Max Bussell 1933-2011

 

 

Clubs

Railways & Wangaratta

 

WDCA Record

197 games

5413 runs

529 wickets

8 centuries

31 five wicket hauls

3 ten wicket hauls

Wangaratta Chronicle Trophy winner 1958/59, 1961/62

WDCA Batting average 1965/66

Best bowling 14/24

Took two hat tricks in the same game vs Moyhu C.C.

 

Melbourne Country Week

22 country week trips as a player

Two country titles

7 Five wicket hauls (including 8/27 in 1954 final)

3 Half centuries

Captain - 1960 - 64, 1969

Took 21 wickets in 1954 and 17 in 1960.

 

WDCA Administration

Life member

President 1976/77 - 1978/79

 

Representative Career

Long term rep in North East (Ensign) Cup matches

Rep VCCL vs England 1959

VCCL vs England 1962

VCCL Captain vs South Africa 1963

VCCL vs South Australia 1957

VCCL vs Victoria 1961

 

Career Highlight

Proving himself against the best in a Melbourne Country Week.

 

Max is a Life Member of the Wangaratta C.C. and is held in high regard at the W.M.C.C. and WDCA. Max first got involved in cricket in the 1940's and he listened to the old timers talk about the cricket great of days gone by. Whilst helping out with the rolling of the wickets Max whilst at the Railways C.C. (Later became Wangaratta) hoped to one day emulate the deeds of these local legends. He was to do so in spectacular fashion. At 14 he made his senior debut for Railways and Max stuck with the club until retiring in 1979. He was an all rounder along the lines of 'Freddie Flintoff', he was a tall blonde, curly haired fast bowler with a rhythmic action and a hard hitting stroke player who could tear an attack to pieces. Max attended his first Melbourne Country Week at 16 years of age. Within a few years he was a Country Week Champion. He took 8/27 in the A Group Final at St Kilda crashing through the strong Shepparton line up. He was made many offers to play in Melbourne with District clubs but stayed with Wangaratta. His 22 Country Week trips are a WDCA record. He was apart of Wangaratta's only Provincial Championship in 1957. Max played against Peter May's MCG team in 1958 at Wangaratta and earned selection against Ted Dexter's side in 1962 at Shepparton. In 1964 he Captained the Victorian Country X1 against South Africa at Benalla. He scored a quick 27 against a Sringbock attack that included Peter Pollock, the fastest he had ever faced. Max also made 57 against Victoria which included the bowlers Meckiff, Quick and Kline.  Inaugurated into the WDCA Hall of Fame on 10/03/2008.

 

Max passed away August 2011 in Wangaratta aged 78.

 

Matches: 197  Innings: 228  Not Out:- 30  Runs: 5413  H.S. 123*  Av'ge 27.34  100's (8)  50's (21)