Neil Harvey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Neil Harvey

Harvey in 1950
Personal information
Full name	Robert Neil Harvey
Born	(1928-10-08) 8 October 1928 (age 96) Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Nickname	Ninna
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off-spin
Role	Top-order batsman
Relations	Mick Harvey (brother) Ray Harvey (brother) Merv Harvey (brother)
International information
National side	Australia (1948–1963)
Test debut (cap 178)	23 January 1948 v India
Last Test	15 February 1963 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1946/47–1956/57	Victoria
1958/59–1962/63	New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 79 306 Runs scored 6,149 21,699 Batting average 48.41 50.93 100s/50s 21/24 67/94 Top score 205 231* Balls bowled 414 2,574 Wickets 3 30 Bowling average 40.00 36.86 5 wickets in innings 0 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 1/8 4/8 Catches/stumpings 64/0 229/0
Source: CricketArchive, 29 February 2008

Robert Neil Harvey (born 8 October 1928) is an Australian former cricket player. He was a key member of the Australian cricket team from 1948 to 1963. Neil played in 79 Test matches, which are the highest level of international cricket. He was also the team's vice-captain from 1957 until he retired.

Harvey was a left-handed batsman who liked to attack the ball. He was also a very good fielder and sometimes bowled off-spin. Many people thought he was the best fielder of his time. When he retired, Neil Harvey was Australia's second-highest Test run-scorer and had made the second-most centuries (scores of 100 runs or more).

He was one of six brothers who played cricket. Four of them played for the state team, Victoria. Neil made his Test debut in January 1948 when he was just 19 years old. In his second match, he became the youngest Australian to score a Test century, a record he still holds today!

Neil was the youngest player in the famous 1948 Australian team, known as The Invincibles. This team, led by Don Bradman, is one of the best in cricket history. Harvey started his career very strongly, scoring six centuries in his first 13 Test matches. This included a match-winning 151 runs not out against South Africa. As many players from Bradman's team retired, Harvey became Australia's main batsman.

Neil Harvey's Early Life

The laneway next to the family home in Fitzroy where the Harvey brothers learned to play cricket. In this photo, Harvey is recreating the event in 1950.

Neil Harvey was the fifth of six boys born to Horace Harvey. The family lived in Broken Hill and Sydney before settling in Melbourne in 1926. There, all six boys learned to play cricket from their father. They played with a tennis ball on cobblestones or a marble in the backyard. This helped them become great batsmen.

Cricket was a big part of their daily life. Neil's older brother, Merv, played one Test match for Australia. Two other brothers, Mick and Ray, played for Victoria. All six brothers played for their local club, Fitzroy. Five of them also played baseball for Victoria.

Neil played his first cricket game at age nine as a wicket-keeper. He was playing for his school team, where most players were 14. When he was 12, he joined the Fitzroy club. By age 14, he was playing for the first-grade team. Later, he stopped being a wicket-keeper to focus on his batting. Coaches saw his great potential as a batsman.

First-class cricket stopped during World War II and started again in 1945–46. Neil was chosen for a trial match but didn't score any runs. However, in 1946–47, he scored 113 runs for Fitzroy. This led to him being picked for the Victorian team at 18. In his first match, he scored 18 runs. In his next game, he made his first century, scoring 154. He said his brother Merv, who was picked for the Test team that year, inspired him.

Neil then played in the Sheffield Shield for Victoria against New South Wales. He didn't score in the first innings but made 49 in the second. Victoria won the title easily that season.

His next match was against Wally Hammond's English team. Neil scored 69 runs, showing his skill against tough bowlers. English players were sure he would become a Test player.

Neil Harvey's Test Debut

Harvey in 1948

In 1947–48, Neil played with his brothers Merv and Ray in two Shield matches. Neil soon started getting more attention than Merv. He scored 87 against the touring Indian cricket team. He was then picked for an Australian XI team to play India before the Tests. He scored 32 and 56 not out in that game.

