Merv Harvey: Difference between revisions

| fullname = Mervyn Roye Harvey

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|4|29|df=yes}}

| death_place = [[Footscray, Victoria]], Australia

| family = {{ubl|[[Mick Harvey (umpire)|Mick Harvey]] (brother)|[[Ray Harvey]] (brother)|[[Neil Harvey]] (brother)|[[Robert Harvey (footballer)|Robert Harvey]] (grandson)|[[Anthony Harvey (footballer)|Anthony Harvey]] (grandson)}}

| testdebutdate = 31 January

| testdebutyear = 1947

| source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/5600.html Cricinfo

| date = 23 May

| year = 2022

}}

 

Merv Harvey broke into the [[Victorian cricket team|Victorian state team]] during the 1940–41 season and played in three [[first-class cricket|first-class]] matches. The highlight of the first phase of his career for Victoria was a rapid 70 in one hour against a [[New South Wales cricket team|New South Wales]] attack containing [[Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)|Bill O'Reilly]], regarded as the best bowler in the world at the time. However, the outbreak of World War II in the Pacific caused the suspension of top-level cricket and halted Harvey's progress. Harvey then served in the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] as an airframe fitter, losing his best cricketing years to the war.

== Early years ==

{{main|Harvey brothers}}

 

 

As recreational facilities and grass ovals were sparse in densely populated Fitzroy, Merv and his younger brothers played cricket in a [[cobblestone]] laneway between their [[terraced house]].<ref name=c553>Coleman, p. 553.</ref> Here they played cricket with a [[tennis ball]], home made [[cricket bat]] and a [[kerosene]] tin for a wicket.<ref name=c553/> They were usually joined by other local children, two of whom became elite sportsmen: [[Allan Ruthven]] and [[Harold Shillinglaw]]. The group also played Australian rules football, kicking around rolled up cardboard and newspaper.<ref name=c553/> 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.<ref name=c553/> The surface also had a V-shaped slope inwards towards the centre of the lane, causing balls to deviate sideways after bouncing.<ref name=c551>Coleman, p. 551.</ref> 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.<ref name=c553/> The Harveys played another form of cricket in their concreted backyard using a marble instead of a ball,<ref name=c553/> and a miniature bat.<ref name=h26>Harvey, p. 26.</ref> This sharpened their reflexes.<ref name=c553/>

During the 1938–39 season, Harvey was selected for the [[Victorian Bushrangers|Victorian]] Second XI to play in a match against their counterparts from [[New South Wales cricket team|New South Wales]]. Harvey was [[run out]] for four in the first innings and then made eight as his team succumbed to a 227-run defeat. As a result, he was not called up into the First XI for the next two years.<ref name=om/>

 

 

 

==Post-war resumption and only Test==

There was another match for Victoria against South Australia before the Tests,<ref name=om/><ref name="auslist">{{cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/guru?sdb=team;team=AUS;class=testteam;filter=basic;opposition=0;notopposition=0;decade=0;homeaway=0;continent=0;country=0;notcountry=0;groundid=0;season=0;startdefault=1877-03-15;start=1877-03-15;enddefault=2007-11-20;end=2007-11-20;tourneyid=0;finals=0;daynight=0;toss=0;scheduledovers=0;scheduleddays=0;innings=0;followon=0;result=0;seriesresult=0;captainid=0;recent=;viewtype=resultlist;runslow=;runshigh=;wicketslow=;wicketshigh=;ballslow=;ballshigh=;overslow=;overshigh=;bpo=0;batevent=;conclow=;conchigh=;takenlow=;takenhigh=;ballsbowledlow=;ballsbowledhigh=;oversbowledlow=;oversbowledhigh=;bpobowled=0;bowlevent=;submit=1;.cgifields=viewtype |title=Statsguru – Australia – Tests – Results list |publisher=[[Cricinfo]] |access-date=2007-12-21}}</ref> allowing him another chance to push his claim for national selection. It was also his first [[Sheffield Shield]] match;<ref name=om/> his previous appearances for Victoria in interstate games were in seasons where the competition was called off due to war and replaced by one-off matches.<ref name=s>{{cite web|url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/260057.html|access-date=2007-11-30|title=A history of the Sheffield Shield |publisher=[[Cricinfo]] |first=Martin |last=Williamson}}</ref> Harvey could manage only 9 as Victoria amassed 548 in their first innings.<ref name=om/> They needed 79 runs for victory in 35 minutes on the last afternoon, and with quick scoring required, the more aggressive [[Keith Miller]] opened in place of Harvey. When the first wicket fell with the target almost completed, Harvey came in and made three not out by the time the match was over.<ref name=w109>Whitington, p. 109.</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2008-12-12 |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17890.html |title=South Australia v Victoria Sheffield Shield 1946/47 }}</ref> These performances were not enough for the Australian selectors and Harvey was overlooked for the team for the first two Tests.<ref>{{cite web| publisher=CricketArchive |title=Australia v England |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17895.html |access-date=2008-12-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| publisher=CricketArchive |title=Australia v England |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17902.html |access-date=2008-12-12}}</ref>

 

 

