Mick Harvey (umpire) - World War II and First-class Debut

World War II and First-class Debut

A printer by trade, Harvey first played in the Fitzroy First XI in 1938–39. Mick opened the batting with Merv, and in 1942–43, when Neil broke into the First XI, the family occupied the first four batting positions for the team; Merv and Mick opened and Ray and Neil came in after them. During World War II, Harvey enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force at Fitzroy on 4 March 1943 and was a member of the 39th Infantry Battalion and went on to serve in Kokoda. He was discharged on 29 March 1946 with the rank of private. He resumed cricket with Fitzroy at the war’s end and made enough runs to be selected for Victoria’s first three Sheffield Shield matches of the 1948–49 season. Playing as an opening batsman, he made 10 and 13 on debut against Queensland, and was trapped leg before wicket (lbw) in both innings in an eight-wicket win. In the next match against New South Wales, who boasted Australia’s new ball opening bowlers Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller, Harvey made 19 and 33 in a drawn match. In the subsequent match against South Australia, he made 4 and 12, again being trapped lbw in both innings. The 1948–49 season was purely domestic with no touring Test team, so all of Australia’s international representatives were available for the whole season. Having scored only 91 runs at a batting average of 15.16, Harvey was dropped from the team. He did not play alongside Ray, who was dropped, and Merv, who had retired. It was Harvey's last season for Fitzroy, and in 90 first-grade matches, he scored 2,601 runs at an average of 30.24.