David Murray (cricketer)

David Murray
Personal information
Full name
David Anthony Murray
Born(1950-05-29)29 May 1950
Bridgetown, Colony of Barbados
Died26 November 2022(2022-11-26) (aged 72)
Station Hill, St. Michael Barbados
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLeg break
RoleWicket-keeper
Relations
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 167)31 March 1978 v Australia
Last Test2 January 1982 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 13)7 September 1973 v England
Last ODI5 December 1981 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1970–1982Barbados
Career statistics
Competition Tests ODIs FC LA
Matches 19 10 114 50
Runs scored 601 45 4,503 627
Batting average 21.46 9.00 30.84 24.11
100s/50s 0/3 0/0 7/19 0/4
Top score 84 35 206* 78
Catches/stumpings 57/5 16/0 293/30 68/3
Source: Cricket Archive, 17 October 2010

David Anthony Murray (29 May 1950 – 26 November 2022) was a West Indian and Barbadian cricketer who played in nineteen Tests and ten ODIs from 1973 to 1982 as a wicket-keeper.

Murray, a son of the West Indian batsman Sir Everton Weekes, often courted controversy. A marijuana user from a young age, he was almost thrown out of the 1975–76 tour to Australia, only saved by the intervention of the sympathetic senior player Lance Gibbs. His drug habit was reportedly fuelled by a tour of India where he found drugs easily available: "A waiter at the team hotel started the whole thing. There was a market there, near the Gateway of India, where you used to get anything, good African marijuana, everything... it's a great place."[1] By 1978, he had moved on to cocaine.[1]

Murray spent most of his international career as understudy to his Trinidadian counterpart Deryck Murray, and was usurped in 1981 by Jeff Dujon of Jamaica. Frustrated at his lack of opportunities, he joined the West Indian rebel tours to South Africa in 1983 and received a lifetime ban.[2]

Murray lived in poverty at his childhood home in Bridgetown.[1] On 26 November 2022, Murray collapsed and died near his home in Station Hill, St. Michael, at the age of 72.[3]

Murray's son, Ricky Hoyte, was also a wicket-keeper, playing for Barbados in the 1990s.[4]

  1. ^ a b c "Stayin' alive". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ Miller, Andrew (26 November 2022). "David Murray, West Indies' unforgiven wicketkeeper, dies aged 72". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  3. ^ Former Caribbean wicketkeeper-batter David Murray passes away
  4. ^ "Sir Everton Weekes obituary". The Times. London. Retrieved 16 November 2021.