Famous Cricketers No 77 - W.L.Murdoch

1875/76 As the Albert Club wicket-keeper, the twenty one year-old Murdoch probably knew Fred Spofforth’s bowling better than anyone but his first-class debut was purely as a batsman (low down at number nine). A hand injury to first choice Nat Thompson half way through the Victorian innings gave Murdoch his chance behind the stumps and a good performance, particularly in allowing only six byes on a rain affected wicket in the second innings, secured him his place in the return at Sydney. Here he excelled again allowing only eight byes while standing up to Spofforth (reputedly bowling very fast) and Edwin Evans operating unchanged through both innings. Fit again, Thompson played as a batsman. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct St Total Total 1. New South Wales v Victoria, Melbourne, December 27, (28), 29 (New South Wales won by an innings and 1 run) c T.J.D.Kelly b F.E.Allan 6 171 136 1 34 2. New South Wales, v Victoria, Albert Ground, Sydney, February 25, 26, 28 (New South Wales won by 195 runs) † b F.E.Allan 9 99 37 b F.E.Allan 1 228 95 1 1 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Inter-State matches 2 3 0 16 9 5.33 - - 2 1 1876/77 Although one place higher in the batting order, Murdoch was again in the New South Wales side primarily as wicket-keeper. Taking the likes of Spofforth and Tom Garrett on hard wickets in the skimpy gloves of the period could be hard going. At Sydney, in what was the first eleven-a-side fixture with an English team in Australia, Nat Thompson took over behind the stumps with the score 185-6. When Murdoch was not selected for what was retrospectively ranked as the inaugural Test Match Spofforth withdrew from the Australian XI maintaining that only his New South Wales and Albert team mate understood his bowling. Murdoch was picked as a batsman for the Second Test Match – presumably on the strength of his performances for Albert as he had yet to reach double figures in first-class cricket - and Spofforth agreed to play. His reasoning is difficult to follow as Blackham was still behind the stumps. Murdoch kept on the third day (and took a catch off Hodges) when Blackham was suffering with sunstroke. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct St Total Total 3. New South Wales v J.Lillywhite’s XI, Albert Ground, Sydney, January 15, 16 (Match drawn) † not out 7 82 270 1 b A.Shaw 5 140-6 4. AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND, Melbourne, March 31, April 2, 3, 4 (England won by four wickets) run out 3 122 261 c A.Shaw b J.Southerton 8 259 122-6 1 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Test Matches 1 2 0 11 8 5.50 - - 1 - Other matches 1 2 0 12 7 6.00 - - 1 - Season 2 4 1 23 8 7.66 - - 2 - Career 4 7 1 39 9 6.50 - - 4 1 11