Ray Harvey
Encyclopedia
Raymond Harvey is a former Australia
n first-class cricket
er who played for Victoria
in the 1940s and 1950s. He was the brother of Australian Test
batsmen Merv
and Neil
, and first-class cricketer and umpire Mick Harvey
. Ray Harvey was an attacking and talented batsman, but failed to reach international standards and only managed to hold down a regular position in the Victorian team in two seasons in the 1950s. This failure to match the standards set by his Test-capped brothers was often attributed to a lack of single-mindedness and hunger.
Harvey was born into a working-class, devoutly Methodist
family. His father was a keen amateur cricketer and a instilled a love of the game in his six sons, all of whom played for Fitzroy in Victorian Premier Cricket
. Harvey made his first-class debut in the middle of the 1947–48 season, and played his first two matches for Victoria alongside his more decorated brothers Merv and Neil. However, he performed poorly, and did not play a match in the following summer, and for the two subsequent seasons, he played in only three games but contributed little to his team’s cause. In 1951–52 he made five appearances, gaining selection only when Victoria’s Test players were busy representing Australia. The following season, he gained selection for the last three matches and broke through for his maiden first-class century
, having never previously passed 50.
Having broken through at the end of the preceding summer, Harvey played his first full season for Victoria in 1953–54, despite the availability of the Test players for the whole campaign. He scored two centuries and five half-centuries against full-strength teams from other states, and was rewarded with selection in Lindsay Hassett
’s testimonial match, which was effectively a Test trial match. Harvey ended the season with 699 runs at a batting average
of 49.92. At the start of the following season, Harvey was included in an Australian XI for a match against the touring England cricket team for a Test trial match. However, rain curtailed the match and turned the playing surface into a sticky wicket
hostile to batting. Harvey made only seven in his only innings. He played in all of Victoria’s matches for the season, despite a form slump—he scored only 206 runs at 18.72. He was then overlooked for state selection until 1958–59, when he regained his position late in the season and made 97 and 86 in consecutive innings. However, the following season, he made only sporadic appearances despite the absence of the Test players overseas, and aggregated only 133 runs at 16.62 in four matches, and he was never selected for Victoria again. He shone mainly for Fitzroy in Victorian Premier Cricket
, scoring 19 centuries and 9,146 runs in first-grade competition, both of which are still club records.
where he worked for BHP
driving horse-drawn trailers. In 1914, he married Elsie May Bitmead and their first two children, daughter Rita and son Mervyn
, were born in the mining town. The family relocated to Newcastle
, a mining town and harbour in New South Wales
, and had two more sons, "Mick"
and Harold there. In 1926, the Harveys shifted to the inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy
, a staunchly working-class
, industrial area. During their relocation, Ray was born in Sydney
. Horace secured a job at the confectionery company Life Savers (Australasia) Ltd, located next door to their house at 198 Argyle Street. The 19th century two-storey house was owned by the firm and was used as lodgings for the workers’ families. It no longer exists, having been demolished to make way for a textile factory. The two youngest sons Neil
and Brian were born in Fitzroy.
The Cornish
-descended Horry raised his family as strict Methodists
, disallowing gambling, alcohol
, tobacco
and profanity
in his household. An ardent cricketer during his years in New South Wales
, he was good enough to hit 196 runs during a match in Newcastle, and he encouraged his children to play sport. He himself played for the Rita Social Club after moving to Fitzroy, while his wife kept score.
As recreational facilities and grass ovals were sparse in densely populated Fitzroy, the boys took to playing cricket in a cobblestone
laneway between their terraced house
. Here they played cricket with a tennis ball
, home made cricket bat
and a kerosene
tin for a wicket. They were usually joined by other local children, two of whom became elite sportsmen: Allan Ruthven
(an Australian rules football
er) and Harold Shillinglaw
(both an Australian rules footballer and first-class cricket
er)—the group also played Australian rules football, kicking around rolled up cardboard and newspaper. Much of the batting skill displayed by the Harvey brothers has been attributed to these games played on the unpredictable bounce of the bumpy laneway. The surface also had a V-shaped slope inwards towards the centre of the lane, causing balls to deviate sideways after bouncing. As the laneway meant that the playing area was long and narrow, the young boys also had to learn to play the ball straight in accordance with orthodox cricket technique. The Harveys played another form of cricket in their concreted backyard using a marble instead of a ball that sharpened their reflexes, and a miniature bat. All were right-handed batsmen with the exception of Neil.
