Almanac Cricket: Dr Cricket

 

We’re almost in the last quarter of 2021. The football season’s over, cricket season beckons. However, this dashed pandemic drags on impacting lives all around the planet. The one positive in 2021 is now having vaccines, but their efficacy, with new strains of the virus mutating, may put a potential damper on this.

 

As a health professional, who also has Post Graduate qualifications in History, I initially thought this may be an interesting period to experience. I had a reasonable knowledge of the last serious pandemic Australia, the world, grappled with a century ago, the Spanish Flu. Now circa 18+ months later yes, it’s been interesting, but certainly draining. Will it ever end !?!

 

Deaths, restrictions, infections, Covidiocy are all part of a reality continuing to plague our lives. What was taken for granted for so long has been turned upside down as the world seeks to counter this fatal virus. Work, school, play is all severely affected by Covid 19. No area of our lives seems free of this virus.

 

Cricket has certainly not been exempted. Tours, tests, limited overs matches have all been cancelled/postponed as the world fights this virus. Are we any nearer the end than the beginning? Anyhow I’m thinking about a way forward. How about a team of cricketers to fight the good fight against the pandemic?  Well the team has been selected, aiming to fight a way forward for us. They are primarily medical doctors, with supports, in this hopefully World Champion team. Here’s the starting eleven.

 

 

 

 

George Thoms:  He  was a Footscray boy, whose older brother Jim played football for Footscray. An opening batsman he played the sole test, in 1951-52. He worked as a Specialist at the hospital in Footscray for many years. My mother, who was a Midwife there, often commented to us kids of working alongside of him, an Australian test player. George Thoms was an Australian pioneer in the use of laser surgery.

 

 

 

Henry James Herbert Scott: Was a Victorian born cricketer who played for Australia in the first decade of test matches. He captained the 1886 Australian team in England, then spent more time there fine tuning his medical skills. Sadly, he died of Typhoid in 1910, a disease for which there was no vaccination then.

 

 

 

 

Roy Park:  The former University, & Melbourne, footballer served with the Australian Medical Corp on the Western Front. He was also a handy batsman for Victoria, winning a test cap. His test career was very short.  He faced only one delivery; it dismissing him. There is an anecdotal story his wife was sitting in the crowd knitting, as her husband faced up to the ball. She then apparently dropped her wool. Bending down to pick it up, she missed the only delivery he faced in his brief test career. True; maybe?

 

 

 

 

Ali Bacher:  The South African who oversaw their 1970, 4-0 victory over Australia on the veldt, this being the last test series they played for over two decades. He then spent time as a General Practitioner (GP) before becoming a key figure in South African cricket administration.  Bacher was active in bringing cricket tours to South Africa during the apartheid bans. When South Africa was welcomed back to the world cricketing family, he remained active in administration being involved in arranging the 2003 World Cup, also being an early participant in trialing the use of video reviews for deciding on dismissals.

 

 

 

 

Seymour Nurse:  No, the Barbadian born right handed batsmen of the 1960’s was not medically trained (to my knowledge)but how could a health care team not include a Nurse? You could not leave out a Nurse who averaged 47.60 @ test level.

 

 

 

 

William Gilbert (WG) Grace:  The famous face of WG Grace is an imposing symbol of late nineteenth century cricket.  Grace qualified as a Medical Practitioner in 1879 then established a successful career in medicine. He did much work amongst the poor families of London, with a reputation of not billing them. On the cricketing field he was theoretically considered an amateur cricketer, though he apparently made more money playing cricket than any professional cricketer. A controversial figure in his life time, he’ll captain our team as it fights this pernicious virus.

 

 

 

Edward Mills Grace: This older brother of the legendary WG Grace played the sole test. In the medical field he worked as a Surgeon, though in his later years he took on the role of the Coroner. Primarily a cricketing all-rounder he occasionally also kept wicket for his county Gloucestershire.

 

 

 

 

Roy Minnett: He was an Australian test cricketer from New South Wales who played before the ‘great trade war’: World War One. He appeared in nine tests for Australia prior to retiring to focus on medicine.

 

 

 

 

Geoff Lawson: The former Australian fast bowler is an interesting one.  He’s a qualified Optometrist though his time post retirement seems primarily taken up with coaching and commentating.

 

 

 

 

Justin Vaughan: Is a New Zealand cricketer who appeared at test, and one day level. He is trained as a Doctor, though now works in a senior role with a medical, technology company.  I’m aware Vaughan’s former team mate Chris Harris is in the medical field, but not totally sure he is a Doctor. Can someone clarify this?

