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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Donald Tallon | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 17 February 1916 Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 7 September 1984 (aged 68) Bundaberg, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Deafy | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm leg spin | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Wicket-keeper | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut | 10 June 1948 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 14 August 1948 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Don Tallon was a key member of Donald Bradman's famous Australian cricket team tour of England in 1948, in which Australia was undefeated in their 34 matches. This unprecedented feat by a Test side touring England earned them the sobriquet The Invincibles.
The team's first-choice wicket-keeper ahead of Ron Saggers, Tallon played in four of the five Tests, missing the Fourth Test due to injury. Despite being the preferred gloveman, Tallon conceded byes at a higher rate than Saggers during the tour.
Bradman rotated the two glovemen during the tour, and Tallon played in 14 of the 31 first-class matches, taking 29 catches and 14 stumpings. Tallon's catch of Len Hutton in the Fifth Test at The Oval was described as Wisden as the best of the year. He also took a difficult catch to remove George Emmett in the Third Test at Old Trafford, catching a ball that flew to his feet at yorker length. However, Tallon also had some mishaps, with finger injuries inflicted by failing to catch the ball correctly. Tallon had few opportunities with the bat, scoring 283 runs at a batting average of 25.72 in 13 first-class innings, including two fifties. During the Test, Tallon scored 112 runs at 28.00, including a 53 in the Second Test that saw Australia recover to a first innings of 350 after a middle-order slump had seen England take the upper hand. He took 12 catches in the Tests.
In recognition of his performances, Tallon was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1949.