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Mick Malone, a professional Australian Rules footballer, was one of
that succession of medium and medium-fast outswingers who toiled into
the offshore wind at Perth which is known as the Freemantle Doctor. He
had slightly more pace than some who took that role and, after taking
3-69 for Western Australia against the West Indians in 1975-76 and four
wickets against the Pakistanis a year later, he was chosen as one of
Greg Chappell's Ashes team in England in 1977.
Malone played in only the
final drawn Test at the Oval, bowling 47 overs for figures of 5-63. He
bowled all through the first day but for a two over rest before lunch,
but still had enough stamina to score 46 and add 100 for the ninth
wicket with Max Walker. He played in two of the three ODIs, in the first
at Old Trafford taking the wickets of Mike Brearley and Derek Randall
for 37 runs. He was signed up for World Series Cricket, but with their
galaxy of star names spent most of his time playing in the less
glamorous up-country matches in places like Hamilton in Victoria. In his
one SuperTest, against the West Indies at VFL Park in Melbourne, he
took 1-68 and 2-41.
He toured Pakistan with Australia in 1979-80, not
playing in a Test and taking only one wicket, that of Mohsin Khan. For
Western Australia against West Indies in 1979-80 he had figures of 4-48
and 2-49. He spent 1979 and 1980 playing county cricket in England for
Lancashire. (Bob Harragan)
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