 

 

 

 

Carlos Bertram ‘Bertie’ Clarke: The West Indian leg spinner played three tests just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. He then stayed in England where he played county cricket into his forties. He became a long serving GP, doing much work among the communities from the Caribbean diaspora.

 

Almanackers, cricketers, health care workers: we’re all human. Humans are universal beings, we are part of the world. Humans are not above/beyond nature as this pandemic is sadly showing us. Well, where to from here?

 

A good starting point is rolling up our sleeves for vaccination. Being a health professional, I was lucky enough to get both my doses early. This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated, so for us to get through and out of it, it’s important the overwhelming majority of us are vaccinated. Other factors are also important such as ventilation, Personal Protective Equipment, social distancing, though  vaccination is up near the top of what humanity must do.

 

Stay safe.

 

Glen!

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Thanks Ed.

    The photos are appreciated.

    Glen!

  2. No modern cricket team (WG will turn in his grave) is complete without a coach. Dr Ric Charlesworth is a medical doctor; Olympic silver medallist in hockey and coach of the gold medal winning women’s Hockeyroos. He was the MHR for Perth in Federal Parliament (before returning his skills to productive endeavours). He has been a coaching consultant to football teams in both AFL and WAFL.
    As a cricketer he played 47 games for WA in the 1970’s averaging 30 as an opening batsman back when pitches had grass and bounce (particularly the WACA) – worth about 50 on drop in doormats. He played in 3 WA winning Sheffield Shield teams.

  3. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    The closest I’ve come to one in person was in 1982/83 when I scored for the Adelaide Uni Blacks B Grade, which was captained by David David (aka “Squared”) – the extraordinarily accomplished cranio-facial specialist and winner of the Bradman Medal for the best A Grade district player in 1966/67.

  4. This is really cool, Glen!
    A most enjoyable read.

    Take care.

  5. I got George Thoms autograph as a very young kid when he partnered Colin McDonald in a Shield game at the G. I then copied the autograph on the back of my Stuart Surridge bat.
    But that was a long time ago and the bat and the autograph book have long since disappeared.
    Good memories Glen

  6. Luke Reynolds says

    Great team Glen! I’ve always loved the story of Roy Park’s wife dropping her knitting when he faced his one delivery.

    Unsure about Chris Harris, he has done plenty of coaching and commentating around the world since his playing days finished.

    What about the “Spin Doctor” Terry Jenner? Could always work his magic on Warnie.

  7. CITRUS BOB says

    Great stuff Glen! I am not sure but fairly confident that Roy Park was the father-in-law of Australian Captain (what a shocking selection that was!) Ian Johnson?

    And now all things will be turning to cricket – the greatest of games now that the Poms have put their dummies away.

  8. Ta Citrus Bob.

    I also have an understanding Roy Park was Ian Johnson’s father in law.

    It looks like the ECB will now stop the shadow boxing, & commit to coming Down Under for an Ashes series. However, who knows when Covid finally gets into those states that have so far avoided its sickly grip? Maybe there’s still a spot in this summers starting 11 for Dr. Cricket.

    Glen!

  9. Well, will the SCG test go as planned?

    There have been positive cases recorded among those associated to the touring group. The NSW Government has once again proven inept at dealing with an outbreak. When the daily case numbers are 6,000 +, when you have a Health Minister foreseeing 25,000 + cases a day, is it worth while turning the SCG test into a super spreader event?

    We live in interesting times.

    Gutes Neuse Jahr.

    Glen!

  10. Ian Craig, 11 Tests for Australia 1953-58 was a pharmacist.

    Daniel Harris, 58 matches for South Australia 1999/00 – 20011/12 became a doctor.

    This article, especially Seymour Nurse, got me thinking about doing a cricket team where the players’ surnames were either to do with medical or anything resembling good health.

    Nurse and doctor names could be used more than once as they are medically trained names.

    It doesn’t matter if the players have played Test cricket. First class or Big Bash Cricket is enough. It doesn’t matter if the spelling is incorrect or if the health name is part of the surname.

