Norm O'Neill

Norm O'Neill
OAM
O'Neill pictured in the early 1960s
Personal information
Full name
Norman Clifford Louis O'Neill
Born(1937-02-19)19 February 1937
Carlton, New South Wales, Australia
Died3 March 2008(2008-03-03) (aged 71)
Erina, New South Wales, Australia
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm leg spin
RoleBatsman
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 211)5 December 1958 v England
Last Test5 May 1965 v West Indies
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1955–1967New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition Tests FC
Matches 42 188
Runs scored 2,779 13,859
Batting average 45.55 50.95
100s/50s 6/15 45/63
Top score 181 284
Balls bowled 1,392 7,131
Wickets 17 99
Bowling average 39.23 41.01
5 wickets in innings 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 4/41 4/40
Catches/stumpings 21/0 104/0
Source: ESPNCricinfo, 3 March 2008

Norman Clifford Louis O'Neill OAM (19 February 1937 – 3 March 2008) was a cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958. Early in his career, O'Neill was one of the foremost batsmen in the Australian team, scoring three Test centuries and topping the run-scoring aggregates on a 1959–60 tour of the Indian subcontinent which helped Australia win its last Test and series on Pakistani soil for 39 years, as well as another series in India. His career peaked in 1960–61 when he scored 181 in the Tied Test against the West Indies, and at the end of the series, had a career average of 58.25.

O'Neill's performances on the 1961 tour of England saw him named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. Thereafter his form was less formidable, characterised by nervousness and fidgeting at the start of his innings. Persistent knee problems, as well as a controversial media attack on the legality of West Indian bowler Charlie Griffith, saw him dropped from the Australian team after 1965. O'Neill also bowled occasional leg spin and was regarded as one of the finest fielders of his era. He later became a cricket commentator and his son Mark O'Neill also played cricket at state level.

He was inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame by the CA in 2018.[1]

  1. ^ "Australian Cricket Awards | Cricket Australia".

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