John Murray (cricketer, born 1935)

John Thomas Murray MBE (1 April 1935 – 24 July 2018) was an English cricketer.[1] He played in 21 Tests for England between 1961 and 1967.[2]

John Murray

Personal information
Full name	John Thomas Murray
Born	1 April 1935 North Kensington, London, England
Died	24 July 2018 (aged 83)
Batting	Right-handed batting
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Wicketkeeper
International information
National side	English
Test debut	8 June 1961 v Australia
Last Test	27 July 1967 v Pakistan
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class List A Matches 21 635 149 Runs scored 506 18,872 2,281 Batting average 22.00 23.58 19.49 100s/50s 1/2 16/84 –/8 Top score 112 142 75* Balls bowled – 341 – Wickets – 6 – Bowling average – 40.50 – 5 wickets in innings – – – 10 wickets in match – – – Best bowling – 2/10 – Catches/stumpings 52/3 1268/259 164/33
Source: Cricinfo

Life and career

Murray was educated at the St John's Church of England School in Notting Hill, London.[3] He played football as a wing half in his youth and was part of the Brentford youth team which reached the semi-finals of the inaugural FA Youth Cup in the 1952–53 season.[4][5]

Murray made his debut as a wicket-keeper for Middlesex in 1952, aged 17 years and 54 days. Most elegant behind the stumps, he is acknowledged as one of the most distinguished wicket-keepers in the history of the game.[2] His batting prowess was such that he scored 1,000 runs in a season six times with Middlesex, and scored a Test century in 1966 when he batted at number nine against the West Indies.[2] He played for Middlesex in 508 first-class matches between 1952 and 1975, and for England in 21 Tests. His tally of 1,527 first-class dismissals set a world record until it was broken by Bob Taylor in 1983.[2] Murray was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1967.

He later served as an England selector and on the Middlesex General Committee.

His brother-in-law is the English footballer, Alan Mullery.

He died on 24 July 2018 at the age of 83, having been taken ill at Lord's while watching a Middlesex match.[6]

References

1. "Middlesex and England keeper John Murray dies". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
2. Bateman, Colin (1993). If The Cap Fits. Tony Williams Publications. p. 125. ISBN 1-869833-21-X.
3. Mason, Peter (9 August 2018). "John Murray obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
4. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. pp. 37–38. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
5. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 211. ISBN 0951526200.
6. John Murray: Ex-England & Middlesex wicketkeeper dies aged 83

External links

• Cricinfo page
• Wisden article for Murray's 1967 Cricketer of the Year selection