97 Not Out

GH with a Harvey update

Who’s this sprightly figure seen out and about in Christchurch last week with sparklers in his cake? Celebrating 97 years young with son Bruce and kin was Et Al fave Neil Harvey, outliver of all his fellow Invincibles, two wives and a biographer.

Ninna never got the yips

Australia’s oldest Test cricketer, I’m pleased to report, remains sharp as ever. Every Saturday, he peruses the form guide closely, chooses his winners, but never actually places a bet - just like the good Methodist boy he was, growing up with six brothers and a sister in the MacRobertson’s watchman’s house at 198 Argyle Street, Fitzroy.

The clan welcomes Neil home from the 1948 tour

Long-term subscribers will recall our event in January pre-consecrating the laneway adjacent to the house where the boys played their childhood games, which I consider Australian sport’s most historic improvised space - if you’re new to these parts, check it out. The wheels of City of Yarra grind exceeding small, but we should shortly have confirmed the plan to formally designate Harvey Lane, already carried by popular acclamation.

Neil returns to the laneway in 1950….

…and here we are three-quarters of a century on

Still football’s best hair - Neil’s great nephew Robert

If you also recall, we were joined that day by Et Al’s favourite modern left-hander - with apologies to Heady and Ben Duckett, Beth Mooney, close friend of Neil’s grand niece Kirby Short.

Another great leftie

So how perfect that Beth should have marked Neil’s birthday with a hundred of which the great man himself would have been proud? His contemporaries always raved about the 96 that Neil made against Pakistan, and the mighty Fazal Mahmood, on the mat at Dhaka in 1959 - Richie Benaud thought he never saw his vice-captain bat better.

That’s Neil up the non-striker’s end, batting with Colin McDonald

As Harv went one better in years this week, Beth was reviving Australia from seven for 76, also against Pakistan, with 109 in 114 balls, spiriting them to a comeback victory. With India’s defeat overnight at the hands of South Africa, by the way, Australia are top of the table in the Women’s World Cup. Pat’s back might be on the rack, but Neil Harvey lives and Aussies lead, and that should be enough good news for anyone.