Ron Murray (cricketer)
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ronald McKenzie Murray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 15 June 1927 Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 8 April 1951 (aged 23) Christchurch, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium-pace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | All-rounder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1946–47 to 1950–51 | Wellington | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 24 May 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ronald McKenzie Murray (15 June 1927 – 8 April 1951) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Wellington from 1947 to 1951.
Life and career
Murray was born in Wellington and educated at Wellington College.[1] He was a right-arm medium-pace bowler who specialised in out-swing, and a useful lower-order batsman who was "at his best in a crisis".[2][3][1] He first played for Wellington in February 1947 at the age of 19, and the following month he opened the bowling and took 3 for 43 and 5 for 85 for Wellington against the touring MCC. His victims in the second innings were Laurie Fishlock, Bill Edrich, Denis Compton, Wally Hammond and Godfrey Evans.[4]
He was the second-most successful bowler in the Plunket Shield in 1947–48, taking 13 wickets at an average of 28.00.[5] He was less successful in 1948–49, and although he took part in the trial matches, he failed to win a place in the New Zealand team for England in 1949.[6]
Murray returned to form in 1949–50 and was again the second-most successful bowler in the Plunket Shield, taking 13 wickets at an average of 14.61, and helping Wellington win the championship for the first time since 1935–36.[7] In the first match he took a hat-trick to reduce Otago's first innings from 116 for 2 to 116 for 5; Wellington won by seven wickets.[8] In a senior club match in Wellington in 1949 he scored 103 and took 9 for 27 in a single afternoon.[1]
Murray was a journalist for the Evening Post in Wellington.[6] He was considered a likely Test player, but he died aged 23 on 8 April 1951 from head injuries he received when he fell while visiting a sick friend at Hanmer Springs in Canterbury.[6][1] At the inquest, the coroner concluded that Murray had fallen through a gap in a partially-completed fire escape after dark and sustained a fractured skull when he landed on the concrete below.[9]
Beginning with the 1951–52 season the Ron Murray Cup has been awarded annually to the leading wicket-taker in Wellington senior club cricket.[10][11]
References
- ^ a b c d "Death of Prominent Cricketer". Press: 6. 9 April 1951.
- ^ "Ron Murray". Cricinfo. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ Arthur H. Carman & Noel S. Macdonald (eds), The Cricket Almanack of New Zealand, Sporting Publications, Wellington, 1948, p. 24.
- ^ "Wellington v MCC 1946-47". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Bowling in Plunket Shield 1947-48". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ a b c Wisden 1952, p. 959.
- ^ "Bowling in Plunket Shield 1949-50". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Wellington v Otago 1949-50". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Fall from Fire Escape". Press: 3. 31 May 1951.
- ^ "Award and Trophies". Yumpu. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Club Awards Recognise Season's Best". Cricket Wellington. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
External links
- Ron Murray at ESPNcricinfo
- Ron Murray at CricketArchive (subscription required)