Famous Cricketers No 77 - W.L.Murdoch

SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Test matches 4 7 1 215 85 35.83 - 1 3 - Inter-state matches 2 3 0 385 321 128.33 1 - 3 1 Other match 1 2 0 79 58 39.50 - 1 3 - Season 7 12 1 679 321 61.72 1 2 9 1 Career 43 75 11 1795 321 28.04 2 5 37 10 1882 - Australians in England Murdoch secured his place in history by leading the first Australian side to beat England at full strength on their home ground, becoming in the process the first captain to win the Ashes (albeit at the time non-existent). Much stronger than its predecessors and considered by some the best side fielded by Australia until the turn of the century, the team played thirty eight games (including six non first-class) won twenty four and suffered only four defeats. For the first time there were no fixtures against odds. As on the 1880 tour Murdoch missed only one match, the second against Gloucestershire due to “an attack of the cold shivers”. Once again he topped the averages and finished with the highest aggregate. His 286* against Sussex at Hove was the highest score of the season, included one five and 39 fours and remained the highest by an Australian in England until 1899 when Victor Trumper hit 300* on the same ground against the same opponents. The following fixture against the Orleans Club at Twickenham was reduced to two days to enable the team to watch the Derby, Murdoch being left 107* and his team only 44 ahead with one wicket to fall. He gave no chances but was fortunate to survive a mid-pitch mix up, wicket keeper Richard Pilling dropping the ball with Murdoch some four metres out of his ground. Murdoch had appeared twice for the Orleans Club prior to the first match of the tour. Arguably his most valuable innings of the season was in the second innings of the Test Match. Coming in at 70-2 he was ninth out, his 29 scored out of 52. Among other notable performances were 65 against the strong Lancashire attack, 57 against the Gentlemen at Kennington Oval, ended when Grace at point held on to a rebound from his own chest, 54 in a low scoring match against Yorkshire at Dewsbury and 70, 32 and six catches behind the wicket against an England XI at Derby. Wisden commented on the fact that Murdoch’s catches and five by the England XI wicket-keeper E.F.S.Tylecote were all taken standing back. Rather less impressive was his performance in Cambridge University’s first innings at Fenner’s. Every ball of Spofforth’s opening (four-ball) over went for four byes. There were 26 byes in all. Murdoch usual friendly relations with his opponents were strained in the Test Match when Grace ran out S.P.Jones with a piece of cricket which, although technically legal, was at best dubious. Murdoch, who was batting at the other end, accused Grace of sharp practice and continued to express his views later in the pavilion. The upshot was that when England began their second innings the Australians were breathing fire and went on to an historic seven run victory. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct St Total Total 44. Australians v Oxford University, Christ Church Ground, Oxford, May 15, 16, 17 (Australians won by nine wickets) * b G.E.Robinson 0 362 189 1 not out 15 64-1 234 45. Australians v Sussex, Hove, May 18, 19, 20 (Australians won by an innings and 355 runs) * not out 286 643 95 193 1 46. Australians v Orleans Club, Twickenham, May 22, 23 (Match drawn) * c E.M.Grace b A.G.Steel 17 75 271 not out 107 240-9 47. Australians v Surrey, Kennington Oval, May 25, 26, 27 (Australians won by six wickets) * b G.G.Jones 28 100 170 1 b G.G.Jones 0 119-4 48 17