View source for Craig McDermott

{{short description|Australian cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2011}}

{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Craig McDermott
| image = Craig McDermott 1986.jpg
| caption = McDermott in 1986
| country = Australia
| fullname = Craig John McDermott
| nickname = Billy
| birth_place = [[Ipswich, Queensland]], Australia
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|04|14|df=y}}
| heightcm = 191
| family = [[Alister McDermott]] (son)<br />[[Ben McDermott]] (son)
| batting            = Right-handed
| bowling            = Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast]]
| role               = Bowler
| international      = true
| testdebutdate      = 22 December
| testdebutyear      = 1984
| testdebutagainst   = West Indies
| lasttestdate       = 25 January
| lasttestyear       = 1996
| lasttestagainst    = Sri Lanka
| testcap            = 328
| odidebutdate       = 6 January
| odidebutyear       = 1985
| odidebutagainst    = West Indies
| lastodidate        = 23 February
| lastodiyear        = 1996
| lastodiagainst     = Kenya
| odicap             = 82
| odishirt           = 15
|              club1 = [[Queensland Bulls|Queensland]]
|              year1 = {{nowrap|1983/84–1995/96}}
| columns            = 2
| column1            = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1           = 71
| runs1              = 940
| bat avg1           = 12.20
| 100s/50s1          = 0/0
| top score1         = 42[[not out|*]]
| deliveries1        = 16,586
| wickets1           = 291
| bowl avg1          = 28.63
| fivefor1           = 14
| tenfor1            = 2
| best bowling1      = 8/97
| catches/stumpings1 = 19/0
| column2            = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| matches2           = 138
| runs2              = 432
| bat avg2           = 7.08
| 100s/50s2          = 0/0
| top score2         = 37
| deliveries2        = 7,461
| wickets2           = 203
| bowl avg2          = 24.71
| fivefor2           = 1
| tenfor2            = 0
| best bowling2      = 5/44
| catches/stumpings2 = 27/0
|medaltemplates=<!--MENTION HOST NATIONS FOR TEAM SPORTS-->
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Cricket]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}} 
{{MedalCompetition|[[ICC Cricket World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1987 Cricket World Cup|1987 India and Pakistan]]|}}
{{Medal|RU|[[1996 Cricket World Cup|1996 India-Pakistan-Sri Lanka]]|}}
| date               = 19 July
| year               = 2005
| source             = http://content.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/6551.html Cricinfo
}}
'''Craig John McDermott''' (born 14 April 1965) is a former Australian [[cricket]]er. Between 1984 and 1996 he played 71 Tests for [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]], taking 291 wickets. Following the end of his playing career, he was the bowling coach for the Australian team for two spells between 2011 and 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/980437.html|title=McDermott leaves pace renaissance behind|date=2016-03-10|website=Cricinfo|language=en|access-date=2019-03-14}}</ref> McDermott was a part of the Australian team that won their first world title during the [[1987 Cricket World Cup]].

==International career==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=January 2016}}
McDermott was the spearhead of the Australian attack in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was powerfully built at 191&nbsp;cm tall. He started his career with [[Queensland Bulls|Queensland]] in 1983–84 and made his [[Test cricket|Test match]] debut in 1984–85 whilst still 19 against [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] (his youth engendering his nickname "Billy" – from [[Billy the Kid]]). In his first Ashes tour of 1985, he took 30 wickets. But he was over-bowled and was burnt out. He had an excellent [[Cricket World Cup|World Cup]] in 1987, helping Australia win the trophy. He took 18 wickets in the tournament, including 5/44 in the semi-final win over Pakistan.

McDermott was a rhythm bowler, and when this was right, he would have an aggressive approach to the wicket and an excellent sideways-on action, giving him sharp pace and outswing. He always saved his best for [[England cricket team|England]], taking 32 wickets in the last full series that he was able to play before injuries took over. Injuries seemed to hit him at wrong times, and he missed the history-making West Indies tour of 1995, and most of the [[1996 Cricket World Cup|1996 World Cup]]. He also missed most of the 1993 Ashes tour when [[Shane Warne]] and [[Merv Hughes]] shared the spoils in his absence. His best bowling analysis in Tests is 8/97 against England in 1991. He ended with 291 wickets from 70 Tests and 203 one-day wickets with the best analysis being the 5/44.

