Famous Cricketers No 77 - W.L.Murdoch

of high yielding claims in Bendigo Creek. By the time of his death in June 1889 he was said to be worth not far short of two million – a great deal of money in the late 19th century. As well as extensive gold mining interests he was involved in banking, real estate, railways, tramways, a steamship company, grazing land and agriculture. He also helped to finance the launch of the Sydney Daily Telegraph . Glen Watson in the Musgrave range is named after him. Described in the Bendigo Advertiser as “a close, plodding sort of man who sought no role in public life" it seems likely that Watson did not altogether approve of his daughter’s choice. At least, when the couple were married in Fitzroy on December 8th 1884, the bride was given away by George Alexander, player-manager with the 1880 and 1884 touring teams. George Bonnor was best man. There were vague rumours of an abrupt termination of an earlier liaison with a lady in Derbyshire. The proliferation of tours sparked off considerable ill feeling in both England and Australia, largely because most of the tourists played as “amateurs”. In England, where bogus amateurs such as the Surrey “Assistant Secretary” Walter Read and the most famous of all, W.G.Grace, were no novelty, much of the cricket establishment tended to accept that they were not professionals on the English model. Given contemporary mores, it probably helped that the majority of the Australians were university educated and in a profession like Murdoch, in the Civil Service or some other white-collar employment i.e. they made money from cricket but did not depend on it for a living. Lord Harris, in a famous letter to The Times in 1909 cited precisely this point as the “line of distinction” by which a player’s status could be determined. In fact, the likes of Murdoch might well have made more money by staying at home but English professionals and sections of the press did not see things that way. As early as 1878 most of the leading professionals refused to appear for the Players against the tourists at the Oval essentially because they would be paid less than the Australians and rumblings of discontent continued throughout all three subsequent tours. Criticism in some of the Australian press was even more vehement. Murdoch and his men were accused of being greedy, obsessed with gate money, professionals in all but name and, when they chose to play for the touring team rather than their states, disloyal. Murdoch came in for special treatment – “too portly and aldermanic for cricket”, (whatever the dimensions of his waistline, he hit two of his three double hundreds during 1884!), “It’s about time that William resumed his profession as a gentleman and gave the gate money racket a rest” and much else in similar vein. Matters came to a head when Alfred Shaw’s all professional team arrived in Australia in 1884/85. Because of long running disagreements over money with the English professionals in general and Shaw in particular, Murdoch and Alec Bannerman refused to play for New South Wales against the Englishmen. When it came to the first Test Match at Adelaide the Australians – in fact the 1884 tourists who had not yet disbanded - demanded half the gate. They eventually settled for a lump sum of £450. Murdoch captained his state against Victoria but troubles flared up again before the second Test match at Melbourne. Alexander, spokesman for the Australians, again asked for half the gate, the Victorian Cricket Association offered £20 a man, negotiations broke down and Murdoch, Bannerman, Blackham, Bonnor, Boyle, McDonnell, Palmer and Scott withdrew their services – effectively went on strike. A new team was chosen including nine new caps and, predictably, England won comfortably. Of the strikers, all except Murdoch and Boyle returned to the Test side before the end of the season but Murdoch went into retirement, albeit temporarily as it turned out. He did not even reply to his state’s invitation to play against Shaw’s XI. It seems to be generally accepted that Murdoch decided to retire and concentrate on his practice because he had had enough of press criticism and cricket politics in general. Given his essentially easy going outlook on life, it seems likely. On the other hand, pressure from his new father-in-law might have played a part, as could the need to earn regular serious money. It would not be very surprising if he was anxious to be seen to be capable of keeping his new wife in the style to which she was accustomed. Late in 1885 he moved to Melbourne and was admitted to practise as an attorney, solicitor and proctor of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Despite considerable pressure to play for the 5