Craig McDermott
Encyclopedia
Craig John McDermott is a former Australian cricket
er. He is currently the bowling coach for the Australian cricket team
.
He was the spearhead of the Australian attack in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Red-haired, powerfully built at 191 cm, he was a sight to watch at full flight with his face painted with a horizontal line of white sun-screen across his nose and cheeks like Allan Donald
of South Africa.
He started his career with Queensland
in 1983–84 and made his Test match
debut for Australia
in 1984–85 whilst still 19 v West Indies (his youth engendering his nickname "Billy" – from Billy the Kid
). In his first Ashes tour of 1985, he took 30 wickets. But he was over-bowled and was burnt out. He had an excellent World Cup
in 1987, helping Australia win the trophy. He took 18 wickets in the tournament, including 5/44 in the semi-final win over Pakistan.
McDermott was a rhythm bowler. When his rhythm was right, he would have an aggressive approach to the wicket and an excellent sideways-on action, giving him sharp pace and outswing. But when his rhythm deserted him, he could look ordinary. He always saved his best for England, taking 32 wickets in the last full series that he was able to play before injuries took over. Injuries seemed to hit him at wrong times, and he missed the history making West Indies tour of 1995 and the 1996 World Cup
. He also missed most of the 1993 Ashes tour when Shane Warne
and Merv Hughes
shared the spoils in his absence.
His best bowling analysis in Tests is 8/97 against England in 1991. He ended with 291 wickets from 70 Tests and 203 one-day wickets with the best analysis being the 5/44.
In batting, even though his average is that of a tail-ender, he could still hit the ball with power and could stand his ground against fast bowling. In fact, two of the closest Tests that Australia lost, McDermott played a key role – In 1993, Australia lost the pivotal closest match in Test history by 1 run to West Indies when McDermott, on 18 and batting with stout resistance, was given out controversially when attempting to play a bouncer from Courtney Walsh
. In 1994, he was on 29 not out in the Test against South Africa that Australia lost by 5 runs in chasing 117.
His son, Alister McDermott
is a cricketer for Queensland.
On 12 May 2011, it was announced that McDermott had been appointed the new bowling coach for the Australian cricket team
replacing Troy Cooley
.
Vigan was charged by Queensland Police with eight counts of extortion and one count each of burglary and theft in relation to the earlier theft of the tapes from McDermott's luxury cruiser. He was released on bail at Southport Magistrates court and has been ordered to report to police three times a week and was due to reappear in court in December 2006. Both of the tapes and $30,000 of the money have been since recovered by police; Vigan spent the remainder of the money on the drug ice.
On 23 January 2009, Vigan pleaded guilty to the charges in Southport District Court; Judge Julie Dick sentenced him to 4½ years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 18 months, also ordering him to pay McDermott restitution of $35,000.
On 6 June 2008, the courts appointed a liquidator to Craig McDermott's company, MAXEN DEVELOPMENTS PTY LTD (ABN79093675006). The company was wound up over failure to pay $48,000 owed to the Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Services Board.
McDermott/Maxen allegedly owed more than $40,000,000, including $22,000,000 to Bridgecorp
, $10,000,000 to City Pacific
and $121,000 to architect Lachlan Henderson, while former delivery driver Terrence O'Brien and his wife Janice alleged that McDermott used $625,000 that was invested in the company for "personal purposes". On 12 June, Craig McDermott filed for bankruptcy.
In September, it was revealed McDermott's second wife intended to sue him for allegedly refusing to pay child support.
Cricket legend Allan Border
and Brisbane Broncos identity Barry Maranta
, along with Rod Petricevic of Bridgecorp, have all been associated with McDermott either as directors of Maxen or directors of other entities related to Maxen & its projects at Bagara Beach Estate near Bundaberg and Fraser Waters at Hervey Bay.
Craig McDermott drives a black Porsche Carrera and lives in a luxury 1092 cubic metre Gold Coast waterfront home which McDermott described as "might be a bit squashy". The property, understood to be owned by McDermott's third wife Ann-Maree, is currently for sale for offers over $10,000,000.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. He is currently the bowling coach for the Australian cricket team
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
.
He was the spearhead of the Australian attack in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Red-haired, powerfully built at 191 cm, he was a sight to watch at full flight with his face painted with a horizontal line of white sun-screen across his nose and cheeks like Allan Donald
Allan Donald
Allan Anthony Donald is a former South African cricketer and one of their most successful pace bowlers.In his prime, he was one of the best fast bowlers ever seen in Test cricket, reaching the top of the ICC Test rankings in 1998 and peaked with a top ICC ranking of 895 points the next year, the...
of South Africa.
He started his career with Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
in 1983–84 and made his Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
debut for Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
in 1984–85 whilst still 19 v West Indies (his youth engendering his nickname "Billy" – from Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid
William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
). In his first Ashes tour of 1985, he took 30 wickets. But he was over-bowled and was burnt out. He had an excellent World Cup
Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years...
in 1987, helping Australia win the trophy. He took 18 wickets in the tournament, including 5/44 in the semi-final win over Pakistan.
