FORMER Australian captain Mark Taylor and middle-order batsman Doug Walters will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the 2011 Allan Border Medal tonight. The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame was first proposed by the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) in 1995.
With the support of Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria, the Hall of Fame was officially opened by the then Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable John Howard MP in 1996.
Ten players were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996, and a further 24 have been welcomed since.
The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame comprises the following players:
Inducted 1996 – Fred Spofforth, John Blackham, Victor Trumper, Clarrie Grimmett, Bill Ponsford, Sir Donald Bradman, Bill O’Reilly, Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall and Dennis Lillee
Inducted 2000 – Warwick Armstrong, Neil Harvey and Allan Border
Inducted 2001 – Bill Woodfull and Arthur Morris
Inducted 2002 – Stan McCabe and Greg Chappell
Inducted 2003 – Lindsay Hassett and Ian Chappell
Inducted 2004 – Hugh Trumble and Alan Davidson
Inducted 2005 – Clement Hill and Rod Marsh
Inducted 2006 – Monty Noble and Bob Simpson
Inducted 2007 – Charles Macartney and Richie Benaud
Inducted 2008 – George Giffen and Ian Healy
Inducted 2009 – Stephen Waugh
Inducted 2010 – William Lawry and Graham McKenzie
Inducted 2011- Mark Taylor and Doug Walters
Selection philosophy for the Hall of Fame focuses on the players’ status as sporting legends in addition to their outstanding statistical records.
All inductees must have been retired from international cricket for a minimum of five years to be eligible for selection.
The selection panel comprises former South Australian batsman and MCC Vice-President Bob Lloyd (chairman), former Test captains Bill Lawry and Richie Benaud, Australian Cricketers’ Association Chief Executive Paul Marsh, Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland, MCC assistant to CEO Peter French (secretary), and media representatives Tim Lane, Gideon Haigh and Mike Coward.
Selection Panel Chairman Bob Lloyd said: “This year’s inductees are two Australian cricketing icons who both originated from country New South Wales and who in their own distinctive way, have had an enormous impact on Australian cricket.
“Both have outstanding playing records; Mark with over 7500 runs as an opening batsman, brilliant slips fieldsman and one of Australia’s greatest captains and Doug as an exciting and entertaining batsman who averaged 48.26 over his 74 Tests.
“Averages in excess of 50 are quite common now but up until the time Doug retired there were only two batsmen in Australian cricket who averaged more than 50.
“Off the field, Mark continues his involvement in cricket at the highest level as a CA Board Member and as a Channel Nine commentator.
“Doug chose a different path post cricket and he has been one of Australia’s most popular entertainers on the speaking circuit over many years.
“There are many thousands of sports loving Australians who’ve enjoyed listening and laughing with Doug at one of the hundreds of functions he has attended in all parts of Australia.”