Max O'Connell
Encyclopedia
Maxwell George O'Connell (born 4 April 1936 in Alberton, South Australia
) was an Australian Test cricket match umpire.
He umpired 19 Test matches
between 1971 and 1980. His first match, was the Fifth Test in the 1970–71 Ashes series at Melbourne
on 21 January to 26 January 1971. In his first over as Test umpire he called "over" and turned to walk to square leg after John Snow
bowled the last ball. As a result he missed the England wicket-keeper Alan Knott
catching Keith Stackpole
and had to give him not out. Snow wrote that he 'could quite understand his actions which illustrate the pressure umpires are also under in a Test', and they were able to joke about it afterwards. Stackpole continued to 30, Ian Chappell
scored a century and Australian captain Bill Lawry
declared the second innings closed with Rod Marsh
on 92, depriving him the chance of becoming the first Australian wicket-keeper to score a century. O'Connell's partner was Lou Rowan
.
In 1971/72 season, a scheduled tour of Australia by South Africa
was cancelled following political and moral protests against the apartheid
policies of the South African government. In its place a 'World Team' visited Australia and played a series of Test standard, although never officially recognised. O'Connell stood in one of these matches, and witnessed Garfield Sobers
score 254, an innings regarded by some witnesses as the greatest ever played.
O'Connell stood, with Tom Brooks
in the Centenary Test Match between Australia and England, played at Melbourne on 12 March to 17 March 1977, won by Australia by 45 runs – identical to the result of the first Test 100 years before. Dennis Lillee
took 11 wickets, Rod Marsh
finally achieved a century against England, debutant David Hookes
hit English captain Tony Greig
for five consecutive fours, Rick McCosker
batted with a broken jaw, and Derek Randall
scored a gallant 174, in a memorable match, attended by many of the past great names of Australian and English cricket.
O'Connell's last Test match was between Australia and the West Indies
at Adelaide
on 26 January to 30 January 1980, won comfortably by the powerful visitors by 408 runs. His colleague was Mel Johnson
, the eleventh other umpire to partner him at Test level.
O'Connell also umpired six One Day International matches between 1975 and 1981.
Although never a first-class cricket
er, O'Connell represented South Australia as a batsman at interstate Second XI standard.
O'Connell was also a well-respected Australian Football umpire, officiating at the highest levels, predominantly in the South Australian National Football League.
Alberton, South Australia
Alberton is a metropolitan suburb in Adelaide, South Australia, about 20 minutes drive from the city. Part of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, it is bordered by the suburbs of Rosewater, Queenstown, Cheltenham and Port Adelaide.- History :...
) was an Australian Test cricket match umpire.
He umpired 19 Test matches
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...
between 1971 and 1980. His first match, was the Fifth Test in the 1970–71 Ashes series at Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
on 21 January to 26 January 1971. In his first over as Test umpire he called "over" and turned to walk to square leg after John Snow
John Snow (cricketer)
John Augustine Snow played cricket for Sussex and England in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite being the son of a country vicar and publishing two volumes of poetry Snow was England's most formidable fast bowler between Fred Trueman and Bob Willis and played Test Matches with both of them at either end...
bowled the last ball. As a result he missed the England wicket-keeper Alan Knott
Alan Knott
Alan Philip Eric Knott is a former Kent County Cricket Club and English cricketer, as a wicket-keeper-batsman....
catching Keith Stackpole
Keith Stackpole
Keith Raymond Stackpole Junior is a former Victorian and Australian cricketer who played in 43 Tests and 6 ODIs from 1966 to 1974, who is now a radio cricket commentator...
and had to give him not out. Snow wrote that he 'could quite understand his actions which illustrate the pressure umpires are also under in a Test', and they were able to joke about it afterwards. Stackpole continued to 30, Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell
Ian Michael Chappell is a former cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. He captained Australia between 1971 and 1975 before taking a central role in the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation...
scored a century and Australian captain Bill Lawry
Bill Lawry
William Morris "Bill" Lawry, AM is a former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia in 25 Tests, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia in the inaugural One Day International match, played in 1971...
