John Murray (cricketer)

John Thomas Murray MBE (born 1 April 1935, North Kensington, London, England) is a former English cricketer. He played in 21 Tests for England between 1961 and 1967.

Life and career

Murray was educated at the St John's Church of England School in Notting Hill, London. He played football as a wing half in his youth and was part of the Brentford youth team which reached the semi-finals of the inaugural FA Youth Cup in the 1952–53 season.

Murray made his debut as a wicket-keeper for Middlesex in 1952, aged 17 years and 54 days. Most elegant behind the stumps, he is acknowledged as one of the most distinguished wicket-keepers in the history of the game. His batting prowess was such that he scored 1,000 runs in a season six times with Middlesex, and he knocked up a century in 1966, when he batted at number nine against the West Indies. He played for Middlesex in 508 first-class matches between 1952 and 1975, and for England in twenty one Tests. His tally of 1,527 first-class dismissals set a world record until it was broken by Bob Taylor in 1983. Murray was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1967.

He later served as an England selector and on the Middlesex General Committee.

His brother-in-law is the English footballer, Alan Mullery.