Dyson and Whitney added to Cricket NSW Hall of Fame

Dyson and Whitney become the 51st and 52nd inductees into the prestigious Hall of Fame that includes the likes of Don Bradman, Richie Benaud, Victor Trumper, Alan Davidson, Belinda Clark and Lisa Keightley.

Fittingly, the induction took place in the Steve Waugh Room during the McGrath Foundation’s Pink Test, with Waugh and McGrath inducted into the ‘Hall’ in 2008 and 2011 respectively.

The purpose of the CNSW Hall of Fame is to recognise NSW’s greatest cricketers for their contribution to NSW and Australian Cricket.

Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon said Dyson and Whitney were worthy recipients of the Hall of Fame induction.

“Both John and Mike become welcome inductees into the Hall of Fame for their outstanding contributions to NSW and Australian cricket over many years,” Germon, a former New Zealand Test captain, said.

“They can both be remembered for iconic moments as well as for sustained success in NSW for the Blues and wearing the Baggy Green of the Australian team.

“We are proud to have had them make such a positive impact in inspiring people to play and love cricket.”

John Dyson

Born in Sydney on June 11, 1954, John Dyson is remembered for a superb out-field catch in the second Test against the West Indies at the SCG in 1981/82.

What is often forgotten, however, is that he then opened the Australian second innings after tea on the fourth day with the home team needing an unlikely 373 for victory, or to bat out the entire last day against an intimidating West Indian fast bowling attack to achieve a draw. He did the latter and was 127 not out after 377 minutes at the crease, Australia being 4-200 at the end.

Dyson played 156 first-class matches (1975/76 – 1988/89) and scored 9935 runs at 40.22 with 19 centuries and 53 half-centuries. In 30 Test matches (1977/78 – 1984/85) he scored 1359 runs, at 26.64, with two centuries and five half-centuries. In 29 One Day Internationals he scored 755 runs at 32.82 with four half-centuries.

John played 94 first-class matches (1975/76 – 1988/89) for New South Wales and scored 6773 runs at 44.26 with 14 centuries and 37 half-centuries. The latter included eight scores in the 90s. Amazingly, especially for an opener, he was dismissed for a ‘duck’ just twice in his 170 innings for the state. His highest score was 241 against South Australia in 1983/84, and in the second innings of that match he scored 92. It was the third time he had scored a century and a ninety in the same match. He scored 122 and 94 against Tasmania in 1976/77, and 98 and 123 against the West Indies before the Test in 1981/82. 

His 94 first-class matches for New South Wales was then third behind Steve Rixon (107) and Doug Walters (103), and his 6773 runs was second only to Alan Kippax (8005). In his last match, against Queensland, he scored 21 and 37 to take him to 1031 runs against that state. It made him the first to score 1000 runs for New South Wales against all other states. 

Dyson and Rick McCosker hold the record for the first wicket for New South Wales, making 319 against Western Australia in Sydney in 1980/81. They also hold that record for limited-overs matches, making 253 against South Australia in Sydney in 1981/82. That is the all-wicket record for New South Wales in limited-over cricket.

Dyson played 24 limited-over matches for NSW for 846 runs at 38.45, with two centuries and six half-centuries.

Mike Whitney AM

Mike Whitney AM is one of cricket’s great characters, having forged a TV career off the back of his on-field exploits. He starred in a famous beer commercial and has been a regular host of lifestyle TV shows for decades.

Whitney, born on February 24, 1959, played for New South Wales in 94 first-class matches (1980/81-1993/94).
 
A left-arm fast bowler, he took 314 wickets, second amongst fast bowlers only to Geoff Lawson. He took his wickets at an average of 27.33 with 13 five-wicket performance and a best of 7-75.
 
