Neil Harvey at Gordon District Cricket Club

Gordon District Cricket Club | September 28, 2025

Much has been written about Neil Harvey since his arrival on the cricketing world scene with the 1948 Bradman Invincibles team.

What is not talked about much are the five seasons Neil played for the Gordon club from 1958-59 to 1962-63.

Neil Harvey was a senior figure in the Australian team when he came to Sydney from Melbourne in 1958-59 and joined Gordon, aged almost 30. Recognised widely as one of Australia’s best-ever batsman, he continued playing Test cricket throughout his five seasons with the Club. Vice-captain to Richie Benaud during this period, Neil captained the Australian team in one Test, a victory at Lords in 1961.

Neil was the seventh Gordon player to appear in a Test match while a member of the Club when, in his first season, he appeared in all five Tests against the touring 1958-59 English team captained by Peter May. He also played six games for NSW during the season but, despite this heavy representative program, Neil still batted eleven times for Gordon, scoring 572 runs at 63.55 (2 not outs, 2 centuries, 3 fifties). 

Sid Carroll commented in his Annual Report that

‘We had Neil Harvey, and what glorious innings he played for us! Besides his tremendous natural ability, his support for me was wonderful. After all the cricket and strain placed on him during a big year, he was as keen for us to win as he was while playing for Australia.’

In his remaining four seasons with the Club, Neil had two overseas tours and two Test series in Australia. This meant he was not available very often for Gordon, although he did score 270 runs at 67.50 in 4 innings with 2 centuries in 1960-61. Overall, Neil scored 1,110 runs at 44.40 for Gordon and took 21 wickets at 19.48 with his off-spinners.

Harvey retired from cricket in 1962-63 and only played three matches for Gordon in his last year. Neil is now 96 years old and still remembers well the time he had at Gordon and the enjoyment he got from his overall participation in the cricket he played and the support he gave to all Gordon club members.

Not infrequently in modern times, various batsman (often Greg Chappell, Ricky Ponting or Steve Smith) are mentioned as being the best since Don Bradman. Neil Harvey is often overlooked. An article outlining the rapid progress of Steve Smith appeared in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph in early 2016 and an interesting table accompanied the article ‘Fastest Australians to 3,500 Runs.’ 

It gives support to those claiming that Neil Harvey should be regarded among the best. The table shows that Neil was outstanding at a young age and that he should be placed alongside the others. Of course everyone in such a debate has different views and no conclusion can ever be made. 

 

 

•   Neil reached 3,500 runs in less Tests than any other Australian batsman since World War 2. Don Bradman did so before WW2. 

•   Neil’s average was higher (60.34) than all the others on the list except Don Bradman,. 

•   Neil had scored the same number of centuries as Don Bradman and more than the others. 

•   Although less Tests were played in his era, Neil was younger than all others except Don Bradman and Steve Smith who was about the same age.

 

While this table is interesting, it has limited value however because it only compares the first part of the careers of these players and some blossomed more in subsequent periods. Another measure of Neil Harvey’s record in Test matches is seen by his high ranking in several categories at the time he retired with only Don Bradman ahead of him. Only Don Bradman (6,996) had scored more runs for Australia than Neil (6,149) and centuries than Neil (21). Next was Arthur Morris (12).

Conditions are very different today for Test cricketers. They are full-time professionals, practise much more and play Test series more frequently. Players’ income from cricket was meagre in Neil’s day and they had to work to earn a living and forge a career for their future while still playing. 

Many people have opinions on who is the best batsman since Bradman, usually mentioning Chappell, Ponting or Smith but Harvey also has claims and should also be considered when this subject is discussed. 

Although Neil was rather short (5 feet 8 inches / 173 cm), Johnnie Moyes wrote that ‘there is tremendous power in that slight frame…he will never prod a half-volley or decline the challenge of a long-hop… the sight of his slim figure, neat and trim-looking, always capless’ brought ‘new hope’ to the spectators. Neil was light on his feet and had wonderful footwork in those pre-helmet days. He played Test cricket for 15 years but The Times in London said, ‘He will best be remembered always as a player who never grew old.’       

After the retirement of Don Bradman in 1948, Neil Harvey was the leading batsman in the Australian team for a decade. He retired from the first-class scene after the 1962-63 season and was elected a Life Member of the NSWCA in 1963. Subsequently he became a NSW selector for 11 seasons. Gordon is proud that this champion of Australian cricket played with the Club for five seasons.

 

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