Ken Mackay
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Donald Mackay was an Australia
n cricket
er who played in 37 Tests
from 1956 to 1963.
He was universally known as "Slasher", an ironic reference to his often back-to-the-wall batting style. In his first Test at Lord's in 1956 he batted for over four hours in each innings, wearing down the England bowlers with pawky defence and unbreakable concentration. He matured as a test player to become an unobtrusive but often vital member of Richie Benaud
's team that brought Australia out of its late-fifties doldrums in two remarkable series, against the West Indies in 1960/61 and England in 1961. Mackay made important contributions in both, most notably his famous last-wicket stand with Lindsay Kline
in the 4th test against the West Indies in Adelaide
which forced a remarkable draw.
Mackay teamed with Benaud and Alan Davidson
to provide a high-quality, flexible core of all-rounders that often proved the difference for Australia in tight situations. While lacking the talent of the fast left-arm swing of Davidson and the leg-spin of Benaud, his economical, nagging right-arm medium pace (a cricketing "switch-hitter", he batted left-handed) was often strategically useful and occasionally, especially in Pakistan and India, destructive. He was the second-most economic of significant Australian test bowlers, surpassed in miserliness only by Arthur Mailey
. He was not a tidy-looking bowler and he shambled up to the wicket, but in the 1961 Ashes series he was Australia's first-change bowler and in the First Test dismissed Ken Barrington
, M.J.K. Smith and Raman Subba Row
in four balls to give Australia a 321-run first innings lead.
A prolific run-scorer at first-class level, he was more of a bit-part player than a front-line batsman, but averaged healthily for an all-rounder and for many years had the distinction, until passed by Shane Warne
(who played many more tests), of scoring the most test runs of any Australian without scoring a century. Many of his 13 test half-centuries were made in crucial situations, often batting with the tail. His final Test series was the 1962-63 Ashes series, when he made 86 not out at such a dull rate that he was dropped due to public demand, but was recalled for the Fourth Test. With Alan Davidson injured he took 3/80 and 1/13, but made only 1 and 3 and was dropped again.
Always highly regarded by team-mates and opponents, his popularity with the public grew remarkably late in his career, especially after his Adelaide heroics. A testimonial (Mackay, like most Australian cricketers of the time, was an amateur) with the slogan 'A Bob in for The Slasher' raised the then substantial sum of five thousand pounds, and a street and oval were named in his honour. His autobiography, Slasher Opens Up, is regarded as one of the very best cricketer's books, as much for its humour and honesty than its heroics. Mackay died early in 1982 but, as Jack Pollard wrote in his definitive 'Australian Cricket, the Game and the Players', "while cricket is played in Australia, he will be fondly remembered".
He was awarded a MBE for his services to cricket in 1962.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played in 37 Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
from 1956 to 1963.
He was universally known as "Slasher", an ironic reference to his often back-to-the-wall batting style. In his first Test at Lord's in 1956 he batted for over four hours in each innings, wearing down the England bowlers with pawky defence and unbreakable concentration. He matured as a test player to become an unobtrusive but often vital member of Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
's team that brought Australia out of its late-fifties doldrums in two remarkable series, against the West Indies in 1960/61 and England in 1961. Mackay made important contributions in both, most notably his famous last-wicket stand with Lindsay Kline
Lindsay Kline
Lindsay Francis Kline is former Australian and Victorian cricketer. He played in 13 Tests for Australia and 88 first-class matches between 1955/56 and 1961/1962...
in the 4th test against the West Indies in Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
which forced a remarkable draw.
Mackay teamed with Benaud and Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
to provide a high-quality, flexible core of all-rounders that often proved the difference for Australia in tight situations. While lacking the talent of the fast left-arm swing of Davidson and the leg-spin of Benaud, his economical, nagging right-arm medium pace (a cricketing "switch-hitter", he batted left-handed) was often strategically useful and occasionally, especially in Pakistan and India, destructive. He was the second-most economic of significant Australian test bowlers, surpassed in miserliness only by Arthur Mailey
Arthur Mailey
Arthur Alfred Mailey was an Australian cricketer who played in 21 Test matches between 1920 and 1926....
. He was not a tidy-looking bowler and he shambled up to the wicket, but in the 1961 Ashes series he was Australia's first-change bowler and in the First Test dismissed Ken Barrington
Ken Barrington
Kenneth Frank Barrington , better known as Ken Barrington, played for the English cricket team and Surrey County Cricket Club in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a right-handed batsman and occasional leg-spin bowler, well known for his jovial good humour and long, defensive innings "batting with bulldog...
, M.J.K. Smith and Raman Subba Row
Raman Subba Row
Raman Subba Row is an English former cricketer who played for England, Cambridge University, Surrey and Northamptonshire.-Life and career:...
in four balls to give Australia a 321-run first innings lead.
A prolific run-scorer at first-class level, he was more of a bit-part player than a front-line batsman, but averaged healthily for an all-rounder and for many years had the distinction, until passed by Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
(who played many more tests), of scoring the most test runs of any Australian without scoring a century. Many of his 13 test half-centuries were made in crucial situations, often batting with the tail. His final Test series was the 1962-63 Ashes series, when he made 86 not out at such a dull rate that he was dropped due to public demand, but was recalled for the Fourth Test. With Alan Davidson injured he took 3/80 and 1/13, but made only 1 and 3 and was dropped again.
Always highly regarded by team-mates and opponents, his popularity with the public grew remarkably late in his career, especially after his Adelaide heroics. A testimonial (Mackay, like most Australian cricketers of the time, was an amateur) with the slogan 'A Bob in for The Slasher' raised the then substantial sum of five thousand pounds, and a street and oval were named in his honour. His autobiography, Slasher Opens Up, is regarded as one of the very best cricketer's books, as much for its humour and honesty than its heroics. Mackay died early in 1982 but, as Jack Pollard wrote in his definitive 'Australian Cricket, the Game and the Players', "while cricket is played in Australia, he will be fondly remembered".
He was awarded a MBE for his services to cricket in 1962.