Neil Harvey

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Neil Harvey
Australia
Personal information
Full name	Robert Neil Harvey
Nickname	Ninna
Born	8 October 1928 (1928-10-08) (age 79)
	Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Role	Top-order batsman
Batting style	Left-hand
Bowling style	Right-arm off-spin
Test debut (cap 178)	23 January 1948: v India
Last Test	15 February 1963: v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1946–1957	Victoria
1958–1963	New South Wales
Career statistics
	Tests	FC
Matches	79	306
Runs scored	6149	21699
Batting average	48.41	50.93
100s/50s	21/24	67/94
Top score	205	231*
Balls bowled	414	2574
Wickets	3	30
Bowling average	40.00	36.86
5 wickets in innings	0	0
10 wickets in match	0	0
Best bowling	1/8	4/8
Catches/stumpings	64/0	229/0
As of 29 February 2008 Source: [[1]]

Robert Neil Harvey MBE (born 8 October 1928) is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement. An attacking left-handed batsman, sharp fielder and occasional off-spin bowler, Harvey was the senior batsman in the Australian team for much of the 1950s and was regarded by Wisden as the finest fielder of his era. One of six cricketing brothers, four of whom represented Victoria, Harvey followed his elder brother Merv in making his Test debut in January 1948 aged 19 and three months. In his second match, he became the youngest Australian to score a Test century, a record that still stands. Harvey was the youngest member of the 1948 Invincibles of Don Bradman to tour England, regarded as one of the finest teams in history. He started his career strongly, with six centuries in his first thirteen Test innings at an average over 100. As Bradman's team broke up in the 1950s due to retirements, Harvey became Australia's senior batsman, and was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1954.

In 1957 he was passed over for the captaincy and was named as the deputy of Ian Craig who had played just six matches as Australia sought to rebuild the team with a youth policy. Craig had fallen ill the following season, but Harvey moved interstate and Richie Benaud was promoted to the captaincy ahead of him because Benaud was higher in the New South Wales hierarchy. Harvey continued in the role until the end of his career, and was captain for only one match. In the Second Test at Lord's in 1961 when Benaud was injured, Harvey led the team in the "Battle of the Ridge" on an erratic surface, grinding out a hard fought victory. Only Bradman had scored more runs and centuries for Australia when Harvey retired. Harvey was best known for his extravagant footwork and flamboyant stroke play. After retirement, he became a national selector for twelve years but in recent times is best known for his strident criticism of modern cricket. In 2000, he was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in and selected in the Australian Cricket Board's Team of the Century.

[edit] Style

Neil Harvey charging down the pitch to drive a spinner.

Harvey was regarded as a mercurial batsman of great artistry and style.^[1] A short man at 172 cm, he batted with aggression, and was known for his timing of the ball. His batting against spin bowling in particular was a crowd pleaser, highlighted by his extravagant footwork in charging the bowlers. He was of the time belief that any bowling could and should be hit, and gave the impression that the balls were reaching the boundary with a minimum of power. According to Johnnie Moyes, "the sight of his slim figure, neat and trim-looking, always capless, coming to bat brought new hope for spectators. He will never prod a half volley or decline the challenge of a long hop..he will go looking for the ball which he can hit for four." Following the retirement of Sir Donald Bradman, he was seen as Australia's leading batsman, noted by critics for a similar ability to change the mood of matches with his attacking play. This was despite the fact that he was found to have faulty eyesight.^[1][2] Although Harvey started as a wicketkeeper at school, he became a highly regarded cover fielder and later in his international career became an agile slips catcher. He bowled off spin from a three to four pace approach on rare occasions, taking only three wickets in his Test career.^[1][3] Away from the field, Harvey had a quiet and unassuming manner, in complete contrast to his dynamic batting, and his non-smoking, non-drinking set him apart from the prevailing cricket culture of his period.^[3]

