Martin Kent

Martin Kent

Cricket information
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	-
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1974–1981	Queensland
Career statistics
Competition Tests ODIs Matches 3 5 Runs scored 171 78 Batting average 28.50 19.50 100s/50s -/2 -/- Top score 54 33 Balls bowled - - Wickets - - Bowling average - - 5 wickets in innings - - 10 wickets in match - n/a Best bowling - - Catches/stumpings 6/- 4/-
Source: Cricinfo, 12 December 2005

Martin Francis Kent (born 23 November 1953, Mossman, Queensland) is a former Australian cricketer who played in 3 Tests and 5 ODIs in 1981.

Career

Kent was an middle-order right-handed batsman. He scored 140 on his debut for Queensland in 1974–75 season^[1] followed by 76 in a Gillette Cup game.^[2] He found the going harder throughout the rest of the season, although he did manage 58 against WA^[3] and 59 against South Australia.^[4]

The following summer he scored 103 against South Australia^[5] and 101 against Victoria.^[6]

South Africa

Kent had frequently batted with Greg Chappell and received an offer to tour South Africa with an invitational XI, the International Wanderers. This side featured players like the Chappell brothers and Dennis Lillee - Kent was the only member of the side who had not played international cricket.^[7] Kent married just before he left and honeymooned on the tour.^[8]

Kent played well with scores of 55,^[9] 67 & 52^[10] and 155.^[11] He ended up topping the International Wanderers aggregate and averages for the tour - 398 runs at 56.^[12]

Kent would have been on selectors minds at the beginning of the 1976-77 season but was unable to break through, despite 122 against the touring Pakistanis^[13] and 82 against South Australia.^[14] He was leapt over in the pecking order by Craig Serjeant, Kim Hughes and David Hookes, all of whom were chosen on the 1977 Ashes.

World Series Cricket

Opportunity did arise when Kerry Packer bought up most of the leading stars in 1977, but he chose World Series Cricket instead of staying with the traditional game. Ian Chappell had admired Kent's batting on the South Africa tour and offered him a place with the WSC squad.

Kent's best innings for the WSC Australians include 40 in a low scoring game,^[15] 58^[16] and 110.^[17] This earned him selection in the second supertest but he failed twice.^[18] He had better luck in the third supertest, with knocks of 43 and 40 helping Australia win the game.^[19] In the 5th supertest he scored a pair.^[20]

The following summer Kent toured with the WSC Cavaliers XI. He endured a poor run of form until he scored 114 against the World XI^[21] and 55.^[22] He eventually got back in the Australian XI for some one day games with a top score of 62.^[23] He was back in the test side for the last supertest but failed twice.^[24]

Kent toured the West Indies with the Australian XI. He played in the supertests, making 9 & 30 in the first,^[25] then hitting 109 in a one-day game for Australia.^[26] For the second supertest he made 78,^[27] the third 7 and 45,^[28] 51 & 28,^[29] and 40 & 0.^[30]

Return to traditional cricket

Kent had a patchy 1979-80, not making a first class century, but enjoyed an excellent domestic 1980-81 season, scoring 941 runs at 58.81. Highlights included 77,^[31] 171 and 68 against Tasmania^[32] and 78 and 101 against South Australia.^[33]

His knock of 41 in the McDonald's Cup Final, helping Queensland win the game, won him Man of the Match Award.^[34]

Kent was selected in the Australian one day team towards the end of the summer, making scores of 12, 33 and 4.^[35]

1981 Ashes

Kent was chosen to tour England in 1981.^[36] Greg Chappell elected not to tour and Kim Hughes thought at the beginning that Kent was the most likely candidate to replace him at number three.^[37] However he failed during the early games and a score of 91 by Trevor Chappell saw him come into contention for the spot.^{[38][39][40][41]} Eventually Chappell was selected, with Kent relegated to 12th man.^[42]

Kent was 12th man in the famous third test, which England won. He eventually hit form with 92 against Worcestershire (his previous high score had been 27).^[43][44] This earned him selection in the 4th test over Chappell, who was made 12th man.^[45]

Kent turned out to be one of Australia's best performing batsmen in the second half of the tour, with a consistent string of scores. He made 171 runs, including a fifty as a makeshift opener at the Oval.

He made 46 and 10 in the 4th test,^[46] 52 and 2 in the fifth^[47] and 54 and 7 in the 6th.^[48]

End of career

Kent began the 1981-82 season well with 92 for Qld against the touring Pakistan side.^[49][50] He was selected in the Australian team for the first test against Pakistan in 1981-82 over Graham Yallop and Dirk Wellham.^[51] A serious back injury cost him his place however, forcing him to withdraw.^[52] He withdrew from cricket for the season^[53] then in August 1982 retired altogether.^[54]

In 64 first-class matches he scored a total of 3567 runs at 36.03 with a best of 171 against Tasmania. He was a fine slip catcher, taking 60 catches in all.

References

2. "Chappell strikes top form against MCC.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 4 November 1974. p. 14. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
7. "Six for S. Africa.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 23 February 1976. p. 10. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
8. "Controversy continues to surround match.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 19 March 1976. p. 18. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
26. WSC West Indies v WSC Australia WSC Australia in West Indies 1978/79 (6th ODI) Venue Kensington Oval, Bridgetown on 7 March 1979 at Cricket Archive
35. "Dyson, Graf dropped.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 27 January 1981. p. 14. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
36. "Chappell, Walters out of team.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 12 March 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
37. "Kent tipped as No 3 batsman.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 2 May 1981. p. 39. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
38. "CRICKET Chappell leads way with well-hit 91.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 3 June 1981. p. 40. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
39. "CRICKET Australian batsmen disappoint.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 24 May 1981. p. 25. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
40. "CRICKET Selectors no nearer to deciding No 3 position.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 12 June 1981. p. 18. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
42. "TEAM FOR MIDDLESEX MATCH Pair tipped for Test.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 14 June 1981. p. 19. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
44. "CRICKET Brearley will open innings.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 28 July 1981. p. 20. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
45. "CRICKET: FOURTH TEST Boycott falls early victim to Alderman.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 31 July 1981. p. 20. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
49. "TOURISTS Chappell puts iron grip on captaincy.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 1 November 1981. p. 25. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
51. "CRICKET Chappell returns to lead Australia in first Test.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 5 November 1981. p. 24. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
52. "Martin Kent withdraws from Test.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 9 November 1981. p. 18. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
53. "Kent gives up hope.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 13 December 1981. p. 18. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
54. "IN BRIEF.". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995) (ACT: National Library of Australia). 4 August 1982. p. 1 Section: SPORTS SECTION. Retrieved 13 December 2014.

External links

• Cricinfo Profile
• Cricket Archive Statistics