A QUIET ACHIEVER In February, 1963 a 2l-year-old opener playing only his 10th first-class game hit the highest score by a Victorian in a Shield game since Ponsford's 275 not out in 1928-29. Ian Redpath, a correct and patient batsman, indicated that he was a future Test candidate by making 261 against Queensland. In a career punctuated by several questionable omissions from Test teams, Redpath became an extremely capable run-maker ideally suited to open an innings. Ian Richie Redpath was born at the provincial city of Geelong on May 11, 1941 and was educated at Geelong College, a school which had earlier produced Lindsay Hassett and shortly after Redpath's time provided Paul Sheahan. Redpath, in common with a number of players in the Geelong area, joined the South Melbourne club and by 1961-62 was considered worthy of a game for Victoria against South Australia. He made only 2 and 7 and also battled for runs against Tasmania. More low scores the following season suggested he might have been given his chance too early, but hands of 89 against Western Australia and 80 against New South Wales confirmed the confidence the selectors had in him. After making 26 and 8 against Ted Dexter's English tourists, Redpath put it all together against Queensland whose attack included West Indies paceman Wes Hall. Starting with a first-wicket stand of l77 with Lawry (83), Redpath added 119 for the third wicket with Jack Potter (66) and 205 for the fourth wicket with Bob Cowper (141 not out). Tiredness appeared to get the better of Redpath when he finally hit a return catch to Ken Mackay. His 261 had taken 497 minutes and included 34 4s. Lawry closed the innings at 4/633. As a result of that innings Redpath was in the Test side by the end of the year. Making his debut in the second Test against South Africa at the MCG on New Year's Day, 1964 he and Lawry gave Australia a start of 2I9 the next day. At that stage it was the highest first-wicket partnership by an Australian pair at home. The stand was broken when Redpath was bowled by Joe Partridge for 97, which occupied 247 minutes and included 14 4s. In the second innings he made 25 as Australia cruised to an eight-wicket win. The return of Norman O'Neill and Brian Booth to the team for the third Test forced the unlucky Redpath from the team with Simpson resuming his opening partnership with Lawry. Selected to tour England in 1964 Redpath hit his second and only other double century shortly before departure when he made 202 for the Australian XI against Western Australia in Perth. In a Test series in which only 12 players were used, Redpath played all five Tests with a timely 58 not out in the third Test helping Australia to a seven-wicket win, the only match played to a finish in the series. Redpath was serviceable rather than prolific and after opening in the first two Tests and batting at No. 3 in the next two Tests, he made 45 at No. 6 in the fifth Test. Passed over for the 1965 tour of the West Indies and dropped after making 17 in the first Test of the 1965-66 series against England, Redpath consolidated by hitting three centuries in Shield games. His highest score was 180 against Queensland in Melbourne which set up a three-wicket win for Victoria. In its first innings the home side had been shot out for 130 by fast bowler Peter Allan, who took 10/61, but an opening partnership of 213 between Redpath and Graeme Watson in the second innings swung the game Victoria's way. Redpath batted on until the total was 371 when he was caught in slips, his 180 taking 371 minutes and including 20 boundaries. An unbeaten 161 by Redpath earned Victoria a five wicket win against New South Wales in Sydney three weeks later. Chosen to tour South Africa in 1966-67 Redpath batted consistently in the five Tests to run second to Simpson in the averages. His highest Test score was 80 and his highest in other first-class games was l54 against Western Province. The latter innings was a brilliant display but Redpath had to avoid congratulatory handshakes as he tore a ligament in his right hand. A yield of 1,045 run's at 52.25 per innings was to remain his best season until late in his career. Redpaths dismissal for 92 in the fourth Test in England in 1968 reminded one of Bob Simpson's long wait for his first Test Century. The barrier was eventually broken by Redpath in the final Test of the 1968-69 series against the West Indies when he hit 132 in his 28th Test. In the previous Test the Victorian was run out by Charlie Griffith when backing up too far. Shades of Bill Brown. Six seasons later Redpath was similarly run out in a Shield game against Western Australia in Melbourne, but WA captain John Inverarity sportingly recalled him as he walked back to the pavilion. An excellent player of spin bowling once he matured, Redpath in 1966-67 had been reportedly described by South African batsman Trevor Goddard as the most