Mike Whitney
Encyclopedia
Michael Roy Whitney is an Australian television personality and former cricket
er, who played in 12 Tests
and 38 ODIs from 1981 to 1993.
Fast bowler Michael Whitney was a favourite among Australian and NSW
cricket fans for both his sense of humour and whole-hearted approach to the game. He made his Test
debut in 1981 at Old Trafford against England, when he was called on by the Australian touring party due to injuries while playing for Gloucestershire. However, he was then overlooked for six years afterwards and played almost all of his matches for Australia in the late 1980s and early '90s. He could be considered unlucky not to have played more than 12 Tests over his long career. He was Australia's most economical bowler in the 1992 World Cup
and in the same season took 17 wickets in three Tests against India.
Whitney became a much-celebrated number 11 batsman in the 1987 Boxing Day Test, surviving 18 deliveries
and holding off Richard Hadlee
to help secure a draw for Australia
against New Zealand
.
Since retiring from cricket, he has worked in the media, most prominently as the host of Who Dares Wins
(made in Australia, the show has been seen in America on cable's Game Show Network
). He has also been a referee on the Australian version of TV game show Gladiators
and continues to host a variety of travel programs. He is also the director of a computer graphics company and spokesperson for the Road Transport Forum's "Today's Truckies Giving 100%" campaign.
Mike is currently hosting Sydney Weekender
, a show airing only in New South Wales
. He is also host of the new show Last Chance Learners
. He officially endorses Hamish and Andy's greyhound, Fred Basset
.
Mike is also part of the Indian Cricket League
commentary team.
On 8 of March 2009 Mike Whitney was inducted as a life member by the South Sydney Rabbitohs
for his contribution in being a Director on the Football Club Board in the critical period during the Club’s battle for reinstatement to the competition between 1999 and 2001. He also played a decisive role in attracting fellow Life Member Kerry Stokes
to the Club as a major sponsor upon its readmission to the competition in 2002, a coup that ensured the Club’s ability to make its triumphant return to the NRL competition.
during the mid 1980s. In this advertisement, a fictional touring match between New South Wales
and The West Indies comes down to the final ball. With three runs needed to win, and with Joel Garner
bowling, Whitney, a tail ender, manages to hit a cover drive
towards the boundary. As he comes back for the third run, the fielder, Viv Richards
, throws the ball back to the bowler's stumps where it breaks the wicket. Whitney, however, has just made it past the crease and the umpire says not out. New South Wales have won the match by the tightest margin (one wicket), and the crowd cheers as Whitney, hugged by fellow batsman Steve Rixon
, makes his way back, holding and drinking a Toohey's.
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 12 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...
and 38 ODIs from 1981 to 1993.
Fast bowler Michael Whitney was a favourite among Australian and NSW
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
cricket fans for both his sense of humour and whole-hearted approach to the game. He made his Test
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...
debut in 1981 at Old Trafford against England, when he was called on by the Australian touring party due to injuries while playing for Gloucestershire. However, he was then overlooked for six years afterwards and played almost all of his matches for Australia in the late 1980s and early '90s. He could be considered unlucky not to have played more than 12 Tests over his long career. He was Australia's most economical bowler in the 1992 World Cup
1992 Cricket World Cup
-New Zealand:-Round Robin Stage:Co-hosts New Zealand proved the surprise packet of the tournament, winning their first seven games to finish on top of the table after the round robin. The other hosts, Australia, were one of the pre-tournament favourites but lost their first two matches. They...
and in the same season took 17 wickets in three Tests against India.
Whitney became a much-celebrated number 11 batsman in the 1987 Boxing Day Test, surviving 18 deliveries
Delivery (cricket)
A delivery or ball in cricket is a single action of bowling a cricket ball towards the batsman.During play of the game, a member of the fielding team is designated as the bowler, and bowls deliveries towards the batsman...
and holding off Richard Hadlee
Richard Hadlee
Sir Richard John Hadlee, MBE is a former New Zealand cricketer who played provincial cricket for Canterbury, Nottinghamshire and Tasmania. He is the son of Walter Hadlee, and the brother of Dayle and Barry Hadlee. His former wife Karen also played international cricket for New Zealand.Hadlee was...
to help secure a draw for Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
against New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
.