All of the children attended the nearby George Street State School and, one by one, the brothers joined the Fitzroy Cricket Club as they reached their early teens. The club had a program whereby they gave a medal for every local school to award to the best cricketer in their ranks in that year. The successful student would then be given access to all of the club's facilities. All of the Harvey brothers were recipients were of this medal. At Fitzroy, they came under the influence of former Victorian
all-rounder
Arthur Liddicut and the club’s veteran captain Joe Plant. The Harveys had no formal coaching, and their father, although a regular presence at the club, chose to stay in the background as their respective careers developed. Horace did not advise his sons on how to bat, allowing them to formulate their own style and technique. According to the Harvey brothers, it was their mother who was vocal and extroverted, in contrast to their reserved father. The boys who failed to score runs were given kitchen duty, and according to them, their parents never showed favouritism.
During the winter, they played baseball for Fitzroy, often competing in matches played as curtain raiser
s to the elite Australian rules football competition, the Victorian Football League
. Saturday night entertainment for the family typically consisted of dinner after the day’s cricket matches for Fitzroy, and Plant, Liddicut and other club personnel were often invited. Under the influence of cricketing mentors Plant and Liddicut, the boys were taught to adopt an aggressive approach, using fast feet movement to attack spin bowling
in particular. Harvey made his First XI debut for Fitzroy in 1941–42. In 1943–44, he scored a club record of 817 First XI runs in a season. In 1942–43, Neil was promoted to Fitzroy’s First XI, joining Merv, Mick and Ray. During that season, the family held down the first four batting positions for Fitzroy; Merv and Mick opened the batting and Ray and Neil came in after them. Ray continued to play for Fitzroy over the next two decades when he was not required by Victoria. Outside cricket, Harvey was an electrical fitter, and he worked for the Metropolitan Tramways Board. He and his wife Lorna and settled in the inner-northern suburb of Reservoir
.
, and made his debut alongside Merv and Neil, who were already established players. Merv opened, while Neil and Ray batted at Nos. 4 and 7 respectively. Victoria batted first and the brothers again did not form any partnerships as they were always out before the next sibling came in to bat. Ray came in at 5/208 to make 43. Victoria ended with 331 and the Harvey brothers had scored almost half the runs. New South Wales were forced to follow on, and Victoria were set 51 for victory. After the fall of Fred Freer
at 1/24, captain Lindsay Hassett
elevated Ray to No. 3, allowing two Harveys to bat together for the first time at first-class level. Ray and Merv put on an unbeaten partnership of 27 to take Victoria to a nine-wicket win. Merv and Ray ended unbeaten on 12 and 22 respectively.
The three brothers played together in the next match against Western Australia
. Merv captained the team as Hassett was away on Test duty. Victoria batted first and Ray made only 1. In the second innings, Ray 15, not batting with his brothers in a drawn match.
The brotherly trio was broken up for the match against Queensland
, as Neil was selected for the Australian team. In his only innings, Ray scored 48 and appeared set for his maiden first-class half-century before being run out
in a drawn match. He bowled eight overs for the season, conceding 32 runs without taking a wicket. Merv dropped after this match, and Ray made 9 and 15 alongside Neil in the next fixture against New South Wales, a six-wicket win. Ray played in the next match against Tasmania with none of his brothers alongside him, as Neil was again busy with the national team. Ray made two in his only innings in a ten-wicket win. Despite his run of low scores, he was retained as Neil and the other Test players returned; he made 25 and 10 as Victoria lost by four wickets in their final match of the season against South Australia. Ray ended his debut first-class season with 190 runs at a batting average
of 21.11 with a best score of 48.
The following season, 1949–50, with the Australian Test team in South Africa for the whole of the southern hemisphere summer, Victoria lost batsmen Lindsay Hassett
, Sam Loxton
and Neil Harvey. Despite the extra vacancies, Ray was only selected for one match, against Tasmania, making 9 and 45 in a four-wicket win. This was effectively a second-choice Victorian team as the leading players were involved in a Shield match against New South Wales at the same time.
