Harvey Brothers - Ray Harvey

Ray Harvey

Raymond Harvey played 40 matches for Victoria. He was an attacking and talented batsman, but failed to reach international standards and only managed to hold down a regular position in the Victorian team in two seasons in the 1950s. This failure to match the standards set by his Test-capped brothers was often attributed to a lack of single-mindedness and hunger.

Harvey made his first-class debut in 1947–48, but performed poorly, and did not play a match in the following summer, and for the two subsequent seasons, he played in only three games. In 1951–52 he made five appearances, gaining selection only when Victoria’s Test players were busy representing Australia. The following season, he broke through for his maiden first-class century, having never previously passed 50.

Having broken through at the end of the preceding summer, Harvey played his first full season for Victoria in 1953–54. He scored two centuries and five half-centuries against full-strength teams from other states. He was hailed as the best player outside the Australian Test team, and at the start of the following season, Harvey was included in an Australian XI for a match against the touring England team for a Test trial match. However, rain curtailed the match and turned the playing surface into a sticky wicket hostile to batting. Harvey made only seven in his solitary innings. He played in all of Victoria’s matches for the season, but his form slumped and he was overlooked for state selection until 1958–59, when he regained his position and made 97 and 86 in consecutive innings. However, the following season, he made only sporadic appearances and was dropped after some low scores. He shone mainly for Fitzroy; his club first-grade records for the most career runs and centuries, and the most runs in a season, still stand. He ended his first-grade career in 1960–61 with 19 centuries and 9,146 runs at an average of 36.15 from 247 matches.