Since retiring from cricket, he has worked in the media, most prominently as the host of Who Dares Wins
Who Dares Wins (game show)
Who Dares Wins is an Australian adventure game show that aired on the Seven Network between 1996 and 1998, with re-runs airing in 2005 and 2007...
(made in Australia, the show has been seen in America on cable's Game Show Network
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
). He has also been a referee on the Australian version of TV game show Gladiators
Gladiators (Australian TV series)
Gladiators is an Australian television series which aired on Saturday nights on the Seven Network from 1995 until 1996 almost consecutively for eighteen months. It was based on the American version of the same name...
and continues to host a variety of travel programs. He is also the director of a computer graphics company and spokesperson for the Road Transport Forum's "Today's Truckies Giving 100%" campaign.
Mike is currently hosting Sydney Weekender
Sydney Weekender
Sydney Weekender is a travel show featuring destinations throughout New South Wales, Australia, and airs on Channel Seven in that state. The show is hosted by Mike Whitney, a former Australian Test Cricketer. This program visits various locations in Sydney and New South Wales, and looks at...
, a show airing only in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He is also host of the new show Last Chance Learners
Last Chance Learners
Last Chance Learners is an Australian television program which was created by the Seven Network. The show gives ten learner drivers the chance to be trained by an experienced driving instructor and the opportunity to take their drivers licence test and win a brand new Hyundai Getz.Last Chance...
. He officially endorses Hamish and Andy's greyhound, Fred Basset
Fred Basset (greyhound)
Fred Basset is a greyhound dog which was owned and raced by Australian comedy duo Hamish & Andy. The dog's name is taken from the comic strip character Fred Basset, whose strip featured regularly on the Hamish & Andy radio show...
.
Mike is also part of the Indian Cricket League
Indian Cricket League
The Indian Cricket League was a private cricket league funded by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that operated between 2007 and 2009 in India...
commentary team.
On 8 of March 2009 Mike Whitney was inducted as a life member by the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
for his contribution in being a Director on the Football Club Board in the critical period during the Club’s battle for reinstatement to the competition between 1999 and 2001. He also played a decisive role in attracting fellow Life Member Kerry Stokes
Kerry Stokes
Kerry Matthew Stokes AC is an Australian businessman. He holds business interests in a diverse range of industries including electronic and print media, property, mining, and construction equipment. He is most widely known as the chairman of the Seven Network, one of the largest broadcasting...
to the Club as a major sponsor upon its readmission to the competition in 2002, a coup that ensured the Club’s ability to make its triumphant return to the NRL competition.
Toohey's advertisement
Whitney was the star of a one minute television advertisement for Tooheys Draught BeerTooheys
Tooheys is a brewery in the suburb of Lidcombe, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It produces beers under the Tooheys and Hahn trademarks, and is part of the New Zealand Lion Nathan beverages group.-History:...
during the mid 1980s. In this advertisement, a fictional touring match between New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
and The West Indies comes down to the final ball. With three runs needed to win, and with Joel Garner
Joel Garner
Joel Garner , also known as "Big Joel" or "Big Bird", is a former West Indian cricketer, and a member of the highly regarded late 1970s and early '80s West Indies cricket teams....
bowling, Whitney, a tail ender, manages to hit a cover drive
Batting (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball with a cricket bat to score runs or prevent the loss of one's wicket. A player who is currently batting is denoted as a batsman, while the act of hitting the ball is called a shot or stroke...
towards the boundary. As he comes back for the third run, the fielder, Viv Richards
Viv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald...
, throws the ball back to the bowler's stumps where it breaks the wicket. Whitney, however, has just made it past the crease and the umpire says not out. New South Wales have won the match by the tightest margin (one wicket), and the crowd cheers as Whitney, hugged by fellow batsman Steve Rixon
Steve Rixon
Stephen John Rixon is the newly appointed Australian cricket fielding coach.He played in 13 Tests and 6 One Day Internationals between 1977 and 1985. He came into the Australian side as wicket-keeper in 1977–78 after Rodney Marsh joined World Series Cricket, losing his place on Marsh's return...
, makes his way back, holding and drinking a Toohey's.