Sid Emery, nicknamed "Mad Mick" by his teammates, was an unusually fast leg-spin and
googly bowler who spun the ball prodigiously, making his bowling erratic and unpredictable. In 1909-10 he opened the bowling for New South Wales and took 7 for 28 and 5 for 85 against
Victoria in the
Sheffield Shield. He toured New Zealand with the
Australian side later that season, playing in all six first-class matches, including two against
New Zealand, and taking 22 wickets at an average of 16.13. A week later, against
Surrey, he took 6 for 54 and 5 for 81. Australia won both matches easily. He played in two Tests against England and two against South Africa during the tour, but with little success, and finished the tour with 67 first-class wickets at an average of 23.89. Emery was also a member of the Australian team that toured North America between May and September 1913. He played no further first-class cricket after the tour. The English Test batsman
C. B. Fry described Emery as the world's "best-worst" bowler.
A. G. Moyes wrote that "Emery on his day was a devastating bowler. He bowled his
bosies faster than any other man I have seen, and when he found his length was as close to unplayable as any bowler within memory, but the trouble was that he did not find it, or keep it, often enough." Emery worked for the
Sydney Tramways, retiring in April 1950 owing to failing eyesight. ==See also==