    Here is the World Cricket team of Health Professional or Healthy Names:

    1. Seymour Nurse (29 Tests West Indies 1960-69)
    2. David FITzgerald (67 FC South Australia 1993/94-2002/03)
    3. Dirk WELLham (6 Tests Australia 1981-87)
    4. Glen MaxWELL (7 Tests Australia 2013-17)
    5. Jonathan WELLs (56 FC TAS/WA 2008/09-2018/19)
    6. Warwick ArmSTRONG (c) (50 Tests Australia 1902-21)
    7. Billy MurDOCh (wk) (18 Tests Australia 1877-90)
    8. Ashley NURSE ((54 ODIs/13 T20s West Indies 2011-19)
    9. Ray BRIGHT (25 Tests Australia 1977-86)
    10. Tino BEST (25 Tests West Indies 2003-13)
    11. Chris GOODe (1 FC Northamptonshire 2004)
    12th man: Nicholas TRAINOR (30 FC Gloucestershire 1996-98)
    Concussion Sub: Darrel BalDOCk (2 FC Tasmania 1960-61)

    This team will play an exhibition match against the Dr Cricket team, named earlier in this article.

    The match will be played at the WACA, because of The Fremantle Doctor.

    Entertainment will be provided by the song “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)”, by Robert Palmer.

    The after match meal will be health foods.

    Transport will be the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

    Let’s hope for a good game of cricket and that it will turn out to be just what the doctor ordered!

  11. Moin Anon.

    After the days play they will screen the Michael Moore documentary ‘Sicko’ re the American health care system.

    It’s a system that has more people employed in private health insurance to deny care than employs Doctors to provide care.

    Glen!

  12. Mark ‘Swish Schwerdt says

    Make sure you check in with Merv Waite (AUS, 2 Tests 1938) upon arrival

  13. Jim MaxWELL and Michael Hussey (Mr Cricket instead of Dr cricket and studied to be a Science teacher, so he may know about medical science) will provide commentary and special comments respectively for the match.

    Dr Peter Bruckner will be the team doctor.

    No pitch DOCTORing will be allowed.

    Any player caught sledging will get a taste of their own medicine!

  14. I forgot to mention that any player who has forgotten to bring their headgear to the ground can check in with former Melbourne Renegades coach and coach of the Dr Cricket team, Simon Helmot. He will also make sure the concussion sub has the right headgear too and if needed, he will activate that sub.

  15. Firstly, I meant to type Glenn Maxwell with a double n not one n in his first name, in my first comment.

    If another exhibition match between these teams is to be scheduled due to either bad weather, a draw or popular demand, the venue will be at the former St Kilda football (not St Kilda cricket) ground, so that any player or spectator that is suffering from mental health, is welcome to visit and check in at the Danny Frawley Wellness Centre.

    Former Adelaide and Essendon AFL player Sean WELLMAN (former podiatrist) will be on hand at this Wellness Centre to provide support to any of these players and spectators, as well as any foot injuries suffered during the match.

    Sean WELLMAN may also be needed should dare I say, any of these players do what Glenn McGrath did in the 2005 Ashes and tread on a cricket ball, causing an ankle injury!

  16. The umpire for this exhibition cricket match between the World Champion Dr Cricket team and the World Cricket team of Health Professional or Healthy Names will be Billy DOCtrove. (Umpired 38 Tests, 2000-12). He will also be the match referee.

    The referee will decide that if any player is guilty of misbehaving on the field, that player could have his pay DOCked.

    The only DRS that will be involved in this match is that should the World Champion Dr Cricket team win, DRS will then stand for Doctors Reign Supreme!

  17. The physical contact instigated by Virat Kohli against Sam Konstas in the 4th Test between Australia and India at the MCG yesterday reminded me about the Code of Conduct and the Laws of Cricket. It also got me thinking of doing a cricket team where each player has either made it into the legal profession as a lawyer, has successfully completed a Law degree, has a surname or nickname that has a legal meaning, has a spouse who is a lawyer or has successfully completed Law or who has the same first and surname of another person who is a famous lawyer. It also doesn’t matter if Law is part of the player’s surname.

    It doesn’t matter if the player has played Test, first class or Big Bash cricket.

    There were many lesser known English first class cricketers who became lawyers. Preference was given to more well known cricketers who could strengthen the batting of this team, like people Smith and Ponting, and a player who could strengthen the bowling, like Trent Copeland. Smith was selected as an opener due to the lack of openers, but at least Smith played a few Tests as an opener. Preference was also given to players that had a surname or part of their surname like Law or Judge.

    As there was no recognised wicket keeper for this team, Stuart Law was named as the keeper.

