Mick Harvey (umpire)

Clarence Edgar "Mick" Harvey (17 March 1921 – 6 October 2016) was a

Harvey had his best first-class season in 1950–51, scoring 490 runs at 37.69, including his maiden first-class century against a full-strength New South Wales team with several Test bowlers. However, he struggled the following season and was dropped, and did not play a single first-class match in 1952–53. Recalled the following season, he overcame a slow start to score two centuries later in the summer to end with 421 runs at 38.27 for the summer. After a poor season, Harvey was dropped late in the 1955–56 season.

He was dropped after two matches in 1956–57, ending his first-class career. After his playing career was over, Harvey took up umpiring, and made his first-class debut in 1974–75. He regularly umpired in first-class matches over the next few seasons and then broke into international umpiring in 1978–79. In that summer, Harvey stood in two

Early years

Mick's father Horace "Horry" Harvey moved to Broken Hill, New South Wales where he worked for BHP driving horse-drawn trailers.^[1] In 1914, he married Elsie May Bitmead and their first two children, daughter Rita and son Merv, were born in the mining town. The family relocated to Newcastle, a mining town and harbour in New South Wales, where Clarence Edgar Harvey—always known as Mick, as he was born on Saint Patrick's Day—and Harold were born.^[1] In 1926, the Harveys shifted to the inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, a staunchly working-class, industrial area.^[1] During their relocation, Ray was born in Sydney. Horace secured a job at the confectionery company Life Savers, located next door to their house at 198 Argyle Street.^[1] The 19th century two-storey house was owned by the firm and was used as lodgings for the workers’ families. It no longer exists, having been demolished to make way for a textile factory.^[1] The two youngest sons Neil and Brian were born in Fitzroy.^[1] The Cornish-descended Horry raised his family as strict Methodists, disallowing gambling, alcohol, tobacco and profanity in his household.^[1] An ardent cricketer,^[1] he encouraged his children to play sport. He himself played for the Rita Social Club after moving to Fitzroy.^[1]

As recreational facilities and grass ovals were sparse in densely populated Fitzroy, the boys took to playing cricket in a cobblestone laneway between their terraced house.^[2] Here they played cricket with a tennis ball, home made cricket bat and a kerosene tin for a wicket.^[2] They were usually joined by other local children, two of whom became elite sportsmen: Allan Ruthven (an Australian rules footballer) and Harold Shillinglaw (both an Australian rules footballer and first-class cricketer)—the group also played Australian rules football, kicking around rolled up cardboard and newspaper.^[2] Much of the batting skill displayed by the Harvey brothers has been attributed to these games played on the unpredictable bounce of the bumpy laneway.^[2] The surface also had a V-shaped slope inwards towards the centre of the lane, causing balls to deviate sideways after bouncing.^[3] As the laneway meant that the playing area was long and narrow, the young boys also had to learn to play the ball straight in accordance with orthodox cricket technique.^[2] The Harveys played another form of cricket in their concreted backyard using a marble instead of a ball that sharpened their reflexes,^[2] and a miniature bat.^[4] All were right-handed batsmen with the exception of Neil.^[5]

All of the children attended the nearby George Street State School and, one by one, the brothers joined the Fitzroy Cricket Club as they reached their early teens.

In the return match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Harvey was promoted to bat at No. 3. He made 38 in the first innings before being dismissed by Walker.^[15][22] Harvey broke through for his maiden first-class century in the second innings, scoring an unbeaten 100. Queensland declared at 4/237 as soon as he reached his milestone, only to see the hosts reach the victory target of 225 with all ten wickets intact.^[15]

Harvey played against an international outfit for the first time in the following match against the touring England cricket team, but made only three in his solitary innings. However, he continued to score consistently, making a half-century in each of the next three matches. From the third of these matches—against South Australia—onwards, he generally opened the batting for Queensland.^[15] On his first innings back as an opener, he narrowly missed a century, being dismissed for 95 by Geff Noblet. However, it was enough for the Queenslanders to take a 162-run first innings lead in a low-scoring match in which only one team surpassed 240 once, and set up an eight-wicket victory, the only time his state won a match for the season.^[15] Harvey's performance tapered away in the last two matches of the season. He made only 0 and 2 in the last match against Victoria, and 48 runs in his last four innings.^[15]