When not travelling overseas on cricket tours, Harvey played baseball in the winter for Fitzroy. He was twice named in the Australian baseball team but the team was named only for the distinction accorded on the players. That is, they never competed. Harvey's fielding abilities were regarded by Wisden as the "finest outfielder in the world" during his career. As a baseball infielder Harvey developed a half round arm throw; its speed and accuracy caused many batsmen to be run out while attempting a run. His baseball training also influenced his habit of catching the ball above head height, with which he rarely dropped catches. This was based on the theory that the fielder need never take his eyes off the ball and, if it were to bounce out of his hands, he would have time to attempt to grab the rebound. Harvey also covered ground quickly and possessed and efficient method of picking up and returning the ball.^[3] From late 1958 when Norm O'Neill made his Test debut until Harvey's retirement in 1963, the duo formed a formidable pairing in the covers, helping to restrict opposition batsmen from scoring in the region.^[4]

[edit] Early years

See also: Harvey family

The laneway next to the family home in Fitzroy where the Harvey brothers learned to play cricket.

Harvey was the fourth of six boys born to Horace Harvey. The family lived in Broken Hill, where Horace was a miner, before moving to Sydney, and finally to Melbourne in 1926, where they settled in the inner northern industrial suburb of Fitzroy. There the six boys were taught cricket under the guidance of their father. In conditions conducive to producing batsmen rather than bowlers, they played cricket using a tennis ball on cobblestones or a marble rebounding from the backyard pavement. The boys went to George Street State School. Cricket and cricket talk was an integral part of the daily family life. Horace held the family batting record with 198 for Broken Hill, and continued to play in Melbourne club cricket. Harvey's eldest brother Merv went on to play one Test for Australia, while Mick and Ray both played for Victoria. All six brothers, the other two being Brian and Harold also played for Fitzroy in district cricket. Except for Harold, all five represented Victoria in baseball.^[1][3]

Harvey played his first game aged nine as a wicket-keeper in the North Fitzroy Central School team, the average age of which was 14. In a school final, he once made 112 of the total of 140. Aged twelve, he joined the local Fitzroy club and rose to the first grade team when he was fourteen. By this stage he had transferred to Collingwood Technical School. On the advice of the Victorian coach, Arthur Liddicut, Harvey stopped wicket-keeping to focus on his batting.^[3] Briefly playing for Fitzroy Football Club, Harvey gave up the sport and played baseball during winter. An aggressive 113 for Fitzroy against Melbourne Cricket Club in 1946–47 saw Harvey selected for the Victorian Sheffield Shield team at the age of 18.^[1] Making his debut against New South Wales, he was dismissed without scoring in his first innings. His second match for Victoria was against Wally Hammond's English tourists. After the fall of three early wickets, Harvey joined captain Lindsay Hassett. He dominated a partnership of 120, making 69 in his second match against the guile of Doug Wright. His opponents had no doubt that he would become a Test player.^[1][3] Harvey made his maiden first class century of 154 against Tasmania, inspired by elder brother Merv who gained Test selection in the same year.^[5]

[edit] Test debut

In 1947–48, he played in two Shield matches with his brothers Merv and Ray. Merv had already been gained Test selection, but soon Neil was attracting more attention. Three months after his 19th birthday he made his entry into international cricket, in the last two Tests against India. He batted at No. 6 and made 13 in his only innings on debut in the Fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval as Australia swept to an innings victory. The selectors retained him for the Fifth Test on his home ground at Melbourne and came to the crease when Bradman retired hurt with an attack of fibrositis. His score of 153 after being promoted to No. 5 made him the youngest Australian Test centurion.^[3][6] He brought up the mark with an all run five, having turned a short ball from Lala Amarnath towards the square leg boundary.^[1]

Harvey sweeps against India on his way to becoming the youngest ever Australian Test centurion.

The innings in replacing Bradman was taken to be symbolism of the fact that Harvey had been tipped to become Australia's leading batsman.^[7] His innings laid the foundation of a total which secured Australia another innings victory.^[8]