Harvey’s 1950–51 season was similarly unproductive, with the Test players back in Australia for a home series against England. He was only selected for the two first-class matches against Tasmania, was even less successful. In the first match, he made a duck in the first innings, before coming to the crease at the end of the run-chase and being yet to score as a nine-wicket win was completed. In the next match he made 0 and 9, as Victoria scraped home for a nine-run win, despite Harvey conceding 20 runs from four wicketless overs. He ended the first-class season with 9 runs at 3.00. In a Second XI fixture against New South Wales, he made 61 before being bowled by Alan Davidson
. In the first innings he delivered one over and was attacked heavily, conceding 23 runs. In the second innings, he bowled 13 overs and took 1/49 as New South Wales ended 24 runs short of making Victoria bat again with three wickets in hand when the match ended in a draw.
In 1951–52, Harvey was in and out of the team on a regular basis as the Test players were periodically available for Victorian duty between the international matches. With the Test players away for the first two Sheffield Shield matches, Harvey played in both fixtures. He made only 28 in the first match, an innings win over Western Australia. He also took two catches. In the next match against South Australia, he made 47 out of Victoria’s 281 and took his first wickets at first-class level, dismissing century-maker Ernest England and tail-ender Geff Noblet
and ending with 2/29 and two catches as Victoria conceded a 240-run first innings lead. He then made 18 as his team collapsed for 101 to lose by an innings. Harvey was then dropped for the next three matches, as the Test players, including his younger brother Neil, returned. With a Test match in progress at the same time, he was recalled for the home match against Queensland, but made only 35 and 14 as Victoria collapsed in the second innings to be 9/147, holding on for a draw with one wicket in hand. Harvey bowled seven overs in the match and conceded 0/51. He was immediately dropped again when the Test players returned, before being recalled for the away match against Queensland when the national representatives were again unavailable. Harvey then made 31 and 1 in a narrow 18-run loss. Having made only 21 of Victoria’s 647 in the next match against Tasmania, he was dropped for the final Shield match when the Test players returned. Harvey ended the season with 195 runs at 24.37; he reached 14 in all but one of his eight innings, but was unable to convert his starts into large scores, with a highest innings of 47.
Harvey was unable to gain selection during the 1952–53 season until late in the season, at the end of January. In his first match of the summer against New South Wales, he made 42 and 36, but was unable to convert his starts in to large scores in a drawn match. The next match against the touring South Africans proceeded similarly. In a drawn encounter, Harvey made 47 in the first innings and was unbeaten on 5 in the run-chase when time ran out. In the final match of the season, against Western Australia, Harvey broke through for his maiden first-class century, scoring 121 in an innings victory over Western Australia. It was also his first score of 50 or more at first-class level. He took seven catches in his three matches and ended the season with 251 runs at 62.75, and took a total of 0/43 from 15 overs.
, Ray Lindwall
, Richie Benaud
and Davidson, all members of Australia's Test bowling attack, dismissed Victoria for only 222 to set up a nine-wicket win. A week later, he started the new year by scoring 110 as Victoria batted first and took a 117-run first innings lead against South Australia. He made only 10 in the second innings but his state completed a 290-run win nonetheless.
Harvey was then rewarded with selection in a testimonial match for retiring Australian captain Lindsay Hassett
. Typically, such matches involved the best players in Australia divided into two teams, and Harvey played for Arthur Morris
's XI against Hassett's outfit. Harvey scored 69 and 17 as his team completed a 121-run win. He also bowled three overs in total, but was unsuccessful, conceding 27 runs as the opposition batsmen attacked him. Harvey then made 50 and 19 in a drawn match again Queensland.
Harvey played a key part in Victoria’s win over New South Wales away at the SCG. Having taken two catches as the hosts batted first, he made 61 as the visitors made 234 to take a 52-run first innings lead. After taking another catchin the second innings, he then made an unbeaten 106 to guide the Victorians to their target of 268 with five wickets in hand. Harvey’s run-scoring tapered away in the last two matches of the season; he made 74 runs in three innings in the match. Nevertheless, he ended the season with 699 runs at 49.92; he had made the same amount of runs in his first six first-class seasons since his debut in 1947–48. As a result of his performances in this season, he was hailed as the best batsman outside the Australian Test team.
Harvey's performances were rewarded with selection for an Australian XI in a tour match against the England cricket team at the start of the 1954–55 season. However, the match was curtailed by rain and Harvey was not able to exhibit his talents on a sticky wicket
highly difficult for batting. Listed at No. 4, Harvey came in after the dismissal of his brother and made seven in his only innings. As a result Ray was not chosen for the Test team alongside his brother during the season.
This was the start of a poor season for Harvey as he managed a top-score of only 44 in 11 innings for the summer, passing 20 on only four occasions and ending with 206 runs at 18.72. Despite this, the Victorian selectors persisted with him for every match of the season.