    Here is the World Legal (Law) Cricket team:

    1. Andrew Hilditch (18 Tests Australia 1979-85/Partner law firm Barry Nilsson-Insurance Law)
    2. Bill LAWry (67 Tests Australia 1961-71/Law as part of his surname)
    3. Ricky Ponting (c) (168 Tests Australia 1995-2012/wife Rianna Cantor is a qualified Lawyer but hasn’t practised Law)
    4. Steve Smith (112 Tests Australia 2010-present/wife Danni Willis is a Lawyer)
    5. Stuart LAW (1 Test Australia 1995/Law)
    6. Robin Smith (62 Tests England 1988-96/nickname The Judge)
    7. Zafar Ansari (3 Tests England 2016/Lawyer in London)
    8. Patrick Dooley (20 T20s Brisbane Heat/Hobart Hurricanes/completed Law degree but hasn’t practiced Law)
    9. Trent Copeland (3 Tests Australia 2011/his namesake Trent Copeland is an American Lawyer who has appeared on CBS News and “Larry King Live” on CNN, commentating on legal issues)
    10. Greg Rowell (46 FC NSW/Qld/Tas 1989/90-1998/99/Lawyer)
    11. Peter JUDGE (68 FC Glamorgan 1933-47/Judge)
    12th man: Nathan Adcock (29 FC South Australia 1997-2008/Commercial Lawyer/Partner at Lynch Myer)

    This team will play an exhibition match against the Dr Cricket team named at the beginning of this article.

    The venue will be at the WACA for the Fremantle Doctor.

    Entertainment will be provided by highlights of episodes from the television shows “The Lincoln Lawyer” and “Law & Order”.

    Commentary will be provided by Bill LAWry (mic’d up), Peter Lalor (surname prounced LAW-luh) and Trent Copeland (mic’d up).

    Let’s hope for a good game of cricket but for the sake of the each player on the Dr Cricket team, they don’t want to say “I Fought the Law and the Law won!

  18. I meant to type that Steve Smith was replaced as the opener by Bill LAWry, so that Smith could bat at his usual number 4 position.

    Stuart LAW (coached Sri Lanka 2011, Bangladesh 2011-12, West Indies 2018-19, Midldlesex 2019-21) can also act as the coach for the Legal (Law) cricket team.

  19. Hallo Anon, frohe Feiertage.

    I may have solved the wicket keeping dilemma.

    Billy Murdoch studied Law at the University of Sydney, though unsure if he ever practiced it.

    Glen!

  20. Yes, great work (tolle Arbeit) Glen. Thank you (Danke).

    Billy Murdoch (19 Tests Australia 1877-1890) was an occasional wicket-keeper and as previously stated, studied law at the University of Sydney. According to Wiki under Billy Murdoch’s playing career, he qualified as a solicitor in 1877 and opened up a practice, “Murdoch & Murdoch”, with his brother Gilbert, although it was short-lived, going bankrupt in 1877.

    Unfortunately, for him, there was no money to be made from cricket back in those days and of course, he didn’t have the wealth of his later surname namesake, Rupert Murdoch.

    Billy Murdoch can therefore bat at number 7, as the wicket-keeper in the Legal (Law) team, demoting Zafar Ansari to 12th man. Nathan Adcock can now be the concussion sub.

  21. Hello Glen

    As had in my Melbourne team Dr Herbert Hordern was a medical doctor also Otto Nothling was a doctor in Dubbo and he served as a Doctor in World War 2

  22. Geoff LAWson (46 Tests Australia 1980-89/law as part of the surname) should have been selected in the World Legal (Law) Cricket team. He can now play in both the Dr Cricket and Legal Cricket teams.

    Jermaine LAWson (13 Tests West Indies 2002-05/law as part of the surname) should have also been selected. It doesn’t matter if the surname is used more than once, as the bowling attack for this Legal team needs to be strengthened.

    Therefore, Trent Copeland and Peter Judge have been omitted, as Trent Copeland was only in the team because of his namesake, American Lawyer Trent Copeland. He can still be one of the commentators for this match. Judge was only included for his surname and not for his cricket ability. Judge can now the Match Referee, so he can make judgments.

    Geoff Lawson can now bat at number 8, Dooley at 9, Rowell at 10 and Jermaine Lawson at number 11.

    The umpires for this exhibition match between the World Dr Cricket and the World Legal (Law) teams are Billy DOCtrove (umpired 38 Tests 2000-12) and Alfred LAW (umpired 19 FC in England in 1908 and played 52 matches Warwickshire 1894-99). Billy DOCtrove (FIFA referee 1996-97) can also help Peter Judge as the match referee.

    If a second pretend exhibition match is required between the World Dr Cricket and World Legal (Law) teams, the venue will be the Cricket Oval on the campus of the University of Melbourne Cricket Club in Parkville because all the qualified doctors and lawyers in this team were university students.

    Any spectator who misbehaves and runs onto the field during play will face the full force of the LAW!

  23. As this article is about cricketers who became doctors, it focuses on clever players.

    As the Australian Open tennis is currently on, it got me thinking about academic first names or surnames of tennis players. Two of them recently made a name for themselves.