Harvey started the 1951–52 season poorly, scoring 9 and 5 against a full-strength New South Wales team. In the following match, he made 90 in the first innings as Queensland defeated the touring West Indies by ten wickets.^[15] Harvey was sidelined for six weeks before returning in late December against Victoria. He struggled in this match and the next against New South Wales, scoring 9, 20, 9 and 3. In the next match, he made 46 in the first innings before managing only five in the second, against South Australia. Nor did Queensland have success in these three matches. They were one wicket away from victory in the first match when time ran out, and lost the other two. Harvey was dropped for the remainder of the season, ending with 196 runs at 21.77.^[15][16]

Harvey was overlooked for Queensland selection for the whole 1952–53 season. He was recalled at the start of the 1953–54 campaign and made 26 and 20 in the first match against New South Wales, failing to

Harvey continued his good form at the start of the 1954–55 season, scoring 90 and 9 in the opening match against New South Wales. He then made 49 and 9 against the touring England cricket team of Len Hutton. In the Christmas match against South Australia, Harvey failed to capitalise on his starts, making 31 and 35 as Queensland won by 34 runs. The following week, he made only 0 and 3 not out in the New Year's match against New South Wales. He finished the truncated season with only 16 in the following match against Victoria, ending the summer with 242 runs at 30.25.^[15][16]

Harvey had a poor season in 1955–56. He scored only 37 runs in six completed innings in the first three matches. In the next match against Western Australia, he made only 8 in the first innings but scored 70 not out in the second innings as his team's run-chase petered away to a draw, and he retained his position in the team. He then made 17 and 28 in the next match against South Australia, run out in the latter innings after making a start. After making 10 and 20 in the next match against New South Wales, he was dropped for the remainder of the season, having made only 190 runs at 17.27 for the season.^[15][16]

Recalled at the start of the 1956–57 season, Harvey made 40 and 28 in his first match of the summer against New South Wales, but after scoring only 2 and 2 not out against Western Australia in the next match, he was dropped for the final time.^[15]

Noted for his sound defence, he was a patient and dogged batsman, in contrast to the exciting styles of brothers Merv, Ray and Neil.^[6] According to Neil, Mick had a weakness against spin bowling.^[23] Harvey was a rare bowler during his first-class career. He bowled only five overs in total, delivering one over in five different matches. He never took a wicket.^[15] Altogether, he made 1,716 first-class runs (mostly as an opener) in 37 matches at an average of 27.23.^[15] Harvey was also a regular choice for the Queensland baseball team during his career.^[6] His daughter Pauline Harvey-Short represented Australia at softball,^[6] before becoming a sports administrator. She is a fellow of the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation,^[24] and was a founding member of Womensport Queensland in 1993, serving as the chair of the board from 2007 until 2010.^[25] Her daughter Kirby Short plays cricket for the Queensland women's team.^[26]

Umpiring career

After his retirement as a player, Harvey took up umpiring. His initial first-class match was in 1974–75, when he officiated in Queensland's home match against Victoria late in the season; at the time the host team provided both umpires. The following year, he was selected for four first-class matches, one of which was against the touring

The following season, Harvey presided over four of the five home Shield matches, a tour match by India, and a domestic one-dayer, but was overlooked for an international fixture.[27]^[28] Harvey's final fixtures were during the 1981–82 season. He officiated in two matches hosted by Queensland in November, a Shield match and a one-dayer, both against Queensland. Altogether, he umpired 31 first-class and 13 List A matches in his career.^[27][28] He continued to umpire interstate matches at youth level until 1988 and stood in six finals the first grade of Queensland's local competition.^[31]

Notes