declared the second innings closed with Rod Marsh
Rod Marsh
Rodney William Marsh MBE is a former Australian wicketkeeper.A colourful character, Marsh had a Test career spanning from the 1970–71 to the 1983–84 Australian season. In 96 Tests, he set a world record of 355 wicketkeeping dismissals, the same number his pace bowling Western...
on 92, depriving him the chance of becoming the first Australian wicket-keeper to score a century. O'Connell's partner was Lou Rowan
Lou Rowan
Louis Patrick “Lou” Rowan , was an Australian Test cricket match umpire.He umpired 25 Test matches between 1963 and 1971. His first match was between Australian and England at Sydney on 11 January to 15 January 1963, when Alan Davidson took 9/79, and Bobby Simpson took 5/57 and made 91 and 36 not...
.
In 1971/72 season, a scheduled tour of Australia by South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
was cancelled following political and moral protests against the apartheid
History of South Africa in the apartheid era
Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority 'non-white' inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained...
policies of the South African government. In its place a 'World Team' visited Australia and played a series of Test standard, although never officially recognised. O'Connell stood in one of these matches, and witnessed Garfield Sobers
Garfield Sobers
Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers AO, OCC is a former cricketer who captained West Indies. His first name of Garfield is variously abbreviated as Gary or Garry. He is widely regarded as one of cricket's greatest ever all-rounders, having excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and...
score 254, an innings regarded by some witnesses as the greatest ever played.
O'Connell stood, with Tom Brooks
Tom Brooks
Thomas Francis Brooks OAM was an Australian Test cricket match umpire who was born in Paddington, New South Wales...
in the Centenary Test Match between Australia and England, played at Melbourne on 12 March to 17 March 1977, won by Australia by 45 runs – identical to the result of the first Test 100 years before. Dennis Lillee
Dennis Lillee
Dennis Keith Lillee, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation"...
took 11 wickets, Rod Marsh
Rod Marsh
Rodney William Marsh MBE is a former Australian wicketkeeper.A colourful character, Marsh had a Test career spanning from the 1970–71 to the 1983–84 Australian season. In 96 Tests, he set a world record of 355 wicketkeeping dismissals, the same number his pace bowling Western...
finally achieved a century against England, debutant David Hookes
David Hookes
David William Hookes was an Australian cricketer, broadcaster and coach of the Victorian cricket team. An aggressive left-handed batsman, Hookes usually batted in the middle order...
hit English captain Tony Greig
Tony Greig
Anthony "Tony" William Greig is a former English Test cricketer and currently a commentator.Born in Queenstown, South Africa, Greig qualified to play for England by virtue of his Scottish father. He was a tall batting all-rounder who bowled both medium pace and off spin. He became captain of the...
for five consecutive fours, Rick McCosker
Rick McCosker
Richard Bede McCosker is a former New South Wales and Australian cricketer.McCosker played in 25 Tests and 14 One Day Internationals in a career spanning 1975 to 1982 playing as a right hand batsman....
batted with a broken jaw, and Derek Randall
Derek Randall
Derek William Randall is an English former cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire, and Tests and ODIs for England in the late 1970s and early 1980s....
scored a gallant 174, in a memorable match, attended by many of the past great names of Australian and English cricket.
O'Connell's last Test match was between Australia and the West Indies
West Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
at Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
on 26 January to 30 January 1980, won comfortably by the powerful visitors by 408 runs. His colleague was Mel Johnson
Mel Johnson
Melville William Johnson is an Australian Test cricket match umpire who accumulated a ten-year career total of 67 first-class matches between 1978 and 1988....
, the eleventh other umpire to partner him at Test level.
O'Connell also umpired six One Day International matches between 1975 and 1981.
Although never a first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er, O'Connell represented South Australia as a batsman at interstate Second XI standard.
O'Connell was also a well-respected Australian Football umpire, officiating at the highest levels, predominantly in the South Australian National Football League.