Murray Bennett
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| Murray Bennett | ||||
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 Australia |
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| Personal information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting style | Right-hand bat | |||
| Bowling style | Slow left-arm orthodox | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Tests | ODIs | |||
| Matches | 3 | 8 | ||
| Runs scored | 71 | 9 | ||
| Batting average | 23.66 | 3.00 | ||
| 100s/50s | 0/0 | 0/0 | ||
| Top score | 23 | 6* | ||
| Balls bowled | 665 | 408 | ||
| Wickets | 6 | 4 | ||
| Bowling average | 54.16 | 68.75 | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | 0 | 0 | ||
| 10 wickets in match | 0 | n/a | ||
| Best bowling | 3/79 | 2/27 | ||
| Catches/stumpings | 5/- | 1/- | ||
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As of 12 December 2005 |
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Murray John Bennett (born October 6, 1956, Brisbane, Queensland) is a former Australian cricketer who played in 3 Tests and 8 ODIs from 1984 to 1985.
Bennett made promising start to his career as a left arm orthodox bowler by making a successful foray into Sydney Grade Cricket for St. George in 1973–74 and was selected for New South Wales' combined schoolboy team. However, the bespectacled Bennett was unable to break through to first class level for the next decade until making his Sheffield Shield debut in the 1982-83 season at the age of 26. Known for his accuracy and his well disguised arm ball, he quickly formed an integral part of the bowling attack that made the state the dominant domestic team in the Sheffield Shield in the 1980s. Forming a spin oriented attack with Bob Holland (leg spin) and Greg Matthews (off spin), Bennett was part of the team that won the squad which won the Sheffield Shield in 1982–83, 1984–85 and 1986–87.[1] After a prolific season in 1984–85, including 6/32 in a tour match victory over the world champion West Indies cricket team, both Holland and Bennett were selected to make their debuts for the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The selectors had felt that the uncertain performance of the Caribbean batsmen during the tour match showed that they had a weakness against spin bowling, and introduced a “horses for courses” spin oriented attack on a dry Sydney pitch.[2] The West Indies had crushed Australian opposition throughout the summer, winning the first three Tests by an innings, eight wickets and 191 runs respectively. Furthermore, in the fourth Test, Australia had slumped to 8/198 chasing 370 to narrowly avoid defeat when time ran out. With pundits expecting another Australian failure, they won the toss and amassed 9/471. The West Indies were reduced to be all out for 163 and 253 in the second innings with Bennett taking five wickets in the match.[3] The New South Wales pair perplexed the tourists, taking 15 of the 20 wickets, as Australia took an unexpected innings victory.[1]
He was selected for the 1985 Ashes tour to England, but only played one Test without a wicket. In the two Tests after his debut, he managed only one wicket. He scored 71 runs at 23.66 at Test level. He continued with his first-class career, before retiring after the 1987–88 season with 157 wickets at 30.92 and 1437 runs at 23.95. A useful lower order batsmen, he made four half centuries at first-class level. He later became a State selector and commentator.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Cashman, Franks, Maxwell, Sainsbury, Stoddart, Weaver, Webster (1997). The A-Z of Australian cricketers. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp. 72–73. ISBN 0-19-550604-9.
- ^ Christison, Darren (1994). Allan Border:The Man. Five Mile Press, pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-86788-874-1.
- ^ Christison, Darren (1994). Allan Border:The Records. Five Mile Press, pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-86788-875-X.
