Mel McInnes
Melville James "Mel" McInnes Australian cricket Test match umpire.
He umpired 16
Ron Wright
.
McInnes' first international match was the England against
South Australia match in January 1951. He no-balled Doug Wright
three balls in succession for overstepping, and this courageous act may have led to his first Test appointment the following year.
His last match – also at Adelaide and with Ron Wright as his partner - was between Australia and
England on 30 January to 5 February 1959. This was won by Australia by 10 wickets largely due to 170 by Colin McDonald and 9 wickets to Richie Benaud
. McDonald pulled a thigh muscle and had resumed batting with a runner, when a Run out appeal was made at the bowler’s end. McInnes had moved to the same side as the runner to view the action, and after giving McDonald out to the appeal, had to reverse his decision, as the runner was behind him and out of his view.
In the
as the finest Australia has produced … McInnes adopted the English idea of never rushing into a decision and perhaps that is why he makes so few mistakes".McInnes stood six feet four and a half inches tall, and played Australian rules football for North Adelaide and cricket for Prospect before enlisting in the AIF in 1940.[2] He served as a captain in the Middle East and in New Guinea.[3] He worked in the state public service.[2]
See also
- Australian Test Cricket Umpires
- List of test umpires
References
- ^ "Melville James McInnes". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Began umpiring as hobby: Now has Test post". News (Adelaide): 30. 22 November 1954.
- ^ Taylor, Percy (23 November 1955). "Send our top Test umpire abroad". Argus: 28.
- Moyes, A. G., Australian Cricket: A History, Sydney, Angus & Robertson, 1959.
- Pollard, Jack, Australian Cricket: 1948-1995, The Packer Years. Sydney, The Book Company, 1995.
- Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, 1997 edition (obituary, p. 1410)