In batting, even though McDermott's average was that of a tail-ender, he could still hit the ball with power and could stand his ground against fast bowling. In two of the closest Tests that Australia lost, McDermott played a key role with the bat. In January 1993, Australia lost by 1 run to West Indies when McDermott, on 18 and batting with stout resistance, was given out controversially when attempting to play a bouncer from [[Courtney Walsh]].<ref>{{cite web |title=4th Test, Adelaide, January 23-26, 1993, West Indies tour of Australia |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-tour-of-australia-1992-93-61905/australia-vs-west-indies-4th-test-63593/full-scorecard |website=Cricinfo |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref> In January 1994, he was on 29 not out in the Test against [[South Africa cricket team|South Africa]] that Australia lost by 5 runs in chasing 117.<ref>{{cite web |title=2nd Test, Sydney, January 02-06, 1994, South Africa tour of Australia|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/south-africa-tour-of-australia-1993-94-61824/australia-vs-south-africa-2nd-test-63629/full-scorecard|website=Cricinfo |access-date=10 February 2024}}</ref>

As a fieldsman, McDermott was renowned for his powerful and accurate returns to the wicket-keeper from the outfield. The New Zealand player and administrator [[Walter Hadlee]] regarded McDermott as the best thrower-in he had ever seen.<ref>[[Walter Hadlee]], ''The Innings of a Lifetime'', David Bateman, Auckland, 1993, p. 240.</ref>

===Five-wicket hauls===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="float: right; margin-left:1em; width: 30%; font-size: 90%;"
|+ McDermott's five-wicket hauls in Tests<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/6551.html?class=1;template=results;type=bowling|title=Bowling records &#124; Test matches &#124; Cricinfo Statsguru &#124; ESPNcricinfo.com|website=Cricinfo}}</ref>
|- align=center
! Against
! Home
! Away
|- align=center
! {{cr|ENG}}
| 6
| 2
|- align=center
! {{cr|IND}}
| 3
| -
|- align=center
! {{cr|NZ}}
| 1
| -
|- align=center
! {{cr|PAK}}
| 1
| -
|- align=center
! {{cr|WIN}}
| -
| 1
|}
{{anchor|List of international cricket five-wicket hauls by Craig McDermott}}
In [[cricket]], a [[five-wicket haul]] (also known as a "five–for" or "fifer")<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Swinging-it-for-the-Auld.4398695.jp | work = [[The Scotsman]] | access-date =23 October 2013|date=17 August 2008|title = Swinging it for the Auld Enemy – An interview with Ryan Sidebottom| quote=... I'd rather take fifers (five wickets) for England ...}}</ref> refers to a [[Bowling (cricket)|bowler]] taking five or more [[wicket]]s in a single [[Innings#Cricket|innings]]. This is regarded as a notable achievement,<ref>{{cite book|last=Pervez|first=M. A.|title=A Dictionary of Cricket|publisher=[[Orient Blackswan]] |year=2001|page=31|isbn=978-81-7370-184-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VwYsHe-F-IUC&pg=PA31 |access-date=23 October 2013}}</ref> and as of August 2015 only 43 bowlers have taken 15 or more five-wicket hauls at the international level.<ref name="Overall">{{cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=11;filter=advanced;orderby=five_wickets;template=results;type=bowling;wicketsmin1=5;wicketsval1=wickets |title=Combined Test, ODI and T20I records: Most five-wicket hauls in a career |publisher=[[ESPNcricinfo]] |access-date=12 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007181014/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=11%3Bfilter%3Dadvanced%3Borderby%3Dfive_wickets%3Btemplate%3Dresults%3Btype%3Dbowling%3Bwicketsmin1%3D5%3Bwicketsval1%3Dwickets |archive-date=7 October 2012 }}</ref>  Craig John McDermott is a former Australian cricketer who, according to the sports journalist [[Greg Baum]], was "Australia's premier strike bowler in the early 1990s".<ref name=profile/>  A right-arm [[Fast bowling|fast bowler]], he played 71 Test matches and 138 ODIs in his career, taking 291 and 203 wickets respectively.<ref name=profile>{{Cite web | url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/6551.html | title = Craig McDermott | publisher =ESPNcricinfo | access-date = 23 August 2015}}</ref>  He took fourteen five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, including two in a single [[Glossary of cricket terms#ten-wicket match|ten-wicket match]], and one in the ODI format.<ref name=tests>{{Cite web | url = http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/6551.html?class=11;filter=advanced;template=results;type=bowling;view=innings;wicketsmin1=5;wicketsval1=wickets | title = Statistics / Statsguru / CJ McDermott / Combined Test, ODI and T20I records | access-date = 23 August 2015 | publisher = ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