    This is the Team of College Tennis Names:

    Tristan SCHOOLkate (took a set of Jannik Sinner in the 2nd round of the 2025 Australian Open on Rod Laver Arena)
    LEARNER Tien beat Daniil Medvedev in the 2nd round of the 2025 Australian Open on Margaret Court Arena)
    Brian TEACHER (won the 1980 Australian Open at Kooyong)
    John MARKS (runner up 1978 Australian Open, having defeated Arthur Ashe in the semi finals)

    The above team also got me thinking about doing an equivalent for cricket. It doesn’t matter if the spelling is incorrect, as long as it’s close enough. For example, Tudor for Tutor.

    Here is the World College Cricket team of Surnames:

    1. Travis HEAD (c) (54 Tests Australia 2016-present/Head of Faculty)
    2. Travis DEAN (67 FC Victoria 2015/2016-present/Deans are University professors)
    3. John SCHOLes (62 FC Victoria 1968/69-1981/82/Rhodes Scholar)
    4. Stuart LAW (1 Test Australia 1995/Law Degree)
    5. Oliver BAtCHELOR (2 FC Leeds/Bradford Marylebone Cricket Club University 2019/Bachelor’s Degree)
    6. Cyril SMART (236 FC Warwickshire/Glamorgan 1927-46/smart student)
    7. Bruce FRENCH (wk) (16 Tests England 1986-88/study French at University)
    8. Alex TUDOR (10 Tests England 1998-2002/University Tutor)
    9. Ray BRIGHT (25 Tests Australia 1977-86/bright student)
    10. Brian BRAIN (259 FC Worcestershire/Gloucestershire 1959-81/brain/clever student)
    11. Allan WISE (34 FC Victoria/WA/wise student)

    This team will play exhibition cricket matches against both the World Dr Cricket and World Legal (Law) cricket teams.

    The venue will be the campus oval at the University of Melbourne in Parkville.

    Entertainment will be provided by the song “(Remember the Days of the) Old Schoolyard”, by Cat Stevens.

    The lunch meal will be served at the University canteen.

    Transport will be provided by school buses.

    Let’s hope for a good game of cricket where one team might be taught a lesson!

  24. The title of this article, together with the Australian Open Tennis 2025 finishing a little over a week ago, go me thinking about professional tennis players or former amateur tennis players becoming doctors or health professionals.

    After doing research into this topic, unfortunately there’s not a great deal to report.

    Renee Richards, formerly Richard Raskind, (ranked 20 WTA in 1979/finalist US Open doubles 1977/SF US Open Mixed doubles 1979/ophthalmologist)

    Marlene Weingartner (ranked 36 in singles 2002/beat defending champion Jennifer Capriati in 1st round Aus Open 2003/4th round Aus Open 2002/4th round French Open 2004/Doctor)

    Marina Erakovic (ranked 39 in singles May 2012/ranked 25 in doubles 2013/QF French Open doubles 2013,2014/SF Wimbledon doubles 2011/QF US Open doubles 2008/studied Medicine at University but didn’t finish)

    Astra Sharma (ranked 84 in singles 2022/ranked 91 in doubles 2022/finalist Aus Open mixed doubles 2019/received a scholarship to Vanderbilt University, graduating in 2018, majoring in medicine, Health and Society. Originally intent on becoming an orthopaedic surgeon, she decided not to continue in medical school as her professional tennis career took off. Still in 2022, she used a partnership between the WTA and the University of Florida to earn a Master’s degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology.

    Are there any other professional or well known amateur tennis players who became health professionals?

  25. According to an article in the Indian Express nearly 10 years ago, Chris Harris, the former Test cricketer for New Zealand, was a medical representative with an orthopaedic company that sells high-end products. He is not a trained doctor.

    According to the website of Junction Road Physiotherapy in Clayfield, Queensland, where Martin Love (who played 5 Tests for Australia in 2002 and 2003) works, Martin Love completed his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Queensland in 1997, during which time, he was also a professional cricketer for Queensland (and Australia) which continued until he retired in 2009. Martin then completed his Masters of Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal) degree at The University of Queensland in 2011.

    For the last 13 years Martin has worked as Head Physiotherapist at Queensland Cricket. He worked across all teams including the Queensland Bulls, Brisbane Heat, Queensland Fire and Pathways programs. In this time, he acquired an excellent understanding and management of musculoskeletal and sports related injuries. In particular, he has developed a specific interest in the treatment of bone stress injuries in young fast bowlers.

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