correct batsman in the world. Unlike most of his team mates he survived the disastrous tour of South Africa in 1969-70, averaging 47.17 in the four Tests and a shade under 50 in all first-class games. His highest score was 152 against Orange Free State, which included 32 runs off a six-ball over. Redpath celebrated the first occasion a Test was played in Perth by making 171 against England in 1970-71. Not only was it his highest Test innings, but it steered Australia out of much trouble. Batting at No. 5 Redpath was joined by Greg Chappell at 5/106 and the pair added 220 for the sixth wicket. Chappell playing his first Test, hit 108 and Redpath, in a valuable sheet anchor role, remained at the crease for 484 minutes. The following summer Redpath was dropped after the second international against the Rest of the World XI and did not regain favour when the selectors chose the team to tour England in 1972. Statistically, the Victorian right-hander's form had fallen away but was it wise to leave him behind in view of his previous experience in England and the fact that Lawry was no longer wanted? In hindsight it's easy to ridicule the decision, but the fact that Australia had only one start of more than 25 in 10 Test innings underlines the lack of support for opener Keith Stackpole. The irony of the omission was that Redpath was in England in l972 with his wife Christine, buying old furniture and antiques in preparation for an antique business they were to start in Geelong. Redpath was soon back in the Test team for the 1972-73 series against Pakistan and dispelled any doubts about his ability by reeling off 135 in the second Test. Opening the innings he gave a dashing display of stroke-making in a knock lasting 277 minutes and containing 14 4s. His form meant he couldn't be overlooked for the tour of the West Indies in 1973 where a stand of 161 with Stackpole in the first Test and three half centuries highlighted further sound form at Test level. Yet Redpath was again dropped, this time for the three Tests against New Zealand at home in 1973-74. His consolation was that he was chosen for the three Tests in New Zealand later in the season where he had a terrific run of success which was reflected by his Test average of 82.60. Highlight was the second innings of the third Test in which he carried his bat for 159 not out in a total of 346. A crowd of 35,000 - a record for Auckland - saw him bat for 348 minutes and hit 20 4s. Australia won the Test by 297 runs to square the series. Redpath, rarely tempted by the ball outside the off stump he didn't want to play but an attractive stroke-player once he was set, continued to bat well in 1974-75 when Australia beat England 4-1 and his 1,150 runs for the season earned him a place in the team to visit England in 1975. He declined for business reasons. The following summer he hit four centuries against the West Indies, three in Tests and the other for Victoria, underlining his value as an opener since Lawry's retirement. A crowd of 85,335 watched the opening day's play of the third rest in Melbourne in which the visitors were all out for 224 late in the afternoon. At stumps both Redpath and Alan Turner were 16 not out. On resumption the Victorian veteran batted sluggishly and could have been caught at 62, but he survived and completed a century in 312 minutes. Two runs later he was bowled by Andy Roberts. Playing his 66th Test in the fifth Test in Adelaide, Redpath hit 103 which included his first Test match 6 when he uncharacteristically went down the pitch and hit a delivery from Lance Gibbs over the fence. His century took 207 minutes and was followed by 65 in the second innings when he and Turner (136) put on 148 for the first wicket. In another exhibition of stylish batting Redpath hit 101 and 70 in the sixth Test to give him 575 runs for the series at 52.2 per innings. Redpath retired after that season for business and family reasons although he had been in line for the Australian captaincy when Ian Chappell stepped down six months earlier. In 67 Tests "Redders" had gathered an imposing 4,737 runs at a very sound average of 43.46. Like Ponsford he had hit a century in each of his last two Tests and his eight Test centuries were complemented by a massive 31 half centuries. After missing the 1972 tour of England he hit 2,081 runs in 23 Tests at an average of 50.78. Redpath had the rare honor of sharing a first-wicket century stand in Tests with four different partners - Lawry, Stackpole, McCosker and Turner. A top fieldsman, especially at short leg, Redpath took 82 Test catches. As a right-arm medium pace bowler he was useful at club level, but took only 13 wickets in fist-class games and once was called for throwing in a game against Glamorgan in 1964. But it was as an opening batsman for Victoria and Australia, and a man willing to fight back despite setbacks, that he will be remembered.