The innings ensured him a place on the 1948 Invincibles tour. Speaking about Harvey's selection, Bradman opined "He has the brilliance and daring of youth, and the likelihood of rapid improvement." At first he struggled in the English conditions, failing to pass 25 in his first six innings. After asking Bradman about his difficulties, he was told that these were caused by rash shot selection and a tendency to hit the ball in the air. Bradman said "He was technically perfect in his shot production. He was batting well enough and simply getting out early. Harvey adapted his style and improved his performance. He scored 36 and 76 not out against Lancashire at Manchester and an unbeaten 100 at Hove against Sussex in only 115 minutes. He forced his way into the team for the Fourth Test at Headingley at the expense of the injured Sid Barnes with a scoring sequence of 49, 56, 43, 73* and 95.^[9] After England had amassed 496, Australia had slumped to 3/68 with Bradman one of the dismissed batsmen. Harvey, the youngest member of the squad, joined cavalier all rounder Keith Miller and launched a counterattack which yielded 121 runs in 90 minutes, likened by Wisden to a "hurricane".^[3] He then shared another century stand with Sam Loxton which yielded 105 in only 95 minutes. Harvey ended with a century on his Ashes debut, with 112 from 183 balls in an innings noted for powerful driving on both sides of the wicket. The innings and the high rate of scoring helped to swing the match into a balanced position when Australia were finally dismissed for 458.^[3][1] He was at the crease in the second innings as Australia completed a world record successful run chase of 3/404 in less than one day.^[10] He had only one more innings in the series, scoring 17 in the Fifth and final Test at The Oval where Australia won by an innings.^[8] In the entire first class tour, he scored four centuries to aggregate 1129 runs at 53.76.^[6]

[edit] Consolidation

No international matches were scheduled for the 1948–49 Australian season, and Harvey had a disappointing Sheffield Shield season, scoring only 539 runs at 33.68. The selectors persisted with him for the 1949–50 tour of South Africa.^[11] Harvey was forced to shoulder more responsibility in the batting order now that Bradman had retired and Sid Barnes took an extended break. Harvey rose to the challenge by establishing several Australian records. His Test figures of 660 at 132.00 was the most by an Australian in the country, as were his 1,526 at 76.30 runs and eight centuries on tour.^[3] After scoring 34 in the First Test, Harvey amassed 178 in the first innings of the Second Test at Cape Town, which guided Australia to the victory target in the second innings.^[8] This was followed by his unbeaten 151 at Durban, regarded as one of his finest Test innings. Having being dismissed for 75 in the first innings, Australia had slumped to 3/59 in pursuit of a victory target of 336. On a crumbling pitch, the Australians were having extreme difficulty with the spin of Hugh Tayfield. Harvey adapted his game to play a patient innings, guiding his team to an improbable victory.^[3] Harvey continued his productive sequence in the Fourth Test in Johannesburg, scoring an unbeaten 56 and 100 in a drawn match. It was the first Test in which Harvey had played and Australia did not win. He finished the series with 116 in the Fifth Test at Port Elizabeth, as Australia won by an innings and took the series 4–0. He had amassed four centuries in consecutive Tests in the series and had scored six in his first nine Tests, totally 959 runs at 106.55.^[8]

Harvey's triple figure average from his first two Test seasons could not be maintained when Australia hosted England in 1950–51 for a five Test series. Following his success in South Africa, Harvey played regularly at either the No. 3 or No. 4 from that point onwards. He managed 362 runs at 40.22 with three half centuries as Australia took the series 4–1. Harvey had trouble with the pace bowling of Alec Bedser in the early part of the series. Bedser was the only Englishman to dismiss Harvey in the first three Tests.^[6] The Fifth Test defeat was the first in his 14 Tests and came on his home ground in Melbourne. The 1951–52 season was less productive, with the West Indies touring Australia. Playing in all five Tests, Harvey scored 261 runs at 26.1 with one half century as Australia won 4–1.^[8] Harvey had difficulties in dealing with the dual spin bowling combination of Alf Valentine and Sonny Ramadhin, who bowled left arm orthodox and leg spin respectively.^[6]