Three months after his 19th birthday, Neil played his first international match. This was in the last two Tests against India. He batted at number 6 and scored 13 runs in his first game in Adelaide. Australia won easily. The selectors kept him for the Fifth Test in Melbourne, his home ground.

On 7 February 1948, he reached his century, scoring 153 runs. This made him the youngest Australian to score a Test century, breaking Archie Jackson's record. His great batting helped Australia win by an innings and take the series 4–0. This was only his 13th first-class match.

His performance earned him a spot on the 1948 tour to England. Don Bradman said Neil had "the brilliance and daring of youth." Before heading to England, Neil scored 104 against Tasmania and 79 against Western Australia.

At first, Neil struggled in England. He didn't score more than 25 runs in his first six innings. He was even made the 12th man for some matches. This meant he was a reserve player.

Neil asked Bradman for advice. Bradman told him he was hitting the ball in the air too much. Neil changed his style and improved. He scored 100 not out against Sussex just before the First Test.

During the Third Test, an Australian opener got injured. This opened a spot for Neil in the Fourth Test at Headingley. He had been scoring well in other matches, including 73 not out against Surrey.

In the Fourth Test, England scored 496 runs. Australia was struggling at 3 wickets down for 68 runs. Neil joined Keith Miller. Miller helped Neil gain confidence. They scored 121 runs together very quickly. Neil then scored 112 runs, hitting 14 fours. He became the first Australian left-hander to score a century in his Ashes debut. Australia scored 458 runs. In the second innings, Neil took two amazing catches. Australia then chased down a world record target of 404 runs to win the match.

Neil played one more innings in the series, scoring 17. Australia won the series. Neil scored four centuries on the tour, totaling 1129 runs. He was known as an amazing fielder, saving many runs.

Becoming a Top Player

Harvey batting in 1950

Harvey heading for the 1951–1952 Test series vs. West Indies

After Don Bradman retired, Neil Harvey had to take on more responsibility in the Australian team. He was the youngest player but rose to the challenge. On the 1949–50 tour of South Africa, he set several Australian records. He scored 660 runs in Tests, which was the most by any visiting batsman in South Africa. He also made 1,526 runs in first-class matches with eight centuries.

Neil started the tour well, scoring 100 and 145 not out in warm-up matches. In the Second Test in Cape Town, he scored 178 runs. This helped Australia win easily. Then, in Durban, he scored an unbeaten 151 runs on a difficult pitch. Australia was struggling, but Neil guided his team to an amazing five-wicket victory. This was considered one of his best innings.

He continued his great form, scoring 100 not out in Johannesburg and 116 in Port Elizabeth. He made four centuries in a row in that series! Australia won the series 4–0. Neil's fast scoring made him a fan favorite.

In the 1950–51 Ashes series at home, Neil scored 362 runs with three half-centuries. Australia won the series 4–1. He scored 74 in the first Test, which was important because rain made the pitch tricky. He played steadily throughout the series.

The 1951–52 season was less successful for Neil. The West Indies toured Australia. Neil scored 261 runs in five Tests. He struggled against the spin bowlers, who got him out six times. His only half-century was 83 runs in the Fourth Test, which Australia won by one wicket.

Peak Performance Years

Harvey batting in 1952

Harvey at Lord's in 1953

In the 1952–53 season, Neil Harvey was at his best. South Africa toured Australia, and Neil had scored many centuries against them before. On a slow pitch in Brisbane, Neil scored 109 and 52 runs to help Australia win the First Test.

He then scored 190 runs in the Third Test in Sydney. This helped Australia win by an innings. Neil alone scored more runs than the entire South African team in their first innings! He made another century, 116, in Adelaide. This was one of the fastest centuries in Australia since World War II.

In the Fifth Test in Melbourne, Neil scored his highest Test score of 205 runs. Australia scored 520 runs and won the series. Neil scored 834 runs in that series, which was a record against South Africa. In total, he scored 1494 runs against South Africa in 10 Tests, with eight centuries.

