Alexander McKenzie Moir, who died in Dunedin on June 17 aged 80, was a legbreak bowler who played 17 Tests for his country. In his representative Otago team he had as his rival another leg-spinner, Jack Alabaster, who also represented New Zealand at various times. Moir was inspired by Bill O'Reilly at Dunedin's Carisbrook ground in 1946. He decided to take up leg-spin bowling and in his 13 seasons of first-class cricket Moir took 368 wickets at an average of 24.56 and scored over 2,000 runs. Apart from his skill as a bowler Moir will be remembered for two particular reasons. The first was when, against England in 1951, he joined the great Warwick Armstrong in the record books having bowled two consecutive overs, the last before tea and the first immediately after. The second, in the following season, caused a lot of debate. West Indian opener Allan Rae had scored 10 runs in a Test match in Auckland when he could have been run out by yards. He had slipped over but Moir refused to take off the bails, simply marching away to his bowling mark. Rae added a further 89 and shared a stand of 197 with Jeff Stollmeyer. Moir never improved on his first Test performance of 6 for 155 against England in 1951,though he also took 5 for 62 against England four years later. A striker in the Otago soccer team and a keen golf and bowls player, Moir had a delightful sense of humour.
Dick Brittenden, The Cricketer

New Zealand Cricket Almanack Player of the Year 1951

• Perfection in gauntlets (Jul 17, 2003)

Alex Moir © The Cricketer International

View the full list of 1 related images