Marcus North Explained

Marcus North
Country:Australia
Fullname:Marcus James North
Nickname:Snorks
Birth Date:28 July 1979
Birth Place:Pakenham, Victoria, Australia
Height:187 cm
Batting:Left-handed
Bowling:Right-arm off break
Role:Middle-order batsman
International:true
Internationalspan:2009-2010
Testdebutdate:26 February
Testdebutyear:2009
Testdebutagainst:South Africa
Testcap:409
Lasttestdate:7 December
Lasttestyear:2010
Lasttestagainst:England
Odidebutdate:1 May
Odidebutyear:2009
Odidebutagainst:Pakistan
Odicap:176
Lastodidate:3 May
Lastodiyear:2009
Lastodiagainst:Pakistan
Club1:Western Australia
Club2:Durham
Year2:2004
Club3:Lancashire
Year3:2005
Club4:Derbyshire
Year4:2006
Club5:Gloucestershire
Year5:2007–2008
Club6:Hampshire
Year6:2009
Club7:Perth Scorchers
Year7:2011/12–2013/14
Club8:Glamorgan
Year8:2012–2013
Club9:Sydney Sixers
Year9:2013/14
Club10:Derbyshire
Year10:2014
Columns:4
Column1:Test
Matches1:21
Runs1:1,171
Bat Avg1:35.48
100S/50S1:5/4
Top Score1:128
Deliveries1:1,258
Wickets1:14
Bowl Avg1:42.21
Fivefor1:1
Tenfor1:0
Best Bowling1:6/55
Catches/Stumpings1:17/–
Column2:ODI
Matches2:2
Runs2:6
Bat Avg2:3.00
100S/50S2:0/0
Top Score2:5
Deliveries2:18
Wickets2:0
Bowl Avg2:
Fivefor2:
Tenfor2:
Best Bowling2:
Catches/Stumpings2:1/–
Column3:FC
Matches3:214
Runs3:13,764
Bat Avg3:40.72
100S/50S3:37/69
Top Score3:239
Deliveries3:12,455
Wickets3:158
Bowl Avg3:39.08
Fivefor3:3
Tenfor3:0
Best Bowling3:6/55
Catches/Stumpings3:153/–
Column4:LA
Matches4:181
Runs4:5,312
Bat Avg4:34.94
100S/50S4:9/34
Top Score4:137
Deliveries4:2,885
Wickets4:74
Bowl Avg4:33.10
Fivefor4:0
Tenfor4:0
Best Bowling4:4/26
Catches/Stumpings4:61/–
Date:6 January
Year:2015
Source:https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/8/8189/8189.html CricketArchive

Marcus James North (born 28 July 1979) is a former Australian first-class cricketer who played 21 Test matches and two One Day Internationals (ODIs) for the Australian national side.

Born in Melbourne, North grew up in Western Australia, attending Kent Street Senior High School as part of their Specialist Cricket Program,[1] and was a successful junior cricketer, entering the Australian Cricket Academy and playing under-19 cricket for Australia. He made his first-class debut for the Academy in 1999, and his debut for the Western Australian cricket team the same year. Having established himself in the WA team, North debuted for Australia A during the 2002–03 season, and later began playing in the County Championship during the 2004 English cricket season, for Durham. In English cricket, he would go on to play for Lancashire (2005), Derbyshire (2006 and 2014), Gloucestershire (2007–2008), Hampshire (2009), and Glamorgan (2012–2013), becoming the first player of any nationality to represent six different counties.

North was made captain of Western Australia for the 2007–08 season, and was consistently selected for Australia A, which he also captained. A left-handed batsman, part-time right-arm off-break bowler and fields at either 1st or 3rd slip, North made his Test debut for Australia in February 2009, scoring a century on debut against South Africa. He played a further 20 Tests and two ODIs for Australia before being dropped from the side during the 2010–11 Ashes series. Upon the entry of the Perth Scorchers into the newly created Big Bash League, North was appointed the team's captain. However, in October 2012, North resigned as captain of both WA and the Scorchers to concentrate on his playing career. He retired from Australian domestic cricket at the end of the 2013–14 season. After his retirement North moved to the north east of England to play cricket at South Northumberland Cricket Club.

As of 2018, he is director of cricket at Durham.[2]

Youth career

North played junior cricket together with Mike Hussey at the Wanneroo Districts Cricket Club between 1994 and 1996.[3] North had a very successful junior career that included playing for several Academy and national junior sides. North posted scores of 200 not out and 132 in a youth Test match against Pakistan in 1997.[4] He made his first-class debut for the Australian Cricket Academy against a Matabeleland Invitation XI in Bulawayo during the Academy's tour of Zimbabwe in 1999.[5]

Domestic career

North made his Pura Cup debut for Western Australia against Victoria in 1999. In October 2006, North and Chris Rogers compiled a record domestic third wicket partnership of 459 against Victoria at the WACA Ground in Perth, Western Australia, making his highest score of 239 not out in the process. In February 2007, North finished second to Rogers in the voting for Australia's best state player. With former Test player Justin Langer stepping down as captain of the Western Warriors, North was awarded the captaincy for the 2007–08 season. However injuries hampered his first season as captain, restricting him to only four first-class matches and three one-day matches.[6]