For the whole season, Neil scored 1,659 runs, which was the second-highest total in Australian history. Only Don Bradman had scored more.

In 1953, Neil toured England again. He became only the third Australian in 25 years to score over 2,000 runs on an Ashes tour. He scored 2,040 runs with ten centuries.

Neil started the tour with 202 not out against Leicestershire. He scored many centuries in the matches leading up to the Tests. However, he struggled in the first two Tests against England.

He returned to form with 141 against Gloucestershire and 118 against Northamptonshire. In the Third Test in Manchester, he scored 122 runs.

In the Fourth Test at Headingley, Neil scored 71 runs, the highest score in the match. Australia was close to winning, but England used slow tactics to draw the game. Neil called these tactics "absolutely disgusting."

In the final Test, Neil scored 36 and 1 run. England won the Ashes 1–0. Neil scored 346 runs in the series. He was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year for his great performances that summer.

In the 1954–55 season, England toured Australia. Neil scored 162 runs in the First Test in Brisbane, helping Australia win by an innings. In the Second Test in Sydney, on a difficult pitch, Neil scored an amazing 92 runs not out. No other batsman scored more than 15 runs in that innings. This was considered one of his greatest innings, but Australia still lost by 38 runs.

After that, Neil's form dipped in the series, but he still scored 354 runs. He was the most productive batsman in Australia that season, with 1100 runs.

In early 1955, Australia toured the West Indies for the first time. Neil started with two centuries, scoring 133 in the First and Second Tests. He then scored his second double century, 204 runs, in the Fifth Test. He scored 650 runs in the series. Neil had overcome his previous struggles against the West Indies spin bowlers.

The 1955–56 season was a domestic one. Neil had a successful season, scoring 772 runs. He scored 128 and 76 against New South Wales, a team with many Test players.

Challenges in 1956

The 1956 Ashes tour to England was tough for Neil Harvey and the Australian team. English spin bowlers Jim Laker and Tony Lock dominated the matches on pitches made to help them.

Neil struggled at the start of the tour, scoring only 36 runs in five innings. He then scored 225 runs in a match against the MCC, a strong team. But he couldn't keep this form in the Tests.

In the First Test, he scored 64. In the Second Test, he scored a duck and 10. Then came the matches where Laker and Lock took many wickets. Neil scored 11 and 69 in the Third Test, but Australia lost by an innings. In the Fourth Test, Neil scored zero runs in both innings, and Laker took a world record 19 wickets. Australia lost the Ashes 2–1.

After this, Australia toured Pakistan and India. Neil struggled in Pakistan but scored 140 runs in the Second Test in India. He also scored 69 runs in the low-scoring Third Test, helping Australia win the series 2–0. Neil's strong footwork helped him score runs on these pitches.

Senior Player and Vice-Captain

After the 1956 tour, Australian leaders Ian Johnson and Keith Miller retired. Neil Harvey was the most experienced player and seemed like the natural choice for captain. However, the selectors chose Ian Craig, who was only 22 and had played just six Tests. Neil was named vice-captain to Craig.

Neil was upset about not being chosen as captain. He felt it was because of his honest way of speaking. In a match between his Victorian team and Craig's New South Wales team, Neil scored 209 runs. He said this century gave him "as much pleasure as any innings I had ever played." He finished that season as the top scorer in the Shield, with 836 runs.

On the 1957–58 tour of South Africa, Neil broke a finger and missed the First Test. This ended his streak of 48 straight Test matches. He returned for the other Tests but had a disappointing series, scoring only 131 runs.

Before the Fifth Test, Craig wanted to drop himself from the team because he wasn't playing well. This would have made Neil captain. But Neil told the selectors to keep Craig in the team. He put the team first. Australia won the series 3–0.

Move to New South Wales

After returning from South Africa, Neil Harvey talked about his low earnings as a cricketer in a TV interview. He said he was almost broke. He then got a job offer in Sydney, so he moved to New South Wales. This meant he left the Victorian team.