In 1959–60, the Test team toured the Indian subcontinent
during the Australian summer, opening up more vacancies in the Sheffield Shield. Harvey was given a recall in December 1959. However, he was not successful, and failed to convert his starts into substantial scores, making 8, 36, 12, 25, 22 and 20 in three matches. In the last of these matches, he took his career-best bowling figures of 3/26, in the first innings against South Australia. He dismissed the top-scorer John Lill
for 176 and his other victims were Michael Clingly and Peter Trethewey. This allowed Victoria to take first innings points and eventually complete a six-wicket win. This meant that all of Harvey’s five wickets as first-class level came against South Australia. Harvey’s first-class career ended with the following match against New South Wales. He made 1 and 9, and conceded 26 runs from three wicketless overs, and was dropped, having made only 133 runs at 16.62 for the season.
In 1960–61, Harvey played a final First XI season for Fitzroy. His Fitzroy first-grade records for the most career runs and centuries, and the most runs in a season, still stand, and he managed a double-century for the club against University. He ended his first-grade career with 19 centuries and 9,146 runs at an average of 36.15 from 247 matches.
said that Harvey was one of the two best district cricketers he had faced. Aside from his batting, Harvey was an occasional leg spin
ner, and was known for his fielding ability.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n 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 who played for Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
in the 1940s and 1950s. He was the brother of Australian Test
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...
batsmen Merv
Merv Harvey
Mervyn Roye Harvey was a cricketer who played in one Test match for Australia in 1947. His younger brother, Neil, was one of Australia's finest batsmen since the Second World War, and the pair played together for Victoria during the latter part of Merv’s career.Merv Harvey broke into the Victorian...
and Neil
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
, and first-class cricketer and umpire Mick Harvey
Mick Harvey (umpire)
Clarence Edgar Harvey, , is a former first-class cricketer and Australian Test cricket umpire. He was the brother of Test batsmen Merv and Neil Harvey....
. Ray Harvey was an attacking and talented batsman, but failed to reach international standards and only managed to hold down a regular position in the Victorian team in two seasons in the 1950s. This failure to match the standards set by his Test-capped brothers was often attributed to a lack of single-mindedness and hunger.
Harvey was born into a working-class, devoutly Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
family. His father was a keen amateur cricketer and a instilled a love of the game in his six sons, all of whom played for Fitzroy in Victorian Premier Cricket
Victorian Premier Cricket
Victorian Premier Cricket is the elite club cricket competition in the state of Victoria, administered by Cricket Victoria. Each club fields four teams of adult players and usually play on weekends and public holidays. Matches are played on turf wickets under limited-time rules, with most results...
. Harvey made his first-class debut in the middle of the 1947–48 season, and played his first two matches for Victoria alongside his more decorated brothers Merv and Neil. However, he performed poorly, and did not play a match in the following summer, and for the two subsequent seasons, he played in only three games but contributed little to his team’s cause. In 1951–52 he made five appearances, gaining selection only when Victoria’s Test players were busy representing Australia. The following season, he gained selection for the last three matches and broke through for his maiden first-class century
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
, having never previously passed 50.
Having broken through at the end of the preceding summer, Harvey played his first full season for Victoria in 1953–54, despite the availability of the Test players for the whole campaign. He scored two centuries and five half-centuries against full-strength teams from other states, and was rewarded with selection in Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
’s testimonial match, which was effectively a Test trial match. Harvey ended the season with 699 runs at a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 49.92. At the start of the following season, Harvey was included in an Australian XI for a match against the touring England cricket team for a Test trial match. However, rain curtailed the match and turned the playing surface into a sticky wicket
Sticky wicket
Sticky wicket is a metaphor used to describe a difficult circumstance; it originates from difficult circumstances in the sport of cricket.-Origins:...
hostile to batting. Harvey made only seven in his only innings. He played in all of Victoria’s matches for the season, despite a form slump—he scored only 206 runs at 18.72. He was then overlooked for state selection until 1958–59, when he regained his position late in the season and made 97 and 86 in consecutive innings. However, the following season, he made only sporadic appearances despite the absence of the Test players overseas, and aggregated only 133 runs at 16.62 in four matches, and he was never selected for Victoria again. He shone mainly for Fitzroy in Victorian Premier Cricket
Victorian Premier Cricket
Victorian Premier Cricket is the elite club cricket competition in the state of Victoria, administered by Cricket Victoria. Each club fields four teams of adult players and usually play on weekends and public holidays. Matches are played on turf wickets under limited-time rules, with most results...