McDermott was a rhythm bowler. When his rhythm was right, he would have an aggressive approach to the wicket and an excellent sideways-on action, giving him sharp pace and outswing. But when his rhythm deserted him, he could look ordinary. He always saved his best for England, taking 32 wickets in the last full series that he was able to play before injuries took over. Injuries seemed to hit him at wrong times, and he missed the history making West Indies tour of 1995 and the 1996 World Cup
1996 Cricket World Cup
The 1996 Cricket World Cup, also called the Wills World Cup after its official sponsors, was the sixth edition of the tournament organized by the International Cricket Council . It was the second World Cup to be hosted by Pakistan and India, and for the first time by Sri Lanka...
. He also missed most of the 1993 Ashes tour when Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
and Merv Hughes
Merv Hughes
Mervyn Gregory Hughes is a former Australian cricketer. A right-arm fast bowler, he represented Australia between 1985 and 1994 in 53 Test matches, taking 212 wickets. He played 33 One Day Internationals, taking 38 wickets. He took a hat trick in a Test against the West Indies at the WACA in...
shared the spoils in his absence.
His best bowling analysis in Tests is 8/97 against England in 1991. He ended with 291 wickets from 70 Tests and 203 one-day wickets with the best analysis being the 5/44.
In batting, even though his average is that of a tail-ender, he could still hit the ball with power and could stand his ground against fast bowling. In fact, two of the closest Tests that Australia lost, McDermott played a key role – In 1993, Australia lost the pivotal closest match in Test history by 1 run to West Indies when McDermott, on 18 and batting with stout resistance, was given out controversially when attempting to play a bouncer from Courtney Walsh
Courtney Walsh
Courtney Andrew Walsh is a former international cricketer who represented the West Indies from 1984 to 2001, captaining the West Indies in 22 Test matches...
. In 1994, he was on 29 not out in the Test against South Africa that Australia lost by 5 runs in chasing 117.
His son, Alister McDermott
Alister McDermott
Alister Craig McDermott is an Australian cricketer who plays for Queensland in Australian domestic cricket...
is a cricketer for Queensland.
On 12 May 2011, it was announced that McDermott had been appointed the new bowling coach for the Australian cricket team
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
replacing Troy Cooley
Troy Cooley
Troy James Cooley is a former first-class cricketer for the Tasmanian Tigers, and was bowling coach for the England cricket team for several years before returning to Australia in 2006.-Career:...
.
Explicit Video Controversy
In September 2006, McDermott was caught up in a sex-tape extortion case where he was blackmailed for $65,000 by 38-year-old former employee Peter Josef Vigan in exchange for two sexually explicit videos of McDermott with his wife.Vigan was charged by Queensland Police with eight counts of extortion and one count each of burglary and theft in relation to the earlier theft of the tapes from McDermott's luxury cruiser. He was released on bail at Southport Magistrates court and has been ordered to report to police three times a week and was due to reappear in court in December 2006. Both of the tapes and $30,000 of the money have been since recovered by police; Vigan spent the remainder of the money on the drug ice.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
On 23 January 2009, Vigan pleaded guilty to the charges in Southport District Court; Judge Julie Dick sentenced him to 4½ years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 18 months, also ordering him to pay McDermott restitution of $35,000.
Bankrupt
McDermott/Maxen allegedly owed more than $40,000,000, including $22,000,000 to Bridgecorp
Bridgecorp Holdings
Bridgecorp Holdings is a former high risk property development group that was operating in New Zealand and Australia. It was placed in receivership in July 2007.-History:...
, $10,000,000 to City Pacific
City Pacific
City Pacific is an Australian company established in 1997 by Phil Sullivan as a financial investment manager. It is the holder of Australian Financial Services licence No...
and $121,000 to architect Lachlan Henderson, while former delivery driver Terrence O'Brien and his wife Janice alleged that McDermott used $625,000 that was invested in the company for "personal purposes". On 12 June, Craig McDermott filed for bankruptcy.
In September, it was revealed McDermott's second wife intended to sue him for allegedly refusing to pay child support.
Cricket legend Allan Border
Allan Border
Allan Robert Border AO is a former Australian cricketer. A batsman, Border was for many years the captain of the Australian team. His playing nickname was "A.B.". He played 156 Test matches in his career, a record until it was passed by fellow Australian Steve Waugh...
and Brisbane Broncos identity Barry Maranta
Barry Maranta
Barry Maranta is an Australian businessman and co-founder of the Brisbane Broncos rugby league team. As well as being a founder of the Broncos he is currently a Sky Shades president....
, along with Rod Petricevic of Bridgecorp, have all been associated with McDermott either as directors of Maxen or directors of other entities related to Maxen & its projects at Bagara Beach Estate near Bundaberg and Fraser Waters at Hervey Bay.
Craig McDermott drives a black Porsche Carrera and lives in a luxury 1092 cubic metre Gold Coast waterfront home which McDermott described as "might be a bit squashy". The property, understood to be owned by McDermott's third wife Ann-Maree, is currently for sale for offers over $10,000,000.