[edit] Peak years

Harvey's batting stance

Having failed to score a century in ten Tests and almost three years, the 1952–53 season saw Harvey at his productive best as South Africa, whom he had scored four centuries three years earlier, toured Australia.^[8] On a slow pitch difficult for stroke play,^[12] and Harvey scored 109 and 52 in Brisbane where Australia grounded out a victory in the First Test. Such was his performance in the series that his scores of 11 and 60 in the Second Test were his worst, as Australia lost.^[8] He then made 190 in the Third Test in Sydney to set up a large first innings lead of 270 and an innings victory.^[13] Harvey made consecutive centuries with 84 and 116 in Adelaide. His century was the fastest record in the Australia since World War II.^[1] With leading pacemen Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller breaking down in the match, Harvey bowled for only the third time in his career. He took his first of three wickets at Test level, that of Russell Endean as a depleted Australian attack could not defeat the visitors who finished seven wickets down. The Fifth Test in Melbourne saw Harvey compile his third consecutive century and highest Test score of 205 as Australia amassed 520 in the first innings. This put Australia in control of the Test, despite South Africa successfully chasing an unlikely target of 295. Harvey accumulated 834 Test runs at 92.66 in the series. This surpassed Bradman's aggregate of 806 runs in 1931–32 as a series record against South Africa.^[14] In ten Tests against South Africa, he had eight centuries and an average of 106.7.^[2]

In 1953 he became only the third Australian in a quarter of a century to score 2,000 runs on an Ashes tour. Bradman (three times) and McCabe were the others. He made 2,040 at 65.80 and his ten centuries were twice that of the next best in the side.^[3] He was not at his best in the five Tests, scoring 346 runs at 34.60 as England won the Ashes 1–0 after 19 years in Australian hands. Harvey struck 122 in the rain affected Third Test in Manchester which ended in a draw. He also managed half centuries in the Second and fourth Tests.^[8] With the retirement of captain Lindsay Hassett at the end of the season, Harvey was to bear more responsibility in the batting lineup. In recognition of his performances, he was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.^[3]

The 1954–55 season saw England tour Australia, and Harvey began well. He struck 162 in the First Test in Brisbane after Australia were sent in, helping to compile 8/601 to set up an innings victory.^[15] This was followed by a low scoring Second Test in Sydney. He defiantly scored an unbeaten 92 in the second innings as Australia fell for 184 against the hostile pace of Frank Tyson and Brian Statham on a difficult batting pitch. His innings almost resulted in an unlikely Australian victory.^[1] He featured in a stubborn 39 run last wicket partnership with Bill Johnston before Johnston fell to give a 38 run loss. From there on, Harvey's series was unproductive, failing to pass 31 in the six innings of the final three Tests. Australia's form slumped along with that of Harvey, losing the next two Tests and the series 3–1. Harvey ended with 354 runs at 44.25 for the series.^[8] Despite this, he was by far the most productive batsman in the 1954–55 Australian season, accumulating 1009 runs ahead of Les Favell's 663.^[16]

This was followed by a tour in early 1955 to the West Indies, the first by an Australian team. Harvey began with two consecutive centuries, scoring exactly 133 in both the First and Second Tests at Kingston and Port-of-Spain respectively. The matches ended in an innings victory and draw to Australia respectively. In a low scoring match in Georgetown, Harvey scored 38 and 41* as Australia took a 2–0 lead. Another half century in the drawn Fourth Test followed, before Harvey scored the second double century of his career, 204 in the Fifth Test in Kingston. His 295 run partnership with Colin McDonald was the foundation of a Test total of 8/758, setting up an innings victory for Australia. He totaled 650 runs at 108.33 for the series.^[8] After the tour Arthur Morris retired, leaving Harvey as the most experienced batsman of the team. Harvey had also expunged his demons that he experienced against Ramadhin and Valentine in the previous series. Of the spin duo, only Ramadhin was able to dismiss Harvey on one occasion.^[17]

The 1956 Ashes tour to England was a disappointment for Harvey individually as well for the Australians collectively. In a series dominated by English off spinner Jim Laker on dusty spinning pitches, Harvey compiled 197 runs at 19.7 in five Tests with two half centuries. The first came in the opening Test at Nottingham where he scored 68. He then contributed 69 of 140 when Australia struggled in the second innings of the Third Test at Headingley. The Surrey spin twins of Laker and Tony Lock spun England to an innings victory.^[1] The Fourth Test in Manchester was the low point, when Harvey managed a pair, falling both times to Laker. Australia were routed by an innings in what is known as "Laker's match" to concede the Ashes 2–1.^[8]

On the return to Australia, the team stopped on the Indian subcontinent to play their first Tests on Pakistani and Indian soil. Harvey failed to pass double figures in a one off Test against Pakistan in Karachi, the first between the two countries. Moving to India, he scored 140 in the drawn Second Test in Bombay before a 69 in Third Test in Calcutta helped Australia to a 2–0 series win. He ended with 253 runs at 63.25 for the series.^[8] His performances on the subcontinent were marked by his aggressive footwork in moving down to meet the pitch of the ball, something that was frowned upon by the prevailing coaching philosophy at the time.^[14]

[edit] Senior player and vice captaincy

Harvey plays a pull shot.