, scoring 19 centuries and 9,146 runs in first-grade competition, both of which are still club records.
Early years
Ray Harvey's father, Horace "Horry" Harvey moved to Broken Hill, New South WalesBroken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
where he worked for BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
driving horse-drawn trailers. In 1914, he married Elsie May Bitmead and their first two children, daughter Rita and son Mervyn
Merv Harvey
Mervyn Roye Harvey was a cricketer who played in one Test match for Australia in 1947. His younger brother, Neil, was one of Australia's finest batsmen since the Second World War, and the pair played together for Victoria during the latter part of Merv’s career.Merv Harvey broke into the Victorian...
, were born in the mining town. The family relocated to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, a mining town and harbour in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, and had two more sons, "Mick"
Mick Harvey (umpire)
Clarence Edgar Harvey, , is a former first-class cricketer and Australian Test cricket umpire. He was the brother of Test batsmen Merv and Neil Harvey....
and Harold there. In 1926, the Harveys shifted to the inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy
Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
, a staunchly working-class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
, industrial area. During their relocation, Ray was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. Horace secured a job at the confectionery company Life Savers (Australasia) Ltd, located next door to their house at 198 Argyle Street. The 19th century two-storey house was owned by the firm and was used as lodgings for the workers’ families. It no longer exists, having been demolished to make way for a textile factory. The two youngest sons Neil
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
and Brian were born in Fitzroy.
The Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
-descended Horry raised his family as strict Methodists
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, disallowing gambling, alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
and profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
in his household. An ardent cricketer during his years in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, he was good enough to hit 196 runs during a match in Newcastle, and he encouraged his children to play sport. He himself played for the Rita Social Club after moving to Fitzroy, while his wife kept score.
As recreational facilities and grass ovals were sparse in densely populated Fitzroy, the boys took to playing cricket in a cobblestone
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
laneway between their terraced house
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
. Here they played cricket with a tennis ball
Tennis ball
A tennis ball is a ball designed for the sport of tennis,approximately 6.7 cm in diameter. Tennis balls are generally bright green, but in recreational play can be virtually any color. Tennis balls are covered in a fibrous fluffy felt which modifies their aerodynamic properties...
, home made cricket bat
Cricket bat
A cricket bat is a specialised piece of equipment used by batsmen in the sport of cricket to hit the ball. It is usually made of willow wood. Its use is first mentioned in 1624....
and a kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
tin for a wicket. They were usually joined by other local children, two of whom became elite sportsmen: Allan Ruthven
Allan Ruthven
Allan Ruthven was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League. He played his entire 222 game career with Fitzroy. In 1950, Ruthven won the prestigious Brownlow medal.- Playing career :...
(an Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er) and Harold Shillinglaw
Harold Shillinglaw
Harold Arthur Edward Shillinglaw is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League ....
(both an Australian rules footballer and 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)—the group also played Australian rules football, kicking around rolled up cardboard and newspaper. Much of the batting skill displayed by the Harvey brothers has been attributed to these games played on the unpredictable bounce of the bumpy laneway. The surface also had a V-shaped slope inwards towards the centre of the lane, causing balls to deviate sideways after bouncing. As the laneway meant that the playing area was long and narrow, the young boys also had to learn to play the ball straight in accordance with orthodox cricket technique. The Harveys played another form of cricket in their concreted backyard using a marble instead of a ball that sharpened their reflexes, and a miniature bat. All were right-handed batsmen with the exception of Neil.
All of the children attended the nearby George Street State School and, one by one, the brothers joined the Fitzroy Cricket Club as they reached their early teens. The club had a program whereby they gave a medal for every local school to award to the best cricketer in their ranks in that year. The successful student would then be given access to all of the club's facilities. All of the Harvey brothers were recipients were of this medal. At Fitzroy, they came under the influence of former Victorian
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
Arthur Liddicut and the club’s veteran captain Joe Plant. The Harveys had no formal coaching, and their father, although a regular presence at the club, chose to stay in the background as their respective careers developed. Horace did not advise his sons on how to bat, allowing them to formulate their own style and technique. According to the Harvey brothers, it was their mother who was vocal and extroverted, in contrast to their reserved father. The boys who failed to score runs were given kitchen duty, and according to them, their parents never showed favouritism.
