Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Gregory Richard John Matthews | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
15 December 1959 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | Mo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting style | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling style | Right-arm off-spinner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | All Rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 322) | 26 December 1983 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 6 January 1993 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 78) | 8 January 1984 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 18 January 1993 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1982-97 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 6 April 2010 |
Gregory Richard John "Mo" Matthews (born 15 December 1959 in Newcastle, New South Wales) is a former New South Wales and Australian cricket all rounder (off spin bowler and left handed batsman) who is now a television cricket commentator.
When Australian cricket was in the doldrums in the mid-1980s "his dashing batsmanship and growing ability as a spin bowler suddenly elevated Matthews to a position of a national hero". He made centuries in times of crisis against New Zealand and India in 1985-86, took ten wickets in the Tied Test at Madras and batted well against England in 1986-87.
Thereafter his career declined as the "effervesent and unorthodox" Matthews did not fit in with the rest of the Australian Test team. As Australia rose to dominance in the 1990s Matthews proved to be "not good enough in either of the game's main departments to make a lasting impact as a Test all-rounder" and despite a century against England in 1990-91 he played only irregularly and was finally dropped in 1993. He continued to play with success for New South Wales until he retired in 1997.
During his youth Matthews attended Ermington Public School and played for the Rydalmere Cricket Club, where he won the Under 11s Northern Districts Cricket Association Cricketer of the Year Award in 1970-71 and 1971-72. Coach Gordon Nolan was crucial to his early development.