As expected, the Australian team's leaders Ian Johnson and Keith Miller, retired from cricket after the tour. Harvey replaced Johnson as Victorian captain and was the logical choice as successor to the Test captaincy, as the most experienced member of the team (48 Tests). Queensland's captain, the veteran paceman Ray Lindwall, was no longer an automatic Test selection. However, Harvey was surprisingly overlooked for the captaincy, which went to Ian Craig, who had replaced Miller as New South Wales skipper. Craig was only 22 and had played six Tests; he had yet to establish himself in the team. After several disappointing results against England, the selectors were looking for a youthful approach. Harvey was named vice-captain to Craig for both the 1956–57 non-Test tour of New Zealand and the 1957–58 Test tour to South Africa.^[18]

Australia's two new leaders featured in a dramatic game during the season—the first tied match in Sheffield Shield history, played at the Junction Oval in Melbourne. New South Wales, chasing 161 to win, slumped to 7/70 when Craig (suffering tonsillitis) defied medical orders, left his hospital bed, and came out to bat. A partnership of 75 with Richie Benaud took them to within 16 runs of victory, but another collapse left the scores tied. The last match of the 1956–57 Shield season was played immediately after the resolution of the captaincy situation. New South Wales required one point from their last match against Victoria to retain the title. The Victorian batsman Colin McDonald hit a ball into his face and broke his nose while practicing, as Harvey and Craig went out to toss. Harvey asked for a gentleman's agreement to allow a substitute for McDonald. Craig refused, citing the importance of the match. This evoked a rare angry response from Harvey, according to Benaud. Playing with ten men, Benaud said that Harvey "proceeded, with a certain amount of anger, to play one of the best innings I have seen in Sheffield Shield". He made 209 and later forced New South Wales to follow-on. In the end the match was drawn and Harvey was unable to deny New South Wales the title.^[19] He finished his only season as Victorian captain by leading the Shield averages with 836 runs at 104.50.^[20]

On the tour of South Africa, Harvey broke a finger at catching practice and missed the early tour matches. After it healed, he broke the same finger again and missed the first Test.^[21] He scored 68 in the Third Test to help to force a draw,^[22] but apart from that he had a disappointing series, failing to pass 25 and finished with 131 runs at 21.83.^[8] The team under Craig and Harvey, labelled as the worst to leave Australian shores, went home 3–0 victors in the five Test series.^[23]

[edit] Move to New South Wales and non captaincy

After returning from South Africa, Harvey embarrassed the Board of Control when he frankly discussed his financial situation during a television interview. He revealed that the players earned only ₤85 per Test and that he was almost broke, despite being an automatic selection for Australia. Ten years of making time for cricket had disrupted his working life, so he was contemplating a move to South Africa, the homeland of his wife, Iris. Consequently, Harvey received a job offer to work as a sales supervisor for a glass manufacturer in Sydney, so he moved to New South Wales and gave up the Victorian captaincy.^[24] As a new player to NSW, he was behind vice-captain Richie Benaud in the state's pecking order, despite being the Test vice-captain, ahead of Benaud. Fatefully, Craig was unfit for the start of the 1958–59 season, due to the after-effects of hepatitis. Therefore, Benaud was made state, and then Australian captain, ahead of Harvey.^[1][2]

Harvey early in his career

As Benaud's deputy, Harvey helped materially in Australia's surprise 4–0 series victory to reclaim the Ashes. Harvey's form was modest, though. He scored 296 runs at 42.29, with more than half coming in one innings—a brilliant 167 in the second Test at Melbourne, which helped secure an eight wicket victory in the match. Otherwise, he was unable to pass 50 in the series.^[8]

