| Matthew Mason | |
| Country: | Australia |
| Fullname: | Matthew Sean Mason |
| Birth Date: | 20 March 1974 |
| Birth Place: | Claremont, Western Australia |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Right-arm medium-fast |
| Role: | Bowler |
| Club1: | Western Australia |
| Club2: | Worcestershire |
| Year2: | 2002–2011 |
| Clubnumber2: | 24 |
| Type1: | FC |
| Debutdate1: | 14 February |
| Debutyear1: | 1997 |
| Debutfor1: | Western Australia |
| Debutagainst1: | Queensland |
| Type2: | LA |
| Debutdate2: | 8 February |
| Debutyear2: | 1997 |
| Debutfor2: | Western Australia |
| Debutagainst2: | Tasmania |
| Columns: | 3 |
| Column1: | FC |
| Matches1: | 101 |
| Runs1: | 1,387 |
| Bat Avg1: | 13.59 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/5 |
| Top Score1: | 63 |
| Deliveries1: | 18,618 |
| Wickets1: | 318 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 27.35 |
| Fivefor1: | 10 |
| Tenfor1: | 1 |
| Best Bowling1: | 8/45 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 27/– |
| Column2: | LA |
| Matches2: | 82 |
| Runs2: | 171 |
| Bat Avg2: | 7.12 |
| 100S/50S2: | 0/0 |
| Top Score2: | 25 |
| Deliveries2: | 3,714 |
| Wickets2: | 94 |
| Bowl Avg2: | 28.48 |
| Fivefor2: | 0 |
| Tenfor2: | 0 |
| Best Bowling2: | 4/34 |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 16/– |
| Column3: | T20 |
| Matches3: | 11 |
| Runs3: | 18 |
| Bat Avg3: | 6 |
| 100S/50S3: | 0/0 |
| Top Score3: | 8 |
| Deliveries3: | 227 |
| Wickets3: | 9 |
| Bowl Avg3: | 32.33 |
| Fivefor3: | 0 |
| Tenfor3: | 0 |
| Best Bowling3: | 3/42 |
| Catches/Stumpings3: | 3/– |
| Date: | 28 May |
| Year: | 2020 |
| Source: | https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/5/5652/5652.html CricketArchive |
Matthew Sean Mason (born 20 March 1974) is an Australian former first-class cricketer. He holds an Irish passport and was therefore not considered an overseas player when playing for Worcestershire County Cricket Club. He played as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, who benefits from his 6-foot 6-inch (1.98 m) height, and a lower-order right-handed batsman.
Mason started his career with Western Australia in 1996–97, and made his senior debut in a February List A win over Tasmania, taking the wicket of Michael di Venuto. Six days later he made his first appearance in first-class cricket in a drawn Sheffield Shield match against Queensland, but could manage only 1-72. He batted as a nightwatchman in his team's second innings, but made just 3 before being bowled by Michael Kasprowicz.
He played another three first-class games and one List A match in 1997–98, but never took more than two wickets in an innings and drifted out of the side. A few years later, Worcestershire coach Tom Moody, who had known Mason since the bowler was a teenager, tried to entice him to New Road to play county cricket, but was turned down; however, a second approach was accepted and Mason became a Worcestershire player in time for the 2002 season.
Mason's first-team experience at Worcester began in the Benson & Hedges Cup, where he took seven wickets in three matches. A number of further one-day games followed, before he was given his County Championship debut against Northamptonshire in July. He responded with six wickets in the match, and kept his place in the first-class side for the rest of the season, taking 5–50 against Nottinghamshire. In the last game of the season in September, he also scored a vital 50 as Worcestershire squeezed past Derbyshire by just one wicket.
2003 saw Mason firmly established in the first team, and he took 53 first-class wickets that year at a fine average of 21.58, as well as 26 wickets at 24.92 in limited-overs cricket. A highlight came in early July, when he took 6–68 in the second innings (and 9–116 in the match) against Durham as Worcestershire recorded a 31-run win. In 2004 he took 52 wickets, albeit at an average slightly over 30, and he passed the 50-wicket mark for the third successive summer in 2005.
He struggled with injuries through 2007 and 2008 before returning to the side and in August 2008, signed a deal with the club which saw him assume the dual role of player and bowling coach in 2009.[1]
| Batting | Bowling (innings) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Fixture | Venue | Season | Figures | Fixture | Venue | Season | ||
| FC | 63 | Worcestershire v Warwickshire | Worcester | 2004 | 8/45 | Worcestershire v Gloucestershire | Worcester | 2006 | |
| LA | 25 | Worcestershire v Durham | Worcester | 2004 | 4/34 | Worcestershire v Surrey | Guildford | 2003 | |
| T20 | 8* | Worcestershire v Warwickshire | Edgbaston | 2005 | 3/42 | Worcestershire v Somerset | Worcester | 2006 | |