During the winter, they played baseball for Fitzroy, often competing in matches played as curtain raiser
Curtain raiser
*A United States Air Force missile combat competition called Curtain Raiser, held in 1967*Curtain raiser - A short play or entertainment given before the main entertainment or event to fill out the bill or programme....
s to the elite Australian rules football competition, the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. Saturday night entertainment for the family typically consisted of dinner after the day’s cricket matches for Fitzroy, and Plant, Liddicut and other club personnel were often invited. Under the influence of cricketing mentors Plant and Liddicut, the boys were taught to adopt an aggressive approach, using fast feet movement to attack spin bowling
Spin bowling
Spin bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as spinners or spin bowlers.-Purpose:The main aim of spin bowling is to bowl the cricket ball with rapid rotation so that when it bounces on the pitch it will deviate, thus making it difficult for the...
in particular. Harvey made his First XI debut for Fitzroy in 1941–42. In 1943–44, he scored a club record of 817 First XI runs in a season. In 1942–43, Neil was promoted to Fitzroy’s First XI, joining Merv, Mick and Ray. During that season, the family held down the first four batting positions for Fitzroy; Merv and Mick opened the batting and Ray and Neil came in after them. Ray continued to play for Fitzroy over the next two decades when he was not required by Victoria. Outside cricket, Harvey was an electrical fitter, and he worked for the Metropolitan Tramways Board. He and his wife Lorna and settled in the inner-northern suburb of Reservoir
Reservoir, Victoria
Reservoir is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin. At the 2006 Census, Reservoir had a population of 45,970....
.
First-class beginnings
Mid-way through the 1947–48 season, Harvey was called into the Victorian team for the Sheffield Shield match against New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, and made his debut alongside Merv and Neil, who were already established players. Merv opened, while Neil and Ray batted at Nos. 4 and 7 respectively. Victoria batted first and the brothers again did not form any partnerships as they were always out before the next sibling came in to bat. Ray came in at 5/208 to make 43. Victoria ended with 331 and the Harvey brothers had scored almost half the runs. New South Wales were forced to follow on, and Victoria were set 51 for victory. After the fall of Fred Freer
Fred Freer
Frederick Alfred William Freer was an Australian cricketer who played in one Test in 1946. He was a fast-medium bowler more accuarte than Keith Miller. He was called into the team for the Second Test in Sydney after Ray Lindwall was struck down by chickenpox...
at 1/24, captain Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
elevated Ray to No. 3, allowing two Harveys to bat together for the first time at first-class level. Ray and Merv put on an unbeaten partnership of 27 to take Victoria to a nine-wicket win. Merv and Ray ended unbeaten on 12 and 22 respectively.
The three brothers played together in the next match against Western Australia
Western Warriors
The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia...
. Merv captained the team as Hassett was away on Test duty. Victoria batted first and Ray made only 1. In the second innings, Ray 15, not batting with his brothers in a drawn match.
The brotherly trio was broken up for the match against 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...
, as Neil was selected for the Australian team. In his only innings, Ray scored 48 and appeared set for his maiden first-class half-century before being run out
Run out
Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is governed by Law 38 of the Laws of cricket.-The rules:A batsman is out Run out if at any time while the ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the opposing...
in a drawn match. He bowled eight overs for the season, conceding 32 runs without taking a wicket. Merv dropped after this match, and Ray made 9 and 15 alongside Neil in the next fixture against New South Wales, a six-wicket win. Ray played in the next match against Tasmania with none of his brothers alongside him, as Neil was again busy with the national team. Ray made two in his only innings in a ten-wicket win. Despite his run of low scores, he was retained as Neil and the other Test players returned; he made 25 and 10 as Victoria lost by four wickets in their final match of the season against South Australia. Ray ended his debut first-class season with 190 runs at a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 21.11 with a best score of 48.
Fringe Victorian player
After a poor debut season for Victoria, Harvey did not gain first-class selection in 1948–49 and vacancies were hard to come by as the season was purely domestic with no touring Test team, so all of Australia’s international representatives were available for the whole season. Harvey was selected for a Second XI match against New South Wales, but failed to make an impact, scoring two runs in each innings as the Victorians completed a 195-run win. Harvey took the wicket of H Hinman in the first innings, ending with 1/24 from four overs.The following season, 1949–50, with the Australian Test team in South Africa for the whole of the southern hemisphere summer, Victoria lost batsmen Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
, Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
and Neil Harvey. Despite the extra vacancies, Ray was only selected for one match, against Tasmania, making 9 and 45 in a four-wicket win. This was effectively a second-choice Victorian team as the leading players were involved in a Shield match against New South Wales at the same time.