During the 1959–60 season, Australian undertook an arduous tour of the subcontinent, with three and five Tests against Pakistan and India, respectively. In Dhaka, East Pakistan (now in Bangladesh), Harvey made 96 on a matting pitch in the first Test, mastering the medium pace of Fazal Mahmood, while his teammates struggled to score.^[1] In the course of the innings, Harvey had to overcome dysentery and physical illness forced him to leave six times to recompose himself. Described by Benaud as "one of the best innings at Test level," it guided Australia to a win. The second Test in Lahore came down to a run-chase in the fourth innings for Australia, with Harvey and Norm O'Neill seemingly on schedule to win before time ran out. However, the Pakistani fielders began to waste time in an attempt to foil an Australian victory. They swapped the cover and midwicket fielders very slowly whenever the left and right handed combination of Harvey and O'Neill took a single and changed the batsman on strike. To counter this, Harvey deliberately backed away from a straight ball and was bowled, throwing his wicket away for 37. This allowed Benaud to come in and bat with O'Neill so that the two right-handed batsmen would give the Pakistanis no opportunity to waste time by switching the field.^[25] Australia won the match. Harvey scored a half-century in the drawn third Test at Karachi. Australia took the series 2–0, but would not win another Test in Pakistan until 1998. Harvey ended the series with 273 runs at 54.6.^[8]

In India, Harvey scored 114 in a low-scoring match in the first Test at Delhi, setting up an innings victory for Australia. On a pitch conducive to spin at Kanpur for the second Test, Harvey was given a rare opportunity to bowl and he took the wicket of the Indian captain, Gulabrai Ramchand. In addition, he scored 51 and 25, but India won to square the series. Harvey hit 102 in a drawn third Test in Bombay and took his third (and final) Test wicket, A. G. Milkha Singh, in the fourth Test at Chennai. He ended the series with 356 runs at 50.86, a significant contribution to Australia's 2–1 triumph.^[8][26]

[edit] International twilight

Neil Harvey's Test career batting performance. The red bars indicate the runs that he scored in an innings, with the blue line indicating the batting average in his last ten innings. The blue dots indicate an innings where he remained not out.^[8]

In the last years of his Test career, Harvey struggled, making 876 runs at 33.69 in three Test series. During the thrilling 1960–61 home series against the West Indies (which included the first tie in Test history), Harvey was ineffective apart from a score of 85 in the second innings of the third Test, which Australia lost. He then missed the Fourth Test due to injury.^[8]

Harvey began his final tour, to England in 1961, well with a score of 114 in the drawn first Test at Edgbaston. An injured shoulder forced Benaud out of the next Test. Finally, Harvey captained Australia, in the second Test at Lord's. Played on a controversial pitch with a noticeable ridge running across it, it was one of the great Test matches. Harvey and Benaud planned to force a result via an aggressive strategy and a determination to avoid time-wasting. When Australia slumped to 4/19 chasing a small target of 69 to win on the erratic surface, Harvey sent Peter Burge out to attack the bowling, a tactic that worked as Australia won by five wickets. The "Battle of the Ridge" was the only time Harvey captained Australia in a Test match. Benaud's regular absences due to injury allowed Harvey to lead Australia for a third of the tour matches. Benaud returned for the third Test, when England levelled the series despite twin half-centuries from Harvey. He ended with 338 runs at 42.5, a significant factor in Australia's eventual 2–1 victory.^{[1][2][27][8]}

Having stated his intention to retire at the end of the summer, the 1962–63 series against England was Harvey's last in international cricket. Beginning steadily with half-centuries in the first and third Tests, Harvey made his 21st and final century in the fourth Test at Adelaide. Scoring 154 in a drawn match at the venue where his international career began 15 seasons earlier, Harvey then returned to his adopted hometown of Sydney for his farewell match. With the series level at 1–1, the Ashes were still alive but the game turned into a dull draw and Harvey scored 22 and 28. In the two English innings, he held six catches to equal the world record, a reminder of his prowess as one of Australia's great all-round fielders.^[8] Harvey retired as Australia's most capped player, and a tally of runs and centuries second only to Don Bradman.^[1]