Because he was new to NSW, he was behind Richie Benaud in the state's leadership. But then, Ian Craig got sick and couldn't play. This opened up the Australian captaincy again. Neil started the season well, scoring 160 against Queensland and 149 against the touring English team.

However, Richie Benaud was chosen as the Australian captain instead of Neil. As Benaud's vice-captain, Neil helped Australia win the Ashes 4–0. Neil's own form was okay. He scored 167 runs in the Second Test in Melbourne, which was more than half of his team's total. This helped Australia win by eight wickets.

In the 1959–60 season, Australia toured Pakistan and India. In Dhaka, Neil scored 96 runs on a difficult pitch. He was also sick with a fever and dysentery during the innings. Richie Benaud called it "one of the best innings at Test level." Neil's innings helped Australia win.

In the Second Test in Lahore, Pakistan's fielders wasted time to stop Australia from winning. Neil deliberately got himself out so that Richie Benaud could come in and bat with the other right-handed batsman, preventing time-wasting. Australia won the match with minutes to spare.

In India, Neil scored 114 runs in the First Test in Delhi, helping Australia win. He also scored 102 in a drawn Test in Mumbai. He ended the series with 356 runs, helping Australia win 2–1.

End of International Career

In his last years of Test cricket, Neil Harvey's scores were not as high.

In 1960–61, he started the season strongly, scoring 135, 229, and 109 in state matches. However, his form dropped during the exciting home series against the West Indies. He scored 85 in one Test but missed another due to injury.

In 1961, Neil toured England for the last time. Because Richie Benaud was often injured, Neil captained Australia in many tour matches. He scored 114 in the drawn First Test.

Benaud's injury meant Neil finally captained Australia in a Test match, the Second Test at Lord's. This match was known as "The Battle of the Ridge" because of a tricky pitch. Neil's captaincy helped Australia win by five wickets. He said this win was "probably my proudest moment."

Benaud returned for the Third Test. Neil scored 73 and 53 runs in that match. He didn't score more than 35 in the last two Tests. Australia won the series 2–1. Neil finished his last tour for Australia with 1452 runs and five centuries.

The 1961–62 season was only domestic. Neil played for New South Wales, but his scores were lower, with only 425 runs.

Neil started his final season in 1962–63 strongly. He scored 83, 128 not out, and 63 in warm-up matches against England.

He was selected for his last international series against England. He scored half-centuries in the first and third Tests. In the Fourth Test in Adelaide, he scored his 21st and final century, 154 runs. This was at the same ground where his international career began 15 years earlier.

His farewell match was in Sydney. The game was a draw, and Neil scored 22 and 28 runs. In the two English innings, he took six catches, equaling a world record. This showed his skill as a great fielder. Neil retired as Australia's most capped player. Only Don Bradman had scored more runs and centuries for Australia.

In his last first-class match, Neil scored an unbeaten 231 runs. He finished his final season with 1110 runs.

Neil Harvey's Style of Play

Neil Harvey was known as a very artistic and stylish batsman. He was not tall, but he batted aggressively and had great timing. He was especially good at batting against spin bowling. He would often run five steps down the pitch to hit the spinners. Even though he ran out of his crease so much, he was never stumped in a Test match.

After Donald Bradman retired, Neil was seen as Australia's main batsman. He could change the game with his attacking play. He was the first Australian to score Test centuries in 15 different cities around the world. He made 67 first-class centuries in 35 different places in six countries.

Some people thought his batting was risky because he played many attacking shots. But Neil was happy to keep his flamboyant style. As he got older, he played a bit more carefully for his team.

Neil started as a wicket-keeper in school. But he became a highly respected fielder, especially in the cover area. Later in his career, he became a great catcher in the slips. He rarely bowled, taking only three wickets in his Test career.

Outside of cricket, Neil was a quiet person. He didn't smoke or drink, which was different from many cricketers of his time. He was known for respecting umpire decisions and never appealing for leg before wicket when fielding.