North first played in England for Gateshead Fell in the North East Premier League in 2000. He also played some Natwest Trophy games for Durham Cricket Board. In the following season, North signed as the professional player for Colne Cricket Club in the Lancashire League. He returned to Gateshead Fell for the 2002 and 2003 seasons before signing to play county cricket for Durham as a replacement for Herschelle Gibbs.[7] The following season he replaced Brad Hodge at Lancashire when Hodge was selected to be part of the Australia's 2005 Ashes series squad,[8] and in 2006 he replaced Travis Birt at Derbyshire when Birt was selected in the Australia A side.[9] North was signed as a replacement for New Zealander Hamish Marshall at Gloucestershire at the start of the 2007 county season. Despite only playing five matches he managed three centuries one of which won him the Walter Lawrence Trophy, the award for scoring for fastest century during the English season.[10] He returned to Gloucestershire for the 2008 season,[11] but played for Hampshire in the early County Championship season as a replacement for Imran Tahir.[12] He has now signed a two-year deal for 2012 and 2013 as an overseas player for Glamorgan, becoming the first player to play first-class cricket for six different counties.[13] He has been appointed Glamorgans' one day captain for the 2013 season.

He later rejoined Gateshead Fell knocking a one Michael Bowden out of Annfield Plain cricket ground.

International career

On 5 February 2009, North was called up to the Australia squad to face South Africa during Australia's tour of South Africa.[14] North displayed a strong all-round performance in the only tour match against the Board President's XI where he scored two unbeaten half-centuries and claimed career-best bowling figures of 6/69 off 11 overs.[15] North was selected to make his Test debut against South Africa in the First Test at the New Wanderers Stadium at Johannesburg, becoming the 409th Australian to earn a Test cap. He made his debut alongside fellow debutants Phillip Hughes and Ben Hilfenhaus. North scored his maiden Test century 117 runs in his first Test innings, becoming the first West Australian and the eighteenth Australian to score a century in his first Test, and the first Australian to do so against South Africa.[16] In this match, North also claimed his first Test wicket, dismissing South African tailender Paul Harris.

On 11 July 2009, during the First Ashes Test of 2009, at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, North scored his second Test century in his third Test match, 125 not out, sharing in a 200 run partnership with Brad Haddin, who also scored his second Test century in this innings.[17] In the second innings of the Third Test, North made 96 in a 185 run partnership with Michael Clarke to help Australia secure a draw. He scored 110 in the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley, hitting a six to bring up his century.[18]

During the First Test against Pakistan at Lords in July 2010, North took a Test-best haul of 6-55 in Pakistan's second innings,[19] doubling his career test wickets tally in the process. North was dropped from the Australian test team on 10 December 2010 due to poor form during the 2010–11 Ashes series against England.[20]

Career best performances

Updated 4 October 2013

BattingBowling (innings)
ScoreFixtureVenueSeasonFiguresFixtureVenueSeason
Tests128Australia v IndiaBangalore20106-55Australia v PakistanLord's2010
ODI5Australia v PakistanAbu Dhabi2009align="center"-
T20I20Australia v PakistanDubai2009align="center"-
FC239*Western Australia v VictoriaPerth20066-55Australia v PakistanLord's2010
LA137*Glamorgan v Middlesex PanthersLord's20134-26Durham Cricket Board v BuckinghamshireBeaconsfield2001
T2070Perth Scorchers v Adelaide StrikersPerth20122-19Western Warriors v Victorian Bush RangersMelbourne2007

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kent Street Senior High School About Us.
  2. News: North named Durham director of cricket. BBC Sport.
  3. Clarke, Tim (26 February 2009) North to make Test debut in South Africa
  4. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/63/63664.html Pakistan Under 19 vs Australia Under 19s scorecard
  5. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/67/67404.html Matabeleland Invitation XI v Australian Cricket Academy scorecard
  6. https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/8/8189/f_Batting_by_Season.html First-class season averages
  7. http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/content/story/140324.html North heads for the North-East
  8. http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/rsavaus2009/content/story/209643.html Lancashire sign North to replace Hodge
  9. Bolton, Paul; Birt Leads charge; 19 May 2006
  10. http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/312483.html North wins award for season's fastest hundred
  11. http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/308986.html North agrees new Gloucestershire contract
  12. http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/domestic/counties/hampshire/north-heads-south,303812,EN.html North heads south
  13. Web site: Lynch. Steven. Who has played for the most different teams?. Ask Steven - Cricinfo.com.
  14. http://www.cricket.com.au/default.aspx?s=team-announcements Cricket Australia team announcements
  15. Web site: Australia selectors heading in North's direction for South Africa Test . Lalor . Peter . FOX Sports Australia . The Courier-Mail . 23 February 2009 . 8 September 2013.
  16. News: Swanton . Will . Ton for North, Johnson 96. theage.com.au. 28 February 2009 . 28 February 2009 . Melbourne.
  17. Web site: www.sitecore.net.
  18. Web site: Scorecard: England v Australia, 3rd Test at Edgbaston, 30 July – 3 August 2009. Cricinfo. 4 August 2009.
  19. Web site: Test Match Series: Pakistan v Australia . BBC Sport . BBC . 13 July 2010 . 8 September 2013.
  20. News: Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth:North dropped, Michael Beer in Test squad. ESPN CricInfo. 26 December 2010.