 | Name: | Cox, Peter John | | Date of Birth: | 13 January 1954 | | Career: | 1971/72 - 1996/97 | | Teams: | NM, NM-Geel, St Kilda, South Melbourne, Geelong | | Matches: | 307 | | Batting Style: | LHB | | Bowling Style: | LAOS |
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Peter Cox was a fine, competitive all-rounder for four Premier Clubs between 1971/72 and 1996/97. A capable left-hand bat good enough to score 6 VCA centuries, he also bowled left-arm orthodox spin, taking 363 wickets @ 26.55 in his career. Cox is one of only ten players to reach the 300-game milestone in Premier Cricket.
Cox played 10 first class matches for Victoria between 1977/78 and 1982/83, scoring 385 runs @ 32.08 and taking 22 wickets @ 30.14.
A feisty, combative all-rounder lured from North Melbourne in 1983-84 with the promise of good times ahead, Peter Cox added fibre and grit to the first XI, taking the club from last to fifth to first in his first two seasons. He won the club championship in 1984-85, captained the 1984-85 premiership team and playing in the 1985-86 flag-winning team. A high-order left-hand bat and a left-arm finger spinner with a fast bowler's attitude, Cox moved to the city from Redcliffs as a 16-year-old batsman, immediately impressing with his fierce desire and passion. His bowling developed at the encouragement of ex-Test batsman Paul Sheahan, then coaching at Arden St. "I wanted to prove a point I could play and get amongst them", Cox said. "I wanted to be successful and put myself on the line. At times I'd get pretty aggressive." Cox initially played for more than a decade with North Melbourne and had 10 state appearances as spinning understudy to Ray Bright. I'd been keen to lead for some time and the job at St Kilda sounded pretty good, especially when 'Graffy' (Shaun Graf) told me that (John) Emburey was coming back. Guys were running the lake each Thursday night and stopping and having a beer afterwards. There was a real buzz about the place. I'd never known any club to start so early. Then Graffy told me he was going to Western Australia, Emburey decided to put more diamonds in his golden shoes in South Africa rather than playing with us and suddenly we were back to kids again! Funnily enough, though, it turned out to be the most satisfying season I'd ever played. We finished fifth and beat eventual premiers Prahran in the last round. We also came second in the overall club championship." Competitive and cantankerous on the field, Cox was mellow and good-humored off it, teammates well-remembering one motivational speech which ended with the one liner" "And boys....don't forget....get yer hams from me at Christmas!" Few built superior club records, Cox's 317 game tally including 79 in five of his best seasons with St Kilda. "While I hadn't been a leader before I'd been around a long time and listened and observed," he said. "A guy like Keith Stackpole, for example, was tough, but everything was aimed around team things. He made players sit together and be totally team oriented. I enjoyed watching what he did and how he went about it. When he sledged he put thoughts into a batsman's mind. "When I was able to do it in a way I wanted to and win a few games, too, it was very exciting. I would have liked to have done it for a longer time, but we'd moved down to Torquay and with all my work, I was only able to train one night a week. Standing down (for Gary Cosier, in 1985) was the right thing to do. There probably would have been an argument if I'd of been still living in town though!" Cox's long time deputy Andrew Lynch said Cox's example was invariably inspirational. "Whether he was batting or bowling he'd never give in. He didn't have as much natural ability as some but he used it all. He was one of the toughest players and probably the best captain I played under, too. He led us in the first Grand Final against Carlton and then stood down to help retain ‘Coze' the following year. Part of the deal was that he wanted to captain. That was a big thing to do for the club." After four seasons with the Saints, Cox played at North Melbourne-Geelong and Werribee - where he won a sub-district championship - before returning to the Junction for a final season in 1990-91. He also played at South Melbourne and had his last competitive season at 44 in senior Geelong club ranks. |
Batting | Innings | N.O. | Runs | Batting Avg | High Score | 50s | 100s | | 306 | 50 | 7340 | 28.67 | 120* | 37 | 6 |
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Bowling | Runs | Wickets | Bowling Avg | Best | 5wi | 10wm | Ct/St | | 9640 | 363 | 26.55 | 6/27 | 11 | | 120 |
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