| Ron Murray | |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Fullname: | Ronald McKenzie Murray |
| Birth Date: | 15 June 1927 |
| Birth Place: | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Death Place: | Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Right-arm medium-pace |
| Club1: | Wellington |
| Year1: | 1946-47 to 1950-51 |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | First-class |
| Matches1: | 17 |
| Runs1: | 399 |
| Bat Avg1: | 17.34 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/1 |
| Deliveries1: | 3364 |
| Wickets1: | 59 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 23.93 |
| Fivefor1: | 1 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 5/85 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 10/0 |
| Date: | 24 May 2018 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/37985.html Cricinfo |
Ronald McKenzie Murray (15 June 1927 – 8 April 1951) was a New Zealand cricketer who played first-class cricket for Wellington from 1947 to 1951.
Ron Murray was a right-arm medium-pace bowler and useful lower-order batsman.[1] He first played for Wellington in February 1947 at the age of 19, and the following month he opened the bowling and took 3 for 43 and 5 for 85 for Wellington against the touring MCC. His victims in the second innings were Laurie Fishlock, Bill Edrich, Denis Compton, Wally Hammond and Godfrey Evans.[2]
He was the second-most successful bowler in the Plunket Shield in 1947-48, taking 13 wickets at an average of 28.00.[3] He was less successful in 1948-49, and although he took part in the trial matches, he failed to win a place in the New Zealand team for England in 1949.[4]
Murray returned to form in 1949-50 and was again the second-most successful bowler in the Plunket Shield, taking 13 wickets at an average of 14.61, and helping Wellington win the championship for the first time since 1935-36.[5] In the first match he took a hat-trick to reduce Otago's first innings from 116 for 2 to 116 for 5; Wellington won by seven wickets.[6]
Murray was a journalist for the Evening Post in Wellington.[4] He was considered a likely Test player, but he died aged 23 on 8 April 1951 from injuries he received when he fell while visiting a sick friend at Hanmer Springs in Canterbury.[4]
Beginning with the 1951-52 season the Ron Murray Cup has been awarded annually to the leading wicket-taker in Wellington senior club cricket.[7] [8]