West Indies cricket great David Murray dead at 72
MUMBAI/LONDON (Reuters) – David Murray, considered by some the godfather of test cricket, died after an illness at age 72, his family said on Tuesday.
The former Australia captain spent nearly three decades in England and Australia, captaining his country in 47 Tests, 19 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and a record 15 One-Day International Tri-Series matches.
He was most successful in his final years as a Test captain, with his teams taking the most wins with 14 during the 1996 World Cup.
“There are no words and can only be expressed with the deepest heartfelt sorrow,” his family said in a statement on the family’s website.
Murray was born in Melbourne in 1941. His father was a missionary before emigrating with his family to England in 1932.
He made his Test debut for Australia as a 20-year-old in his first season of the 1951-52 season against England. He played 33 Tests for Australia before he retired in 1977.
He then returned to his native country where he played three years in the Indian Premier League on the team he and his brother had captained from 1954 to 1958.
Murray then became a Test regular with the Australian team in the South African series in 1958-59 and made the Australian team for the 1966 World Cup, the first World Cup to have matches played in India instead of South Africa.
He had two Test centuries, including one against England in 1969, and was named man of the series for the series by Wisden for his role in batting the most with a total of 282.
He then took a break from the game, going on to join English county side Kent as an assistant coach to the England women’s team, and finally becoming the club captain before being appointed England team coach.
Murray also toured the West Indies with the Australia women’s team as part of a women’s tour of India and Pakistan in the 1970s. He and his wife are the parents of four daughters, two of whom became accomplished cricketers.
“He really enjoyed cricket and