[edit] Later years and personal life

He was an Australian selector from 1967 to 1979.^[1] It was a tumultuous period in Australian cricket, where captain Bill Lawry was acrimoniously sacked in the middle of the 1970–71 series against England after a dispute between players and Australian officials. Lawry was not informed of his fate and learned of his omission on the radio when he was still one of Australia' s most productive batsmen. The dispute was the genesis of the pay dispute which led to the formation of World Series Cricket in 1977 and generated a mass exodus of players. This resulted in the recall of Bob Simpson after ten years in retirement at the age of 41 to captain the Test team.^[28]

During the 1949–50 tour of South Africa, Harvey met his first wife Iris Greenish. They married four years later in Melbourne and had two children, Robert and Anne.^[6] After a twenty year marriage, Harvey divorced. Two years later, he married Barbara McGifford at the age of 47. Harvey's career extended into a successful business which distributed tupperware, kitchen and cosmetic products.^[29]

In later life, he was known for his blunt and critical comments towards modern players, believing the cricket in earlier times to be superior. After Steve Waugh's team set a world record of consecutive Test victories, Harvey named three Australian teams that he thought to be superiors, saying "no, far from it" in response to the suggestion that Waugh's men were the best team in history. He attributed the wins to weak opponents, stating "No I don't think they're up to the world standard they were years ago" and that the 1980s West Indies team were far superior.^[30] He also criticised the Australian team for publicly stating praising the skills of their opponents, believing that they did so to aggrandise their statistical performances against teams he considered to be weak.^[31] In 2000 he was named in the Australian Cricket Board's Team of the Century and criticised modern day batsmen, noting that players in earlier eras had to play on sticky wickets saying "these guys who play out here are a little bit spoilt in my opinion. They play on flat wickets all the time and they grizzle if there's ... the ball does a little bit off the pitch, and whatever..... But we had to put up with that" and going to assert his opinion that the current players would be no match.^[32] Harvey was also inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2000, in the first annual induction of two players since the inaugural ten members were announced in 1996.^[33] Harvey vociferously called for Shane Warne and Mark Waugh to be banned from cricket after it was revealed that they accepted money from bookmakers to give pitch and weather information and the ACB privately fined them. He lamented the decline in player conduct in the modern era, also criticising the modern advent of sledging.^[34]

In 2002, Harvey called for Mark and Steve Waugh to be dropped from the Australian team, claiming that they were a waste of space. He stated:

Money is the only thing that keeps them playing...If they earned the same money as I did when I was playing they'd have retired at 34 as I did, and Australian cricket would be the better for it.^[35]

When Steve was close to being dropped during the 2002–03 series against England, Harvey wrote off a half-century made by Waugh, saying "he's playing against probably one of the worst cricket teams I've ever seen."^[36]

[edit] Test match performance

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Benaud, Richie (1998). Anything But. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-69641-6. 
• Perry, Roland (2000). Captain Australia. Random House Australia. ISBN 1-74051-093-3. 

[edit] External links

• Cricinfo Player Profile : Neil Harvey
• HowSTAT! statistical profile of Neil Harvey

v • d • e Australia squad - "The Invincibles" 1 Sid Barnes • 2 Don Bradman (c) • 3 Bill Brown • 4 Ron Hamence • 5 Neil Harvey • 6 Lindsay Hassett (vc) • 7 Ian Johnson  • 8 Bill Johnston • 9 Ray Lindwall • 10 Sam Loxton • 11 Colin McCool • 12 Keith Miller • 13 Arthur Morris  • 14 Doug Ring • 15 Ron Saggers (wk) • 16 Don Tallon (wk) • 17 Ernie Toshack • Coach: Keith Johnson

v • d • e Australia squad - Australian Cricket Board Team of the Century 1 Bill Ponsford • 2 Arthur Morris • 3 Don Bradman (c) • 4 Greg Chappell • 5 Neil Harvey • 6 Keith Miller (vc)  • 7 Ian Healy (wk) • 8 Ray Lindwall • 9 Shane Warne • 10 Dennis Lillee • 11 Bill O'Reilly • 12 Allan Border (12th)