With the square-jawed look of a prizefighter, Sam Loxton was a gutsy batsman who liked nothing more than having fast bowlers try the blast him out with short-pitched bowling - "If they do, I'll hit `em over the fence" - as well as being a fast-medium bowler capable of moving the ball in the air. He made his debut against India in 1947-48 and as part of the 1948 Invincibles scored 973 runs at 57.23 on tour, appearing in three Tests. He made his only Test hundred against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1949-50, playing in all five Tests, but lost his place after a poor start to the 1950-51 Ashes series. He was a Liberal-Country member of parliament, and was also a Test selector between 1972 and 1981.

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