In the return match against Queensland, Harvey made 17 as Victoria took a convincing innings win.<ref name=om/> In the next match against New South Wales, Harvey played with Neil for the first time at first-class level, and pair played together for their state's two remaining matches of the season,<ref name=om/><ref name=on>{{cite web| title=Player Oracle RN Harvey|url=https://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results2.cgi?playernumber=813&opponentmatch=exact&playername=Meckiff&resulttype=All&matchtype=All&teammatch=exact&startwicket=&homeawaytype=All&opponent=&endwicket=&wicketkeeper=&searchtype=InningsList&endscore=&playermatch=contains&branding=cricketarchive&captain=&endseason=&startscore=&team=&startseason= |access-date=2009-05-14 |publisher= CricketArchive}}</ref> although they never batted together as Merv was always out before Neil came in, usually at No. 6. Merv made 30 and 44, failing to capitalise on his starts to make a big score with a Test vacancy beckoning; incumbent opener [[Sid Barnes]] was injured and unavailable for the Fourth Test.<ref name=az/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17949.html |title=New South Wales v Victoria |publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17963.html |title=Victoria v Marylebone Cricket Club|publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17972.html |title=Victoria v South Australia|publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010-06-28}}</ref>

Nevertheless, Harvey was selected to play his only Test, the [[1946–47 Ashes series#Fourth Test – Adelaide|Fourth Test at Adelaide]],<ref name=az/> filling in for the injured Barnes.<ref>{{cite web| publisher=CricketArchive |title=Australia v England |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17934.html |access-date=2008-12-12}}</ref><ref name=t4>{{cite web| publisher=CricketArchive |title=Australia v England |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17956.html |access-date=2008-12-12}}</ref> England batted first and made 460 before being dismissed late on the second day. Harvey opened with [[Arthur Morris]], and made 12 in the first innings before being bowled by Bedser while playing an aggressive shot. With only a few minutes of play left, the Australian captain [[Don Bradman]] came in and he too was bowled by Bedser, without scoring a run.<ref name=t4/> Harvey later privately said the Bradman had told him to play cautiously and survive until the end of the day, rather than attack, and that the captain was angry with the resulting two wickets. According to Harvey, Bradman told him that he would never be selected for Australia again.<ref name=saint/> The tourists then declared during the last afternoon and left Australia a target of 314. The target was not a realistic offer and Morris and Harvey put on an opening stand of 116 before the latter was bowled for 31 by the medium pace of occasional bowler [[Norman Yardley]]. The match ended in a draw with Australia on 1/215.<ref name=t4/><ref name=w132>Whitington, p. 132.</ref>

 

 

== Final seasons ==

By 1947–48, Brown had recovered,<ref name=brown>Robinson, pp. 197–200.</ref> so Harvey had to compete with him as well as Morris and Barnes for selection. In the first match of the season against the touring [[India national cricket team|Indians]], Harvey made 4 and 35. The following week, he made 89 in the first innings against South Australia but managed only three in the second innings as the Victorians collapsed to be all out for 182 and lost by nine wickets.<ref name=om/> Harvey was overlooked for the Australian XI for the Test trial against India the following week. Instead, he played in the match against Queensland, scoring only 13 and 3. He was subsequently overlooked for the Test selection.<ref name=om/> During this time, he played alongside Neil in all but the Queensland match, when his younger brother was playing in the Australian XI.<ref name=om/><ref name=on/> However, neither batted together.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18294.html |title=Victoria v Indians|publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18296.html |title=South Australia v Australia|publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010-06-28}}</ref>

 

 

The trio then proceeded to play together in the next match against Western Australia two weeks later and Merv captained the team as Hassett was away on Test duty. Victoria batted first and Neil came in to join Merv with the score at 2/102, and the pair added 173 together before the younger brother fell for 94. One run later, Merv was out for 141 in what turned out to be his final first-class century;<ref name=om/><ref name=three2/> later, Ray made only 1. Victoria ended on 370 and Western Australia took a 59-run lead. In the second innings, Merv made 6 and did not bat with his brothers. He declared the innings at 9/304, setting Western Australia a target of 246 for victory. They reached 5/205 and Victoria avoided defeat.<ref name=three2>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18308.html |title=Western Australia v Victoria|publisher=CricketArchive |date=2010-06-28}}</ref> A fortnight later, Harvey again captained the team and made a duck in his only innings in a rain-curtailed match. After the Victorians had made 412, Queensland reached 5/144 at the end of the match. Despite being the captain, Harvey was dropped for the next match and was overlooked for the rest of the season, ending with 351 runs at 35.10.<ref name=om/><ref name=sch>{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/ask_the_scorecard_oracle.cgi |title=Scorecard Oracle |publisher=CricketArchive |access-date=2010-06-23}}</ref>

*{{cite book |author1= Cashman, Richard |author2=Franks, Warwick |author3=Maxwell, Jim |author3-link=Jim Maxwell (commentator) |author4=Sainsbury, Erica |author5=Stoddart, Brian |author6=Weaver, Amanda |author7=Webster, Ray | year = 1997 | title = The A–Z of Australian cricketers| isbn=0-9756746-1-7|location=Melbourne, Victoria |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}

* {{cite book|last=Coleman|first=Robert|title= Seasons in the Sun: the story of the Victorian Cricket Association|year=1993|publisher=Hargreen Publishing|location=North Melbourne, Victoria|isbn=0-949905-59-3}}

*{{cite book |first=Jack |last=Pollard |author-link=Jack Pollard |year=1988 |location=North Ryde, New South Wales |publisher=Harper Collins |title=The Bradman Years: Australian Cricket 1918–48 |isbn=0-207-15596-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/bradmanyearsaust00poll }}

*{{cite book |title=On top down under : Australia's cricket captains |first=Ray |last=Robinson |author-link=Ray Robinson (cricket writer)|location=Stanmore, New South Wales |publisher=Cassell Australia |year=1975 |isbn=0-7269-7364-5}}

[[Category:Victoria cricketers]]

[[Category:Fitzroy cricketers]]

[[Category:Cricketers from New South Wales]]

[[Category:Harvey family|Merv]]

[[Category:People from Fitzroy, Victoria]]

[[Category:Cricketers from Melbourne]]