Harvey’s 1950–51 season was similarly unproductive, with the Test players back in Australia for a home series against England. He was only selected for the two first-class matches against Tasmania, was even less successful. In the first match, he made a duck in the first innings, before coming to the crease at the end of the run-chase and being yet to score as a nine-wicket win was completed. In the next match he made 0 and 9, as Victoria scraped home for a nine-run win, despite Harvey conceding 20 runs from four wicketless overs. He ended the first-class season with 9 runs at 3.00. In a Second XI fixture against New South Wales, he made 61 before being bowled by Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
. In the first innings he delivered one over and was attacked heavily, conceding 23 runs. In the second innings, he bowled 13 overs and took 1/49 as New South Wales ended 24 runs short of making Victoria bat again with three wickets in hand when the match ended in a draw.
In 1951–52, Harvey was in and out of the team on a regular basis as the Test players were periodically available for Victorian duty between the international matches. With the Test players away for the first two Sheffield Shield matches, Harvey played in both fixtures. He made only 28 in the first match, an innings win over Western Australia. He also took two catches. In the next match against South Australia, he made 47 out of Victoria’s 281 and took his first wickets at first-class level, dismissing century-maker Ernest England and tail-ender Geff Noblet
Geff Noblet
Geffery Noblet was an Australian cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1950 to 1953....
and ending with 2/29 and two catches as Victoria conceded a 240-run first innings lead. He then made 18 as his team collapsed for 101 to lose by an innings. Harvey was then dropped for the next three matches, as the Test players, including his younger brother Neil, returned. With a Test match in progress at the same time, he was recalled for the home match against Queensland, but made only 35 and 14 as Victoria collapsed in the second innings to be 9/147, holding on for a draw with one wicket in hand. Harvey bowled seven overs in the match and conceded 0/51. He was immediately dropped again when the Test players returned, before being recalled for the away match against Queensland when the national representatives were again unavailable. Harvey then made 31 and 1 in a narrow 18-run loss. Having made only 21 of Victoria’s 647 in the next match against Tasmania, he was dropped for the final Shield match when the Test players returned. Harvey ended the season with 195 runs at 24.37; he reached 14 in all but one of his eight innings, but was unable to convert his starts into large scores, with a highest innings of 47.
Harvey was unable to gain selection during the 1952–53 season until late in the season, at the end of January. In his first match of the summer against New South Wales, he made 42 and 36, but was unable to convert his starts in to large scores in a drawn match. The next match against the touring South Africans proceeded similarly. In a drawn encounter, Harvey made 47 in the first innings and was unbeaten on 5 in the run-chase when time ran out. In the final match of the season, against Western Australia, Harvey broke through for his maiden first-class century, scoring 121 in an innings victory over Western Australia. It was also his first score of 50 or more at first-class level. He took seven catches in his three matches and ended the season with 251 runs at 62.75, and took a total of 0/43 from 15 overs.
Peak years and pushing for national selection
Having broken through for his first century at the end of the previous season, Harvey played consistently in 1953–54, and was selected for each of Victoria’s matches for the season for the first time. He did so despite the fact that there were no Tests scheduled for the Australian season, meaning that the international representatives would be available for all of Victoria’s matches. Ray and Neil played together in every match of the summer. In the opening match of the season against Queensland, Ray Harvey made 82 and 8 in a 254-run win. He followed this with 2 and 91 in the next match against New South Wales over the Christmas holiday period. Harvey was one of the few batsmen to make an impact in the second innings, as the New South Wales bowlers, including the likes of Keith MillerKeith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
, Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
, Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
and Davidson, all members of Australia's Test bowling attack, dismissed Victoria for only 222 to set up a nine-wicket win. A week later, he started the new year by scoring 110 as Victoria batted first and took a 117-run first innings lead against South Australia. He made only 10 in the second innings but his state completed a 290-run win nonetheless.
Harvey was then rewarded with selection in a testimonial match for retiring Australian captain Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
. Typically, such matches involved the best players in Australia divided into two teams, and Harvey played for Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
's XI against Hassett's outfit. Harvey scored 69 and 17 as his team completed a 121-run win. He also bowled three overs in total, but was unsuccessful, conceding 27 runs as the opposition batsmen attacked him. Harvey then made 50 and 19 in a drawn match again Queensland.
