 = 6/62 | catches/stumpings1= 31/– | column2 = List A | matches2 = 12 | runs2 = 50 | bat avg2 = 12.50 | 100s/50s2 = 0/0 | top score2 = 26 | deliveries2 = 636 | wickets2 = 17 | bowl avg2 = 22.47 | fivefor2 = 0 | tenfor2 = 0 | best bowling2 = 4/23 | catches/stumpings2= 4/– | source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/8/8213/8213.html CricketArchive | date = 3 February | year = 2023 }} '''Fredrick Malcolm Francke''' (born 21 March 1939) is a former Australian first-class cricketer who played for Queensland.
A leg spinner, Francke played for Ceylon in 1957/58, and worked and played cricket in England for several years prior to migrating to Australia. He reports having had offers to play first-class county cricket in England but chose not to because it would have been a full-time commitment requiring him to suspend his career as an accountant. He represented Queensland from 1971/72 to 1985/86, making his debut against a touring World XI side.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110688297 |title=Six team changes by Queensland. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=17 November 1971 |accessdate=15 December 2014 |page=32 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Francke dismissed Clive Lloyd twice and also took the wickets of captain Rohan Kanhai and Sunil Gavaskar. He went on to take a total of 167 career first class wickets for Queensland with an innings best of 6 for 62 against South Australia in 1974.
In a 1977 article Ian Chappell called Francke "a very steady type of spinner, with good line and length, but I can't really see him bowling out Test batsmen. As well, he is getting on in years."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Cricketer|first=Ian|last=Chappell|page=21|date=January 1977|title=England 1977... Ian Chappell Predicts}}</ref>
He appeared to have played his last game in 1980 but made a return 6 years later to play in the 1985/86 Sheffield Shield season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118180987 |title=Qld reels against Sth Australia. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=23 December 1985 |accessdate=15 December 2014 |page=36 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122422676 |title=Kiwi top-order puts India on the slide. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=24 January 1986 |accessdate=15 December 2014 |page=1 Section: SPORTS SECTION |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In 1975 he was part of a rebel tour of South Africa, playing for the Brian Close-led DH Robins XI.
Leading Australian spinner Ashley Mallett considered Francke to be the best legspinner in Australia during his time and was disappointed Francke never played Test cricket.<ref>Mallett, p. 158.</ref> He had been mentioned in particular as a test chance in 1972/73<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110625483 |title=WEST INDIES TOUR Test hopes have days left. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=15 December 1972 |accessdate=15 December 2014 |page=22 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and 1973/74<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110760091 |title=Queensland hopes rest on Chappell. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=6 February 1974 |accessdate=15 December 2014 |page=28 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and 74/75.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110789582 |title=Test selectors prefer experienced players. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=25 November 1974 |accessdate=15 December 2014 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In September 2018, he was one of 49 former Sri Lankan cricketers felicitated by Sri Lanka Cricket, to honour them for their services before Sri Lanka became a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.srilankacricket.lk/news/sri-lanka-cricket-to-felicitate-49-past-cricketers |title=Sri Lanka Cricket to felicitate 49 past cricketers |work=Sri Lanka Cricket |accessdate=5 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014051/http://www.srilankacricket.lk/news/sri-lanka-cricket-to-felicitate-49-past-cricketers |archive-date=6 September 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.srilankacricket.lk/news/slc-launched-the-program-to-felicitate-ex-cricketers |title=SLC launched the program to felicitate ex-cricketers |work=Sri Lanka Cricket |accessdate=5 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906014108/http://www.srilankacricket.lk/news/slc-launched-the-program-to-felicitate-ex-cricketers |archive-date=6 September 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== * Mallett, A. (1993) ''Clarrie Grimmett: The Bradman of spin'', University of Queensland Press: Brisbane. {{ISBN|0 7022 2531 2}}.
==External links== *{{cricinfo|id=5255}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Francke, Malcolm}} Category:1939 births Category:Living people Category:Australian cricketers Category:Queensland cricketers Category:Sri Lankan cricketers Category:All-Ceylon cricketers Category:People from Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Category:Cornwall cricketers Category:Expatriate cricketers in England Category:Sri Lankan emigrants to Australia Category:D. H. Robins' XI cricketers Category:Cricketers from Western Province, Sri Lanka Category:Sri Lankan expatriate sportspeople in England Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen