Ian David Craig (12 June 193516 November 2014) was an Australian
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...
er who represented the
Australian national team in 11
Tests between 1953 and 1958. A right-handed
batsman
In cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball, ball with a cricket bat, bat to score runs (cricket), runs and prevent the dismissal (cricket), loss of one's wicket. Any player who is currently batting is, since Septembe ...
, Craig holds the records for being the youngest Australian to make a
first-class double
century, appear in a Test match, and
captain his country in a Test match. Burdened by the public expectation of being the "next
Bradman", Craig's career did not fulfil its early promise. In 1957, he was appointed Australian captain, leading a young team as part of a regeneration plan following the decline of the national team in the mid-1950s, but a loss of form and illness forced him out of the team after one season. Craig made a comeback, but work commitments forced him to retire from first-class cricket at only 26 years of age.
A teenage prodigy, Craig made his first-class debut for
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
in the last match of the 1951–52 Australian season, aged only 16. The following summer, Craig earned comparisons to
Don Bradman, generally regarded as the greatest batsman of all time, after becoming the youngest player to score a first-class double century, an
unbeaten 213 against the touring
South African team. The innings secured Craig's Test debut in the final match against South Africa, making him the youngest player to represent Australia in a Test, aged 17 years and 239 days. Craig started his Test career well, scoring 53 and 47 to ensure his selection for the
1953 Ashes tour, making him the youngest Australian player to tour England. Craig's arrival precipitated media comparisons to the arrival and success of Bradman in
1930
Events
January
* January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will b ...
, but he performed poorly and was not selected for any of the Tests.
Having missed a season due to
national service
National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.
The ...
and university studies, Craig returned to first-class cricket in 1955–56, earning a place in the
1956 Ashes touring squad. Craig regained a Test position for the final two Tests of the series. After the series, at which point Australia had suffered three consecutive
Ashes series defeats, captain
Ian Johnson and vice-captain
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller (28 November 1919 – 11 October 2004) 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. His ability, irreverent m ...
retired. The selectors focussed on young players to rebuild the team, appointing Craig as the captain for the 1957–58 tour of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, although he had played just six Tests and was not an established member of the team. Aged 22 years and 194 days, Craig was, at the time, the youngest captain in Test history and led a team that critics dismissed as having no chance to a convincing 3–0 victory; his own batting form was poor, and he
averaged less than 20. He contracted
hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...
before the start of the 1958–59 season and withdrew from cricket. Although he returned the following season for New South Wales, he could not regain his Test place. He retired from first-class cricket at the age of just 26: work commitments as a pharmacist increasingly restricted his ability to train. In later life, Craig was the managing director of the Australian subsidiary of the British pharmaceutical firm
Boots
A boot is a type of footwear.
Boot or Boots may also refer to:
Businesses
* Boot Inn, Chester, Cheshire, England
* Boots (company), a high-street pharmacy chain and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom
* The Boot, Cromer Stre ...
. He had a continued involvement with cricket as an administrator, working with the
New South Wales Cricket Association
Cricket NSW (officially known as the ''New South Wales Cricket Association'') is an Australian sporting association that administers cricket in New South Wales. It is based at the Sydney Olympic Park. The New South Wales Blues, the New South Wa ...
, the
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and as ...
Trust and the
Bradman Museum. Craig was awarded the
Medal of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
in 1997 for his service to cricket.
Early life
Birth and school success
Ian Craig was the first son of John Craig and his wife Katherine (née Dun).
Shortly after Ian's birth in the rural town of Yass, John jokingly told friends that "Australia's second
Don Bradman has just been born."
[Robinson, p. 259.][Haigh, p. 46.] When John's employers, the
Bank of New South Wales
The Bank of New South Wales (BNSW), also known commonly as The Wales, was the first bank in Australia, being established in Sydney in 1817 and situated on Broadway, New South Wales, Broadway. During the 19th century, the bank opened branches ...
, moved him to Sydney, the family relocated when Ian was just three; John went on to be the chief manager of the Sydney office.
[Haigh, p. 47.] Ian studied at North Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Boys High School (abbreviated as NSBHS) is a government-funded, single-sex, academically selective secondary day school for boys, located at Crows Nest, on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In 2022, Nor ...
,[ and showed an aptitude for ball games from an early age.] He was a member of Australia's schoolboy baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
team for three years, first playing at 13 years of age. He captained his school's rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
team and was a member of the state's schoolboy team,[Pollard, p. 155.] but was only vice captain of the First XI
The First XI (or, less commonly, First 11) are the eleven primary players in an organisation's leading team, particularly a football or cricket team. A player who is considered a core part of the starting line-up in a First XI team is often the ...
cricket team behind Peter Philpott
Peter Ian Philpott (21 November 1934 – 31 October 2021) was an Australian cricketer. He was a leg-spin bowler and middle order batsman who played for New South Wales and the national team in the 1960s. More recently, he was known as a coa ...
, another future Test player. At the time, cricket was only his third priority; his obituary in the ''Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper i ...
'' suggests that he was initially a better rugby player but was persuaded to focus on cricket when he broke his jaw playing rugby.[ He joined Mosman Cricket Club on Sydney's North Shore and scored a first-grade century at the age of 16.] Craig was not coached heavily; the philosophy of the day was to supervise young players and to only intervene if mistakes were being made.
After good performances for Mosman,[ Craig was selected to make his first-class debut for ]New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
at the age of 16 years and 249 days, during the 1951–52 season, making him the youngest ever Sheffield Shield
The Sheffield Shield (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Marsh Sheffield Shield) is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Sheffield Shi ...
player.[Robinson, p. 260.] He struck 91 against South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
in his only first-class innings of the season,[ before falling ]leg before wicket
Leg before wicket (lbw) is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed in the sport of cricket. Following an appeal by the fielding side, the umpire may rule a batter out lbw if the ball would have struck the wicket but was instead in ...
. He remained in the team for the following season; in the first eight games he scored 350 runs at an average
In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7, ...
of 35.00, with three fifties.[ Given a chance to push his claims for Test selection after being selected for the Australian XI to play ]South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, he made only 38 and 11.[
]
The "Next Bradman"
Craig's breakthrough came in January 1953 when, at the age of 17 years and 207 days,[ he became the youngest double centurion in the history of first-class cricket at the time, in only his 13th first-class innings.] As of 2015, he remains the youngest Australian to have achieved the feat. In a match for New South Wales against the touring South Africans, Craig came into bat on the second day and after a slow start reached 105 not out
In cricket, a batter is not out if they come out to bat in an innings and have not been dismissed by the end of an innings. The batter is also ''not out'' while their innings is still in progress.
Occurrence
At least one batter is not out at t ...
at the close of play.[ After play, he went to work at his job as an apprentice pharmacist.][ The next day, teammate ]Sid Barnes
Sidney George Barnes (5 June 1916 – 16 December 1973) was an Australian cricketer and cricket writer, who played 13 Test cricket, Test matches between 1938 and 1948. Able to Batting order (cricket)#Opening batsmen, open the innings or Ba ...
offered him a new bat if he reached 200.[ When play resumed, he took his score to 213 not out, helping to build a total of 416 runs for the loss of seven ]wickets
In cricket, the term wicket has several meanings:
* It is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch. The fielding team's players can hit the wicket with the ball in a number of ways to get a batsman out.
* ...
(7/416). Hitting many cover drives, Craig scored quickly, making 98 of the 159 runs scored in a partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties, known as business partners, agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. The partners in a partnership may be individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments o ...
with Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller (28 November 1919 – 11 October 2004) 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. His ability, irreverent m ...
, a Test player known for his attacking strokeplay. Craig brought up his double century by sweeping Hugh Tayfield
Hugh Joseph Tayfield (30 January 1929 – 24 February 1994) was a South African international cricketer. He played 37 Test matches for South Africa between 1949 and 1960 and was one of the best off spinners the game has seen. He was the faste ...
for a boundary
Boundary or Boundaries may refer to:
* Border, in political geography
Entertainment
*Boundaries (2016 film), ''Boundaries'' (2016 film), a 2016 Canadian film
*Boundaries (2018 film), ''Boundaries'' (2018 film), a 2018 American-Canadian road trip ...
.
The innings generated comparisons with Don Bradman, widely regarded as the finest batsman in cricket history. Bradman had dominated Australian sports media coverage for two decades until his retirement in 1948 and the Australian public were eager for another sporting hero of his magnitude. Bradman had not played first-class cricket at the age of 17 and was 20 when he made his Test debut, so Craig's quicker rise up the ranks caused much excitement. ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' said that Craig batted with "a grim purposefulness" that was "reminiscent of Bradman."[ Miller cautioned against heaping so much media pressure on Craig, but the newspapers persisted, even comparing Craig's batting grip to that of Bradman.]
Craig's innings also caught the eye of Australian selectors and he was selected for the Test team. He was named twelfth man for the Fourth Test, before making his debut in the Fifth Test after Miller and Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall (3 October 1921 – 23 June 1996) 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 f ...
were rested due to mild injuries.[Cashman, p. 67.][Pollard, p. 61.] Australia were leading the series 2–1 heading into the deciding match.[
]
Test match career
Debut
Making his Test debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadiu ...
, Craig became, at the age of 17 years and 239 days, the youngest ever Australian to play Test cricket. Australia batted first and Craig received a standing ovation from the 47,000-strong crowd as he walked out to bat amid high expectations from the public. As South African captain Jack Cheetham stopped proceedings to set his field, the crowd jeered.[Piesse, p. 174.] Australia were comfortably positioned at 3/269 with Craig's partner Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey (born 8 October 1928) is an Australian former cricketer who was a member of 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. ...
on his way to a double century. Craig cover drove his third ball, bowled by Percy Mansell, for four
4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures.
In mathematics
Four is the smallest c ...
and quickly moved to 20.[Piesse, p. 175.] In an innings marked by leg glances and fine cuts, Craig progressed to 53 before the new ball was taken. He hit a ball into the covers and was caught
Caught is a method of dismissing a batsman in cricket. A batsman is out caught if the batsman hits the ball, from a legitimate delivery, with the bat, and the ball is caught by the bowler or a fielder before it hits the ground.
If the ball h ...
, ending the 148-run partnership with Harvey and silencing the crowd.[Perry, p. 207.] Australia collapsed and ended at 520 but still took a first innings lead of 85 runs.[ Craig top-scored in the second innings with 47, giving him exactly 100 runs for the match as Australia collapsed to be all out for 209 and conceded defeat by six wickets.][ Given Bradman's Test average of 99.94,] Craig's match aggregate prompted further press discussions of Bradmanesque similarities. However, his debut ended on a sour note as South Africa scored 4/297 to win by six wickets and level the series 2–2.[
]
Ashes tour of 1953
Craig was selected for his first tour of England in 1953 as the last player to make the cut,[Pollard, p. 64.] after only 10 first-class matches. The youngest Australian player ever to be sent to England, Craig was 15 months younger than Clem Hill
Clement "Clem" Hill (18 March 18775 September 1945) was an Australian cricketer who played 49 Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1896 and 1912. He captained the Australian team in ten Tests, winning five and losing five. A prolifi ...
in 1896. He had been one of the leading batsmen of the summer, scoring 867 first-class runs at an average of 54.18 with seven half-centuries in addition to his double century. This placed him fourth among Australian batsmen for the season in terms of run-scoring, with only leading Test batsman Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey (born 8 October 1928) is an Australian former cricketer who was a member of 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. ...
averaging higher. Craig had a strong preparation before departing for England, scoring fifties in three consecutive matches for the Australians on home soil.[
Craig was again the centre of media speculation, with some media likening his arrival to Bradman's first tour of England in 1930.] Bradman had scored a world Test series record of 974 runs in 1930, a mark that remains unsurpassed. At a reception at the start of the tour, British judge and cricket enthusiast Lord Birkett said "If I know the English as I think I do, every Mother in the land will pray for him."[Haigh, p. 73.] During the tour he was presented with a birthday cake on television.[ However, the trip was unsuccessful in terms of batting.][
Craig began poorly; in ten innings before the Tests started, he scored only 146 runs at 14.60 without passing fifty.][ He was overlooked for the First Test,][ and continued to struggle for runs during the tour; he ended with 429 runs in 27 innings with a top score of 71 ]not out
In cricket, a batter is not out if they come out to bat in an innings and have not been dismissed by the end of an innings. The batter is also ''not out'' while their innings is still in progress.
Occurrence
At least one batter is not out at t ...
and an average of 16.50. He was not selected for any Tests. Craig had difficulty adjusting to the English pitch conditions and his confidence plummeted.[Robinson, p. 261.] Craig had particular trouble against off cutter
An off cutter is a type of delivery in the game of cricket. It is bowled by fast bowlers.
A bowler releases a normal fast delivery with the wrist locked in position and the first two fingers positioned on top of the cricket ball, giving it spin ...
s on the seaming pitches. In a reception at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and ...
, the home of cricket, Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
asked him "I understand this is your first visit to England?", which prompted Craig to reply "Yes, your majesty, and unless my batting improves, it will be my last."[Haigh, p. 79.] During the tour, tensions sometimes arose between the senior players, who were war veterans and drinkers, while the younger players including Craig tended to abstain from alcohol.[Haigh, p. 29.] Craig estimated that bus journeys to matches proceeded at an average speed of 16 km/h because of persistent stoppages outside pubs, something that frustrated the non-drinkers.[
]
In the wilderness
Upon returning home, Craig was unable to maintain the level of performances that he displayed in the previous Australian summer. In a season which contained no international cricket, he scored 395 runs at an average of 35.90 in eight matches, placing him 20th in the season's run scoring list. He scored 93 in an eight-wicket victory over South Australia, and 106 for Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris (19 January 1922 – 22 August 2015) was an 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 h ...
's XI in a testimonial match against Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett (28 August 1913 – 16 June 1993) was an Australian cricketer who played for Victoria and the Australian national team. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by ''Wisden'' as, "... a mas ...
's XI, his first century against Australian opposition.[
Craig's career was interrupted by final year university studies for a ]diploma
A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...
of pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...
at the University of Sydney
The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...
and national service
National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.
The l ...
, causing him to miss the entire 1954–55 season, including the home Test series against England, the early 1955 tour to the West Indies and the Sheffield Shield
The Sheffield Shield (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Marsh Sheffield Shield) is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Sheffield Shi ...
season. He returned to first-class cricket during the 1955–56 Australian season, and a healthy aggregate of 495 runs at 45.09 with one century. During the season, he made his first century in the Sheffield Shield, amassing 145 against Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
.[ For these performances, he was selected for the 1956 Ashes tour, the last player to be picked.]
Second Ashes tour
Craig's tour started poorly, and food poisoning
Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease and food poisoning) is any illness resulting from the spoilage of contaminated food by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food,
as well as prions (the agents of mad cow disease) ...
hampered him until after the Second Test—one particular severe bout forced him to be hospitalised. In his first six first-class matches, Craig made only 104 runs at 17.33.[ His tour began to improve in late June,][ when he made consecutive half-centuries against ]Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
and Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean.
The county town is the city of Gl ...
before breaking through in a match against Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
, locator_map =
, coordinates =
, region = South West England
, established_date = Ancient
, established_by =
, preceded_by =
, origin =
, lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset
, lord_ ...
.[ He was dropped before going on to score 62 and 100 not out—his first century in 38 innings in England.] He was selected for the Fourth Test at Old Trafford
Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,310 it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after Wemb ...
, after Australia had suffered a heavy defeat at Headingley
Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingle ...
in the Third Test at the hands of the Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
pairing of Jim Laker
James Charles Laker (9 February 1922 – 23 April 1986) was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club from 1946 to 1959 and represented England in 46 Test matches. He was born in Shipley, West Riding of York ...
and Tony Lock
Graham Anthony Richard Lock (5 July 1929 – 30 March 1995) was an English cricketer, who played primarily as a left-arm spinner. He played in forty nine Tests for England taking 174 wickets at 25.58 each.
Lock took 2,844 first-class wickets ...
, Australia's first innings defeat in 18 years. The Fourth Test was to be known as ''Laker's Test'', in which Laker took a record 19 wickets in the match. Laker trapped Craig leg before wicket
Leg before wicket (lbw) is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed in the sport of cricket. Following an appeal by the fielding side, the umpire may rule a batter out lbw if the ball would have struck the wicket but was instead in ...
for eight in the first innings as Australia were bowled out for 84. In the second innings, Craig came out to bat at 1/28 in the second innings on a sticky wicket
A sticky wicket (or sticky dog, or glue pot) is a metaphor used to describe a difficult circumstance. It originated as a term for difficult circumstances in the sport of cricket, caused by a damp and soft wicket.
In cricket
The phrase comes fr ...
and combined in a defiant third-wicket partnership of 59 with Colin McDonald. He battled for over four hours in compiling 38 before being dismissed by Laker.[Robinson, p. 262.][ Reflecting on the match, Craig said "Jim bowled well, and we batted very badly. We were all pissed off, felt we'd been dudded and we dropped our bundle a bit."][Haigh, p. 99.] His stubborn display saw him retain his position for the Fifth Test at The Oval
The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since ...
when he scored two and seven.[Perry, p. 208.] Craig ended the season with 872 runs at 36.33 from 20 matches, with one century and five fifties,[ the fifth highest aggregate for the Australians.
Despite his failure to reach double figures at ]The Oval
The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since ...
, Craig maintained his position in the playing XI on the tour of the Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
en route to Australia in late 1956, playing Test matches against Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
and India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.[ However, he failed to pass 40 in his five innings. He made a ]duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...
and 18 on a matting wicket in Australia's one-off Test against Pakistan in Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
before playing in the First Test against India, scoring 40 in an innings win in Madras
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
.[ He was dropped for the Second Test but returned to make 36 and 6 in the Third Test in ]Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
as Australia took a 2–0 series win. The matches were the first time that Australia had played a Test in Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
.
Captaincy of Australia
Youngest-ever captain
The 1956–57 season marked the start of a renewal phase in Australian cricket. Australia had lost three consecutive Ashes series and had fallen from the heights of the "Invincibles" team that had toured England in 1948. Australia were not scheduled to play any Tests until a tour of South Africa in 1957–58 and captain Ian Johnson and his deputy Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller (28 November 1919 – 11 October 2004) 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. His ability, irreverent m ...
retired upon their return to Australia, both men being in their late 30s.[Cashman, pp. 212–213.] In a move regarded as surprising,[Haigh, p. 103.] the 21-year-old Craig, rather than Richie Benaud
Richard Benaud (; 6 October 1930 – 10 April 2015) was an Australian cricketer who, after his retirement from international cricket in 1964, became a highly regarded commentator on the game.
Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder, blending l ...
, replaced the retired Miller as state captain and staked his claim to be a part of Australia's long-term future with a consistent season in which he scored 521 runs at an average of 47.36, with two centuries. New South Wales won another Sheffield Shield title under Craig's leadership.[ In one match against arch-rivals Victoria, Craig was ill with ]tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils in the upper part of the throat. It can be acute or chronic. Acute tonsillitis typically has a rapid onset. Symptoms may include sore throat, fever, enlargement of the tonsils, trouble swallowing, and en ...
, but came out to bat with his team struggling at 7/70 while chasing a low total of 161.[ Craig made 24 and put on 70 with Benaud to take his team towards victory,][ but the match eventually ended in a tie.][
Near the end of the 1956–57 season, the selectors met to choose a team for a short non-Test tour of ]New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. The leading contender for the captaincy was 28-year-old Victorian Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey (born 8 October 1928) is an Australian former cricketer who was a member of 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. ...
, who had been a regular member of the team for eight years and was the senior batsman.[Cashman, pp. 18–19.] However, both Harvey and Miller had been criticised for their attitude towards Johnson in an official report to the board about the 1956 tour. The selectors thus thrust Craig into the leadership at the age of 21 and a half. He was a young player leading an inexperienced team—the youngest cricket team from any country to be sent overseas,[Pollard, p. 115.] with no players older than 30.[ It was seen as a bold move,] as Craig had only played six Tests, was far from being a regular member of the team and had only a year of captaincy at first-class level.[
The day after the announcement, the Harvey-led Victorians met Craig's New South Welshmen at the SCG.][Haigh, p. 104.] Harvey admitted to being irked by the board's snub and felt that it was because of his blunt nature.[ The men were cordial at the toss and Craig sent the Victorians in to bat. At the same time, Colin McDonald broke his nose while practising in the nets and was taken to hospital. Harvey asked Craig for a gentleman's agreement to allow a substitute, but the home skipper refused.][ An angry Harvey struck 209 in five hours,][ but Craig scored 45 and 93 to help secure a draw and therefore win the Sheffield Shield.][
Craig, regarded as a personable, level-headed and well-educated man, was seen as an investment in the future.] Personal skills were seen as important in an era when captains were expected to make many after-dinner speeches at functions on tours, especially to England. Ray Robinson opined that "a sincere nature and unassuming manner" reduced the risk of team friction in the rebuilding phase and that Craig was "level headed and tactful beyond his years." Craig's lack of leadership ambition was cited as a major reason for the improvement in team harmony. The New Zealand tour was regarded as a test of Craig's leadership. Wicket-keeper Barry Jarman
Barrington Noel Jarman (17 February 193617 July 2020) was an Australian Test cricketer and International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee. Jarman played in 19 Test matches for the Australian cricket team between 1959 and 1969, including on ...
said that Craig "had to do it himself...I wasn't so dumb that I couldn't see the senior players didn't give him much support."[ The senior players resented his surprise selection as captain, but he gained favour by defying a management-imposed curfew, which was later scrapped.][Haigh, p. 105.]
During the tour, the Australians won all three of their first-class matches against the hosts' provincial teams.[ The Australians then played against a New Zealand representative team, although the matches were not classified as Tests.][ In the first game, Craig scored an unbeaten 123 in the second innings to ensure a draw after the visitors had conceded a first innings lead.][ In the second match, Australia stumbled to 6/146 in their second innings after conceding a first innings lead of 34. After the unconvincing performances in the first two matches, Craig scored 57 in the third, which Australia won by ten wickets.][ Craig ended with 224 runs at 56.00 in the three international matches and 308 runs at 38.50 overall.][
]
South African tour
At the start of the 1957–58 season, Craig was made captain for Australia's Test tour to South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
, making him the youngest captain in Test history at the age of 22 years and 194 days, with Harvey as his deputy. The appointment came despite his mixed batting form during the New Zealand tour. The selectors further demonstrated their view to the future when they dropped veteran Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall (3 October 1921 – 23 June 1996) 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 f ...
altogether.[Perry, p. 204.] The average age of Craig's team was two and a half years younger than the Australian squad sent to England in 1956,[Pollard, p. 98.] and they had only one player over the age of 30, whereas the 1956 team had five members over the age of 30. As a result of the team's relative inexperience, they were judged by critics to be the worst to have left Australian shores.[Haigh, p. 108.] Craig joined his team in Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...
after flying in from London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, where he had been working for six months as a pharmacist, with the approval of the Australian board.[Haigh, p. 107.]
Craig's workload grew after the team manager Jack Jantke suffered a heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
before the tour, leaving the captain to handle off-field matters until a replacement for Jantke was found two weeks later.[Perry, p. 209.][Pollard, p. 117.][ Craig instituted a novel set of rules to raise morale,][ but journalists and former player ]Dick Whitington
Richard Smallpeice Whitington (30 June 1912 – 13 March 1984) was an Australian first-class cricketer who played for South Australia and after serving in World War II, represented the Australian Services cricket team, which played in the Victo ...
derided it as "Anglicised fripperies",[ while ]Jack Fingleton
John Henry Webb Fingleton, (28 April 190822 November 1981) was an Australian cricketer, journalist and commentator. The son of Australian politician James Fingleton, he was known for his dour defensive approach as a batsman, scoring five Test m ...
said that Craig was "much too callow in years and experience to lead a team abroad."[ Some players remained resentful of Craig's dubious elevation but appreciated that he had not promoted himself and that he was fair and open to input from teammates.][
Craig made a good start to the tour in two warm-up matches against ]Rhodesia
Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of S ...
, scoring a century in each match. Australia won the matches by an innings and ten wickets respectively.[ Craig led his men in five first-class matches before the Tests and Australia won all by convincing margins; three ended in innings victories and the others were won by nine and ten wickets.][ This included a match against a South African XI, in which Craig scored 88 as Australia amassed 8/519 declared before winning by an innings.][
Craig led his team into the First Test at Johannesburg starting on 23 December with an inexperienced bowling attack. With Lindwall dropped,] the pace attack was led by Alan Davidson,[Cashman, pp. 72–73.] who at the time had managed only 16 Test wickets in 12 matches. Davidson's partner Ian Meckiff
Ian Meckiff (born 6 January 1935) is a former cricketer who represented Australia national cricket team, Australia in 18 test cricket, Test matches between 1957 and 1963. A left-arm Fast bowling, fast bowler, he is best known for two matters tha ...
was making his debut. Benaud was in his first Test as the lead spinner Technology
*Spinner (aeronautics), the aerodynamic cone at the hub of an aircraft propeller
* Spinner (cell culture), laboratory equipment for cultivating plant or mammalian cells
* Spinner (computing), a graphical widget in a GUI
* Spinner (MIT Med ...
, while left arm wrist spinner Lindsay Kline was another debutant. In all, Craig's team had four debutants. Craig made only 14 and 17 as his team held on for a draw. At the end of the match, an unpopular 10 p.m. curfew that was imposed by the replacement manager was repealed.[Haigh, p. 111.]
The Australian skipper again struggled with the bat in the Second Test in Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, making a duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...
, but this was overlooked by the media as his team won by a decisive innings margin. In the Third Test at Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
, Craig made 52 on a pitch that was difficult for batting, his first Test half-century since his debut. His team scored 163 in their first innings, and after the hosts made 384, Craig made a duck as Australia struggled to a score of 7/292, salvaging a draw in the process.[ In the Fourth Test at Johannesburg, Craig promoted Benaud ahead of him in the batting order, feeling that flexibility in the team interest was paramount.] Benaud scored a century, prompting Robinson to describe Craig's action as "the most imaginative piece of captaincy of the season." The innings allowed Australia to seize the momentum and set up a 10-wicket victory, which yielded an unassailable 2–0 series lead.[
Despite the disagreement as to whether Craig was deserving of the captaincy, the team proceeded without infighting.][Haigh, pp. 114–115.] Prior to the Fifth Test, Craig wanted to drop himself due to poor form, which would have made Harvey captain.[ Peter Burge, the third member of the selection panel and a Harvey supporter,][ was comfortable with this, but Harvey ordered Burge to retain Craig. When the vote was formally taken, Harvey and Burge outvoted Craig, who was still offering to drop himself.][
Craig failed to pass 20 in the Fifth Test as Australia won again to take a creditable 3–0 series win, something highly unexpected at the beginning of the tour.] Overall, Craig's men won 11 of their 20 first-class games on tour, and the ''South African Cricket Annual'' recognised the Australian captain's leadership by naming him as one of their Five Cricketers of the Year.
Later career
Hepatitis
Although the match results were encouraging for such a young and inexperienced team, Craig scored only 103 runs at 14.71. Despite his contributions as a leader, this was not up to standard. He had trouble with his defence, being bowled eight times in 17 innings. In the 12 matches in the last three months of the tour, Craig passed fifty only once in 13 innings.[ However, the selectors did not have to reverse their youth policy: Craig contracted a bout of ]hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes ( jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal ...
before the start of the 1958–59 season. He returned to cricket at the beginning of the season, but was underprepared,[ scoring two ducks in his only two innings of the season, the second coming against the touring England team.][ Craig declared that he was not ready for a return to Test cricket and relinquished the captaincy, which the selectors handed to Benaud.][ Benaud went on to defeat England 4–0;][ as England were widely regarded as the best team at the time, this established him as captain of a resurgent Australia.][Perry, p. 210.]
The illness-enforced layoff left Craig facing an uphill battle to regain his place in the national team.[ Prior to the start of the 1959–60 season, Craig recovered his health and toured South Africa with a Commonwealth XI, where he scored 276 runs at 55.20 including a century against a combined Transvaal XI.][
]
Attempted comeback
Returning to Australia, he had a moderately successful Sheffield Shield season, accumulating 376 runs at 31.33 with three half-centuries. New South Wales went on to win another title.[ The selectors named him to lead an Australian Second XI to New Zealand—while the first choice team toured the Indian subcontinent—hoping that he was still good enough to secure a long-term future in the Australian team.] The four matches against New Zealand were closely contested.[ In the first match, Australia were 7/201 in pursuit of 22 for victory when time ran out. In the second fixture, Craig made 70 as the tourists struggled to 8/211 in pursuit of 262 for victory to hold on for a draw.][ After narrowly escaping defeat in the first two matches, Australia won the third match by eight wickets. In the final match, Australia reduced New Zealand to 8/149 in pursuit of 284 when time ran out, sealing a 1–0 series win.][ Craig struggled with the bat, making 222 runs at 27.75 in the games against New Zealand.][
Craig had a strong Sheffield Shield season in 1960–61. At the time, he had become a production manager at his pharmaceutical firm and declared that the season would be his last owing to work commitments. His employers had been pressuring him to commit to a career after cricket.][Haigh, p. 274.] Early in the campaign, Craig scored consecutive centuries against Queensland and Victoria. He then scored 83 as New South Wales defeated the touring West Indians
A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). For more than 100 years the words ''West Indian'' specifically described natives of the West Indies, but by 1661 Europeans had begun to use it ...
by an innings and 97 runs, but he was overlooked for Test selection.[ He ended his season with 197 in an innings victory over Western Australia. Overall, he totalled 710 runs at 59.16, as New South Wales won their eighth successive Shield.][ After a successful campaign, he reversed his decision and made himself available for the 1961 tour of England, but ]Bill Lawry
William Morris Lawry (born 11 February 1937) is an Australian former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia in 25 Test matches, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia in the inaugural ...
was selected ahead of him.[
]
Final season
The 1961–62 season was Craig's last at first-class level; he accumulated 629 runs at 37.00, with seven fifties but he was unable to convert any of these into a century.[ In one match against arch-rivals Victoria, Craig scored 80 and 65 not out to help his team to a ten-wicket triumph.][ New South Wales won six consecutive matches to seal another title,][ but Craig found himself under increasing pressure for his place in the state team; with no internationals that season, all the Test players were available, which put his position under threat.][ New South Wales had a streak of nine consecutive Shield titles up until 1961–62,] and the batting line-up was particularly strong. The 1950s–60s era teams were regarded as among the strongest in Australian history. In total, Craig acted as captain in 48 first-class matches, winning 27, tying one and losing only two. Although Craig's record as the youngest captain in Test history has now been surpassed, he remains the youngest Australian to have scored a first-class double century, play a Test match and then captain the national team.
Craig signed off on his first-class career at the end of the season with a tour of New Zealand with an International XI. He played in three matches and ended with 240 runs at 48.00;[ in his final match, against the Cricket Club of India President's XI, he made 101, his 15th century at first-class level.][
]
Style
Standing 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) and weighing , Craig was a lightly built and frail looking batsman. He had a neat and compact batting style. Craig was known for his leg side
The leg side, or on side, is defined to be a particular half of the field used to play the sport of cricket. It is the side of the field that corresponds to the batsman's non-dominant hand, from their perspective.
From the point of view of a righ ...
batting repertoire, in particular his ability to clip the ball from his pads. He had an unorthodox grip, low on the bat handle with the back of the top hand pointing to point
Point or points may refer to:
Places
* Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland
* Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States
* Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
* Point ...
. This caused him to have a tendency to close the face of his bat. Although Craig was small in stature, he was still able to hit the ball a long distance. During the testimonial match for Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett (28 August 1913 – 16 June 1993) was an Australian cricketer who played for Victoria and the Australian national team. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by ''Wisden'' as, "... a mas ...
at the end of the 1953–54 season, Craig struck four sixes in five balls from the off spin
Off spin is a type of finger spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners are right arm, right-handed spin bowling, spin bowlers who use their fingers to spin the ball. Their normal Delivery (cr ...
of Johnson. During his first tour to England, Craig had difficulty with off cutters bowled by pacemen and eschewed the hook shot
In basketball, a hook shot is a play in which the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of the arm farther from the basket in an upward arc with a follow-through which ends ov ...
, but after his comeback from illness, he transformed himself into an opening batsman, earning praise for his performances against the express pace of Wes Hall
Sir Wesley Winfield Hall (born 12 September 1937) is a Barbadian former cricketer and politician. A tall, strong and powerfully built man, Hall was a genuine fast bowler and despite his very long run up, he was renowned for his ability to bow ...
and Ian Meckiff
Ian Meckiff (born 6 January 1935) is a former cricketer who represented Australia national cricket team, Australia in 18 test cricket, Test matches between 1957 and 1963. A left-arm Fast bowling, fast bowler, he is best known for two matters tha ...
.[Robinson, p. 264.] Benaud felt that Craig was finally reaping the rewards of his early experience. On Australian pitches, Craig had a reputation for having difficulty with the left arm wrist spin of Kline and David Sincock
David John Sincock (born 1 February 1942) is a former Australian cricketer who played in three Test matches from 1964 to 1966.
Nicknamed "Evil Dick" by his teammates, Sincock was called "one of the most interesting bowlers I have ever played ...
. Craig's light build allowed him to move quickly while fielding, prompting Robinson to call him "the Bambi of the fielding side." In his early years, Craig was a non-smoker, but the pressure and tension brought on by the burden of captaincy resulted in him taking up the habit.[Robinson, p. 263.] He was known for being softly spoken, with his players often having to ask him to repeat his instructions. Craig had a reputation for being good-natured; he did not complain about his cricket career and said that he had "no regrets."[Perry, p. 211.]
After cricket
Craig retired from first-class cricket at just 26 years of age in 1962, but continued playing for Mosman
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local governm ...
in Sydney grade cricket on weekends until 1969.[Robinson, p. 265.] His marriage to Rosslyn Carroll in 1962[Haigh, p. 247.] and his pharmaceutical career prevented him from applying himself fully to cricket. The couple had a boy and a girl, as well as an adopted son. Craig joined the Australian subsidiary of the British pharmaceutical firm Boots
A boot is a type of footwear.
Boot or Boots may also refer to:
Businesses
* Boot Inn, Chester, Cheshire, England
* Boots (company), a high-street pharmacy chain and manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom
* The Boot, Cromer Stre ...
, rising to the position of managing director. He later served on the board of directors of the Bradman Museum in Bowral
Bowral () is the largest town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, about ninety minutes southwest of Sydney. It is the main business and entertainment precinct of the Wingecarribee Shire and Highlands.
Bowral once served ...
and later became its chairman. He was a board member of the New South Wales Cricket Association
Cricket NSW (officially known as the ''New South Wales Cricket Association'') is an Australian sporting association that administers cricket in New South Wales. It is based at the Sydney Olympic Park. The New South Wales Blues, the New South Wa ...
(NSWCA) for three years and served on the Trust of the Sydney Cricket Ground for varying periods from 1968 to 1996, totalling 18 years. Upon first being appointed in 1968 to replace Stan McCabe
Stanley Joseph McCabe (16 July 1910 – 25 August 1968) was an Australian cricketer who played 39 Test cricket, Test matches for Australia from 1930 to 1938. A short, stocky right-hander, McCabe was described by ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, ...
, Craig was the youngest ever trustee of the SCG. One of the most controversial incidents during this time occurred in 1977–78 during the period of the breakaway World Series Cricket
World Series Cricket (WSC) was a commercial professional cricket competition staged between 1977 and 1979 which was organised by Kerry Packer and his Australian television network, Nine Network. WSC ran in commercial competition to establishe ...
, which wanted to install floodlights at the SCG. The NSWCA opposed this, while the government sided with WSC. As a result of Craig's support of the NSWCA, the government dismissed him. Craig retired as the managing director of Boots' Australian subsidiaries. Craig was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
in 1997 for his contributions to cricket as a player and administrator.[ He died in Bowral from cancer on 16 November 2014.]
Test match performance
Notes
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Craig, Ian
1935 births
2014 deaths
Australia Test cricketers
Australia Test cricket captains
New South Wales cricketers
Commonwealth XI cricketers
Australian cricketers
People from Yass
Cricketers from New South Wales
Free Foresters cricketers
People educated at North Sydney Boys High School
Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
Deaths from cancer in New South Wales