Harvey played a key part in Victoria’s win over New South Wales away at the SCG. Having taken two catches as the hosts batted first, he made 61 as the visitors made 234 to take a 52-run first innings lead. After taking another catchin the second innings, he then made an unbeaten 106 to guide the Victorians to their target of 268 with five wickets in hand. Harvey’s run-scoring tapered away in the last two matches of the season; he made 74 runs in three innings in the match. Nevertheless, he ended the season with 699 runs at 49.92; he had made the same amount of runs in his first six first-class seasons since his debut in 1947–48. As a result of his performances in this season, he was hailed as the best batsman outside the Australian Test team.
Harvey's performances were rewarded with selection for an Australian XI in a tour match against the England cricket team at the start of the 1954–55 season. However, the match was curtailed by rain and Harvey was not able to exhibit his talents on a sticky wicket
Sticky wicket
Sticky wicket is a metaphor used to describe a difficult circumstance; it originates from difficult circumstances in the sport of cricket.-Origins:...
highly difficult for batting. Listed at No. 4, Harvey came in after the dismissal of his brother and made seven in his only innings. As a result Ray was not chosen for the Test team alongside his brother during the season.
This was the start of a poor season for Harvey as he managed a top-score of only 44 in 11 innings for the summer, passing 20 on only four occasions and ending with 206 runs at 18.72. Despite this, the Victorian selectors persisted with him for every match of the season.
Final seasons
Harvey was overlooked for selection for entirety of the 1955–56 season. After four years out of first-class cricket, Harvey earned a recall in the latter half of the 1958–59 season for a match against Queensland. He made only 21 in the first innings and was unbeaten on 17 when time ran out in the second innings. He was retained for the match against South Australia the following week and scored 97 in an innings win. In the subsequent fixture against New South Wales, who were in the process of completing a sixth consecutive Shield title, Harvey faced a full-strength team with Australia's two leading Test bowlers Benaud and Davidson. He made 86 in the first innings, but managed only 6 in the second before being removed by Benaud, as the Victorians ended 37 runs short of victory with five wickets in hand when time ran out. Harvey made six in his only innings in the last match of the season against Queensland. He ended the season with 233 runs at 46.60.In 1959–60, the Test team toured the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
during the Australian summer, opening up more vacancies in the Sheffield Shield. Harvey was given a recall in December 1959. However, he was not successful, and failed to convert his starts into substantial scores, making 8, 36, 12, 25, 22 and 20 in three matches. In the last of these matches, he took his career-best bowling figures of 3/26, in the first innings against South Australia. He dismissed the top-scorer John Lill
John Lill
John Lill CBE is an English classical pianist.-Biography:Lill studied at the Royal College of Music and with Wilhelm Kempff. His talent emerged at an early age, as he gave his first piano recital at the age of nine. At age 18, he performed Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto under Sir Adrian Boult...
for 176 and his other victims were Michael Clingly and Peter Trethewey. This allowed Victoria to take first innings points and eventually complete a six-wicket win. This meant that all of Harvey’s five wickets as first-class level came against South Australia. Harvey’s first-class career ended with the following match against New South Wales. He made 1 and 9, and conceded 26 runs from three wicketless overs, and was dropped, having made only 133 runs at 16.62 for the season.
In 1960–61, Harvey played a final First XI season for Fitzroy. His Fitzroy first-grade records for the most career runs and centuries, and the most runs in a season, still stand, and he managed a double-century for the club against University. He ended his first-grade career with 19 centuries and 9,146 runs at an average of 36.15 from 247 matches.
Style
Harvey was an attacking and free-flowing batsman, but he was not a prolific scorer, which was attributed by observers to a lack of single-mindedness required to succeed at the top level. Neil said that Ray’s footwork was suspect and that the stronger bowlers in domestic cricket were able to exploit this. Neil said that if Ray had been able to rectify his weakness, then he could have become a Test player for Australia. Australian captain Bill LawryBill 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...
said that Harvey was one of the two best district cricketers he had faced. Aside from his batting, Harvey was an occasional leg spin
Leg spin
Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in the sport of cricket. A leg spinner bowls right-arm with a wrist spin action, causing the ball to spin from right to left in the cricket pitch, at the point of delivery. When the ball bounces, the spin causes the ball to deviate sharply from right to left, that...
ner, and was known for his fielding ability.