THE CRICKET world is in mourning today, grieving the loss of Sam Loxton, one of the last remaining members of the renowned Don Bradman's unbeaten 1948 Invincibles; but Loxton was not just a fine cricketer, he was also one of only 16 players to have played VFL football and Test Cricket.

Loxton died last night in Queensland on Saturday, at the age of 90. He had been Australia's oldest living Test player; the great batsmen, Neil Harvey, who made his debut on the 1948 tour as a teenager, and Arthur Morris are now the only surviving members of the 1948 troupe of champions.

In a tribute in his memoir A Farewell To Cricket, Bradman wrote that Loxton represented "the very essence of belligerence. His whole attitude suggests defiance and when he hits the ball it is the music of a sledgehammer".

He carried that approach through his time as an administrator, and national selector (1972-81).

On top of his 12 Tests as an all-rounder (with one century vs South Africa in Johannesburg, 554 runs at 36.93; eight wickets at 43.62), he played 41 League games, and kicked 114 goals as a forward for St Kilda, twice leading the club's goal-kicking table (1944, 52 goals; 1946, 40); he was runner-up to Reg Garvin in the club's best and fairest award in 1944, the only season he played all 18 matches, as he mixed sport with war service during those years.

He kicked eight goals in the round five, 1946 match against Geelong at Kardinia Park, and had three bags of six. During his footy career, he shared many matches with Keith Miller, who played 50 games with the Saints (1940-42, 1946).

On his retirement from first class cricket at the end of the 1957-58 season, he acted in various areas of cricket administration, for many years at Prahran, as a selector for Victoria and Australia, and served as a board member of the Australia Cricket Board (now Cricket Australia).

He was also the state Liberal member for Prahran in the Victorian Parliament from 1955 to 1979.

The 16 who played Test Cricket and played senior VFL/AFL football are:

Warwick Armstrong (South Melbourne, 1898-1900, 16 games, 18 goals; 50 Tests)
Bill Carkeek (Essendon, 1903-05, 26 games, 8 goals; 6 Tests)
Harry Graham (Melbourne, 1900, 2 games, 3 goals; 6 Tests)
Albert Hartkopf (University, 1908-11, 1914, 48 games, 87 goals; 1 Test)
Gil Langley (Essendon, 1943, 4 games, 1 goal; 26 Tests)
Sam Loxton (St Kilda, 1942-46, 41 games, 114 goals; 12 Tests)
Jimmy Matthews (St Kilda, 1907, 12 games, 18 goals; 8 Tests)
Ted McDonald (Essendon, 1912, 2 games, 0 goals; Fitzroy, 1913, 1915-19 46 games, 2 goals; 11 Tests.
Keith Miller (St Kilda,1940-42, 1946, 50 gams, 42 goals; 55 Tests)
Laurie Nash (South Melbourne, 1933-37, 1945, 99 games, 246 goals; 2 Tests.
Simon O’Donnell (St Kilda 1982-83, 24 games, 18 goals; 6 Tests)
Roy Park (University 1912-14, 44 games, 111 goals; Melbourne 1915, 13 games, 35 goals; 1 Test)
Dave Smith (Essendon, 1904-11, 1913, 142 games, 113 goals; Richmond 1914 1 game, 3 goals; 2 Tests)
George Tribe (Footscray, 1940-46, 66 games, 80 goals; 3 Tests)
Max Walker (Melbourne, 1967-72, 85 games, 23 goals; 34 Tests)
Graeme Watson (Melbourne, 1964-65, 18 games, 3 goals; 5 Tests)