Cricket great's innings comes to an end

1 February; Andrew Young

Former Cricket Club cricketer and Australian Test representative, Colin McDonald passed away last month, aged 92.

A legend of the Melbourne University Cricket Club, McDonald opened the batting for Uni, Victoria and Australia and was renowned for his aggressive and attacking style of play. McDonald prospered on the cricket field for the University, earning full Blues in 1953 and 1955 and graduated in 1955 with a degree in Business and Economics.

McDonald was particularly impressive in intervarsity competitions. On one particular IV Tour in Adelaide, McDonald emulated the great Sir Donald Bradman – who was in fact in attendance, by scoring 300 runs in a day against the University of Adelaide.

This hunger for big runs carried on into his Test career, as McDonald made 3107 runs for Australia in 47 Tests. A particularly impressive record for an opening batsman, McDonald may have found comfort in the fact that his opening partner at Test level had also been his opening partner for MUCC and Victoria; George Thoms.

An icon of Victorian and indeed Australian cricket, McDonald will also be remembered for his contributions to the ABC as a cricket commentator, and later as the executive director of Tennis Australia, where he was largely responsible for the shift of the Australian Open to its current location at the Melbourne Park precinct.

Vale, Colin McDonald.