In winter, Neil played baseball for the Fitzroy Baseball Club. He was even named to the Australian baseball team twice. His baseball training helped him become an amazing fielder in cricket. He had a very fast and accurate throw. He also caught the ball above his head, which helped him rarely drop catches.

Later Years

Neil Harvey was an Australian selector from 1967 to 1979. He was the chairman of selectors from 1971 onwards. This was a difficult time in Australian cricket.

Neil later started a successful business that sold kitchen and cosmetic products.

In his later life, Neil became known for his strong opinions about modern cricket. He believed that cricket in his time was better. When Steve Waugh's team set a world record for consecutive Test victories, Neil said his own teams were better. He thought modern teams were not as strong as they used to be.

In 2000, Neil Harvey was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. He was also chosen for the Australian Cricket Board's Team of the Century. In 2009, he was one of the first 55 players inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.

Neil often criticized modern players. He believed they were "spoilt" because they always played on easy pitches. He said players from his era had to deal with much tougher conditions. He also spoke out against players accepting money from bookmakers and against sledging (when players try to distract opponents with words).

After Arthur Morris passed away in 2015, Neil Harvey became the last living member of The Invincibles team from 1948.

In 2018, Neil received the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to cricket.

Personal Life

Harvey's mother and fiancée, Iris Greenish, in 1953

During the 1949–50 tour of South Africa, Neil Harvey met his first wife, Iris Greenish. They married four years later and had three children: two sons and a daughter. Neil's second wife, Barbara, passed away in 2014.

Test Match Performance

Test Centuries

This table shows the centuries Neil Harvey scored in Test matches.

• In the column Runs, * means he was not out.
• The column Match refers to the Match Number of his career.

Neil Harvey's Test Centuries
#	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year	Result
[1]	153	2	India	Melbourne	Melbourne Cricket Ground	1948	Won
[2]	112	3	England	Leeds, England	Headingley	1948	Won
[3]	178	6	South Africa	Cape Town, South Africa	Newlands	1949	Won
[4]	151*	7	South Africa	Durban, South Africa	Kingsmead	1950	Won
[5]	100	8	South Africa	Johannesburg, South Africa	Ellis Park	1950	Drawn
[6]	116	9	South Africa	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	St George's Park	1950	Won
[7]	109	20	South Africa	Brisbane, Australia	Brisbane Cricket Ground	1952	Won
[8]	190	22	South Africa	Sydney	Sydney Cricket Ground	1953	Won
[9]	116	23	South Africa	Adelaide, Australia	Adelaide Oval	1953	Drawn
[10]	205	24	South Africa	Melbourne	Melbourne Cricket Ground	1953	Lost
[11]	122	27	England	Manchester, England	Old Trafford Cricket Ground	1953	Drawn
[12]	162	30	England	Brisbane, Australia	Brisbane Cricket Ground	1954	Won
[13]	133	35	West Indies	Kingston, Jamaica	Sabina Park	1955	Won
[14]	133	36	West Indies	Port of Spain, Trinidad	Queen's Park Oval	1955	Drawn
[15]	204	39	West Indies	Kingston, Jamaica	Sabina Park	1955	Won
[16]	140	47	India	Mumbai, India	Brabourne Stadium	1956	Drawn
[17]	167	54	England	Melbourne	Melbourne Cricket Ground	1958	Won
[18]	114	61	India	Delhi, India	Feroz Shah Kotla	1959	Won
[19]	102	63	India	Mumbai, India	Brabourne Stadium	1960	Drawn
[20]	114	70	England	Birmingham, England	Edgbaston	1961	Drawn
[21]	154	78	England	Adelaide, Australia	Adelaide Oval	1963	Drawn

Images for kids

• 

  Neil Harvey's Test career batting performance. The red bars indicate the runs that he scored in an innings, with the blue line indicating the batting average in his last ten innings. The blue dots indicate an innings where he remained not out.

• 

  Harvey's mother and fiancée, Iris Greenish, in 1953