Whitney made his first-class debut in October 1980 and played four matches in that season. He went to England in 1981 to play League cricket for the Fleetwood Cricket Club. Injury to Gloucestershire fast bowlers saw him called up to that county team and during his third match for them he was waiting with considerable trepidation to go in and face the great West Indian fast bowler, Malcolm Marshall, who was playing for Hampshire. He was saved by a call from Fred Bennett, the manager of the Australian team, then in England for the Ashes. The Australians also had injury problems with their fast bowlers. Bennett instructed him to take his pads off and get to Manchester. The next day, in just his eighth first-class match, Mike made his Test debut. He took 2/50 and 2/74, and made a ‘pair’.
 
Whitney played 12 Tests for Australia (1981-1992/93), taking 39 wickets at 33.97 with two seven wicket performances. He took 7-27 against India in 1991/92, and 7-89 against the West Indies in 1988/89. In the match against India, he had taken 4-68 in the first innings. 
 
Many considered Whitney was an ordinary batsman. His 19 Test innings produced just 68 runs at 6.18. However, he produced a pulsating finish to the 1987 Boxing Day Test between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG when, as the last man in, he survived 18 balls to secure a draw. He faced the last over of that match from one of the greatest-ever fast bowlers, Richard Hadlee.
 
In 38 One Day International matches, Whitney took 46 wickets at 27.15 with an economy rate of 3.55 runs per over. He twice took four wickets in an innings with a best of 4-34. In 49 limited-over matches for New South Wales he took 59 wickets at 27.49 with an economy rate of 3.70 and two four wicket performances with a best of 4-34.            
 
In 119 first-class matches (1980/81-1993/94) Whitney took 412 wickets at 26.75 with 19 five wicket performances and a best of 7-27. Of these matches, 94 were for New South Wales, and in these he took 314 wickets at 27.33. At that time Geoff Lawson was the only fast bowler with more wickets. In 96 limited-over matches (1980/81-1993/94) he took 112 wickets at 27.82 with five four-wicket performances, with a best of 4-13 for NSW against Zimbabwe in 1987-88. His 49 limited-over matches for New South Wales yielded 59 wickets at 27.49, with an economy rate of 3.70 and two four wicket performances with a best of 4-34.
 
For his club, Randwick, Whitney took 262 wickets in first-grade (1979/80-1993/94) at an average of 18.93. He had 15 five-wicket performances with a best of 7/47. In terms of wickets taken, his first season was his best, subsequent seasons being limited by representative demands. In that season, he took 38 wickets at 12.84.  
 
Cricket NSW Hall of Fame

2008 (year inducted)

• Richie Benaud OBE
• Sir Donald Bradman AC
• Alan Davidson AM, MBE
• Ray Lindwall MBE
• Charlie Macartney
• Arthur Morris MBE
• Billy Murdoch
• Bill O’Reilly OBE
• Bob Simpson AO
• Victor Trumper
• Charles Turner
• Steve Waugh AO

2009

• Warren Bardsley
• Belinda Clark AM
• Mark Taylor AO

2010

• Lyn Larsen
• Stan McCabe
• Mark Waugh AM

2011

• Hazel Pritchard
• Monty Noble
• Glenn McGrath AM

2012

• Denise Annetts
• Fred Spofforth
• Doug Walters MBE

2013

• Amy Hudson
• Greg Matthews
• Norm O’Neill OAM

2014

• Brian Booth MBE
• Geoff Lawson OAM
• Margaret Peden

2015

• Mollie Dive OAM
• Arthur Mailey
• Michael Slater

2016

• Belinda Haggett
• Alan Kippax
• Michael Bevan

2017

• Syd Gregory
• Rick McCosker OAM
• Lisa Keightley

2018

• Bert Oldfield MBE

2019

• Archie Jackson

2020

• Lisa Sthalekar

2021

• Brian Taber

2022

• Keith Miller
• Sally Griffiths

2023

• Steve Rixon
• Leah Poulton
• Muriel Picton
• Tom Garrett
• Herbie Collins

2024

• John Dyson
• Mike Whitney AM