McDermott made his Test match debut for Australia against the [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] in December 1984, with [[Richie Richardson]] being his first Test victim.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63386.html | title= West Indies tour of Australia, 4th Test: Australia v West Indies at Melbourne, Dec 22–27, 1984 | publisher = ESPNcricinfo | access-date = 23 August 2015}}</ref>  His first Test five-wicket haul came at [[Lord's]] in the second Test of the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1985|1985 Ashes series]] in June of that year, taking 6 wickets for 70 runs in a 4-wicket victory for Australia.<ref name=firsttest>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63404.html |title=2nd Test: Australia v England at Lord's, 27 June-2 July 1985 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=12 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121215402/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63404.html |archive-date=21 November 2015 }}</ref> McDermott's best [[bowling analysis]] in Test cricket is 8 for 97 against England in the fifth Test of the [[1990–91 Ashes series]].<ref name=profile/>  He was most successful against England, taking eight of his fourteen five-wicket hauls against them, including four during the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1994–95|1994–95 Ashes]] in which he was named player of the series.<ref name=tests/>

McDermott's ODI debut came against the West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in January 1985.<ref name=profile/>  He did not bat and although he took the wicket of [[Viv Richards]], Australia lost the game by seven wickets.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65373.html | title = Benson & Hedges World Series Cup, 1st Match: Australia v West Indies at Melbourne, Jan 6, 1985 | access-date = 23 August 2015 | publisher = ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> McDermott played 138 ODIs, and took a solitary five-wicket haul against Pakistan in November 1987, in the [[1987 Cricket World Cup|Cricket World Cup]] semi-final.<ref name=odi>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65115.html|title=1st SF: Pakistan v Australia at Lahore, 4 November 1987|publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=11 December 2014}}</ref> His figures of 5 for 44, and an Australian victory by 18 runs, saw him awarded man of the match as Australia progressed to the final.<ref name=odi/>

==Coaching career==
On 12 May 2011, it was announced that McDermott had been appointed the new bowling coach for the [[Australian cricket team]] replacing [[Troy Cooley]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Brettig|first=Daniel|title=McDermott named Australia's bowling coach|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/514704.html|publisher=cricinfo.com|access-date=12 May 2011}}</ref> On 11 May 2012, McDermott announced his resignation as Australia's bowling coach, citing the heavy touring schedule as the reason.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/craig-mcdermott-quits-as-national-bowling-coach/story-e6frg7mf-1226353046840 | title=Craig McDermott quits as national bowling coach | date=11 May 2012 | work=The Australian}}</ref> Craig McDermott has been appointed as the new bowling coach and consultant for [[Ireland]] cricket team.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/19479093|title= Australian Craig McDermott is new Ireland bowling coach|work= BBC Sport|access-date=4 September 2012}}</ref> In November 2012, he announced that he would be opening a fast-bowling clinic.<ref name="Wisden India">{{cite news| url= http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-news/mcdermott-chart-pace/33978| title= McDermott to chart his own pace course| publisher= Wisden India| date= 7 November 2012| access-date= 7 November 2012| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131228220019/http://www.wisdenindia.com/cricket-news/mcdermott-chart-pace/33978| archive-date= 28 December 2013| url-status= dead}}</ref>

McDermott returned to a coaching role with the Australian cricket team on a two-year contract in May 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/craig-mcdermott-keen-to-continue-as-australian-bowling-coach-20151024-gkhibh.html|title=Craig McDermott keen to continue as Australian bowling coach|date=24 October 2015|work=Sydney Morning Herald|first=Jon|last=Pierik|access-date=1 January 2016}}</ref>

==Personal life==
McDermott's sons, [[Alister McDermott]] and [[Ben McDermott]] are cricketers, playing for Queensland and Tasmania respectively.

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book| first=Richie |last=Benaud |author-link= Richie Benaud| year=1991 |publisher=Hamlyn Australia |isbn= 0-947334-31-9 |title=Border & Co: A Tribute To Cricket's World Champions}}
{{refend}}

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{ESPNcricinfo|id=6551}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20161225214634/http://www.goldcoastsport.com.au/athlete/craig-mcdermott/ Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame Craig McDermott]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McDermott, Craig}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Australian cricketers]]
[[Category:Australia Test cricketers]]
[[Category:Australia One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:Australian cricket coaches]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1987 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1992 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1996 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Coaches of the Australia national cricket team]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Ipswich, Queensland]]
[[Category:Queensland cricketers]]
[[Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year]]
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