Background
Bonnor was born in Bathurst, New South Wales, and made his international debut in the first match played in England in 1880.
Bonnor was born in Bathurst, New South Wales, and made his international debut in the first match played in England in 1880.
Being very tall for the 19th century at 6 foot 6 inches he was also exceedingly strong and made the most of it with some powerful hitting, however at times his cavalier attitude led to some periods of poor scores as well. Two anecdotes testify to his enormous strength. First, during the Oval Test match of 1880 between England and Australia, he was out caught for two to a ball he had hit so high that by the time GF Grace had snaffled him, waiting directly underneath it on the boundary, he and his partner had almost completed their third run.
"My heart stopped beating as I went on waiting," said Grace later.
Working group Grace credits Bonnor with another throw of 130 yards, but legend has it that Grace himself threw even further in their one-on-one competition. Measured hits of his in practice included ones at Melbourne of 160 and 149 yards, and one of 147 at Mitcham Common in May 1880, which was carefully measured by the famed bowler James Southerton.
Bonnor died of a heart attack, aged 57, in Orange, New South Wales, and is buried at the cemetery there.
Quotations: "My heart stopped beating as I went on waiting,".