Ray Jordon
Encyclopedia
Raymond Clarence Jordon (born 17 February 1937 in Melbourne
) is a former Australian first-class cricket
er who represented Victoria
in the Sheffield Shield and toured with the Australian national cricket team. He was also a successful Australian rules football
coach and acted as both Reserves and Under-19s coach at various clubs in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
, who himself was later bettered by Darren Berry
. In 1970/71 he managed a career best ten dismissals in a match against South Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
.
His only first-class hundred was an innings of 134, also against South Australia
, in the 1963/64 Sheffield Shield. The South Australian bowling attack was led by Gary Sobers and while he ran through Victoria's batting lineup with six second innings wickets, Jordon resisted with a century before falling LBW to Neil Hawke
.
The wicket-keeper captained Victoria in five Sheffield Shield matches during his career, three of them in the 1968/69 season.
Jordon came close to playing Test cricket
, touring both India
and South Africa
in 1969/70 as a standby for Brian Taber
. Although he appeared in four of Australia's first-class warm up matches in India and six in South Africa, Jordon wasn't required for any of the Tests.
's biography of Ian Chappell
, Chappelli Speaks Out, Bill Lawry
was considering selecting Jordon to play in the fourth test instead of Taber because of the former's superior batting. Chappell said he wouldn't play in the side if Jordon was picked because the wicketkeeper was a cheat. This was based on an incident during a game on the recent Indian tour when Australia was playing South Zone. E.A.S. Prasanna was facing Alan Connolly
with Jordon standing up to the stumps - he appeared to miss the ball and his off stump was knocked forward. Jordon appealed and Prasanna eventually walked but Chappell believed the ball had missed Prasanna's stumps and rebounded off Jordon's pads to break the wicket - and that Jordon knew this.
and Richmond
's Under-19s. While he was in charge of the reserves at North Melbourne
he was called up to coach the seniors for a VFL
game in 1976 as Ron Barassi
was unavailable. During his early sporting years, Jordon was himself a player at Coburg and appeared in 96 VFA
matches before retiring in 1962 to concentrate on cricket.
A parody of Gordon named Jay 'Grub' Gordon appears in the Specky Magee
series of novels written by former Melbourne
player Garry Lyon
and author Felice Arena
.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
) is a former Australian first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er who represented Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
in the Sheffield Shield and toured with the Australian national cricket team. He was also a successful Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
coach and acted as both Reserves and Under-19s coach at various clubs in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL).
Career
Jordon took a total of 230 dismissals in the Sheffield Shield and 283 for all first-class matches. His tally at both Shield and first-class level remained a Victorian record until surpassed by his replacement Richie RobinsonRichie Robinson
Richard Daryl Robinson is a former Australian cricketer who played in 3 Tests and 2 ODIs in 1977. Robinson was widely recognised as the second best wicketkeeper in Australia during his career, behind the formidable Rod Marsh and would no doubt have played more tests had Marsh not been around...
, who himself was later bettered by Darren Berry
Darren Berry
Darren Shane Berry is a former Australian cricketer who was known for his sharp skills as a wicketkeeper with Victoria in the Sheffield Shield and ING Cup domestic competitions...
. In 1970/71 he managed a career best ten dismissals in a match against South Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
.
His only first-class hundred was an innings of 134, also against South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, in the 1963/64 Sheffield Shield. The South Australian bowling attack was led by Gary Sobers and while he ran through Victoria's batting lineup with six second innings wickets, Jordon resisted with a century before falling LBW to Neil Hawke
Neil Hawke
Neil James Napier Hawke was an Australian Test cricketer and leading Australian rules footballer.Born in Cheltenham, South Australia, Hawke quickly developed as a natural all-round sportsman who excelled in cricket, football and golf and made his senior Australian rules football debut for South...
.
The wicket-keeper captained Victoria in five Sheffield Shield matches during his career, three of them in the 1968/69 season.
Jordon came close to playing Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
, touring both India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1969/70 as a standby for Brian Taber
Brian Taber
Hedley Brian Taber is a former Australian cricketer who played in 16 Tests from 1966 to 1970....
. Although he appeared in four of Australia's first-class warm up matches in India and six in South Africa, Jordon wasn't required for any of the Tests.
Cheating Allegations
According to Ashley MallettAshley Mallett
Ashley Alexander Mallett is a former Australian cricketer who played in 38 Tests and 9 One Day Internationals between 1968 and 1980...
's biography of Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell
Ian Michael Chappell is a former cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. He captained Australia between 1971 and 1975 before taking a central role in the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation...
, Chappelli Speaks Out, Bill Lawry
Bill Lawry
William Morris "Bill" Lawry, AM is a former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia in 25 Tests, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia in the inaugural One Day International match, played in 1971...
was considering selecting Jordon to play in the fourth test instead of Taber because of the former's superior batting. Chappell said he wouldn't play in the side if Jordon was picked because the wicketkeeper was a cheat. This was based on an incident during a game on the recent Indian tour when Australia was playing South Zone. E.A.S. Prasanna was facing Alan Connolly
Alan Connolly
Alan Norman Connolly is a former Australian cricketer who played in 29 Tests and one ODI from 1963 to 1971. Connolly had been a fast bowler in his youth, but slowed his pace to increase his accuracy and became a reliable support bowler in partnership with Garth McKenzie...
with Jordon standing up to the stumps - he appeared to miss the ball and his off stump was knocked forward. Jordon appealed and Prasanna eventually walked but Chappell believed the ball had missed Prasanna's stumps and rebounded off Jordon's pads to break the wicket - and that Jordon knew this.
Football
As a football coach Jordon led clubs at Under-19 and Reserve level and is credited as having coached eleven premiership teams. Nicknamed 'The Slug' and known for his colourful language, Jordon had particular success with MelbourneMelbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
and Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
's Under-19s. While he was in charge of the reserves at North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
he was called up to coach the seniors for a VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
game in 1976 as Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
was unavailable. During his early sporting years, Jordon was himself a player at Coburg and appeared in 96 VFA
VFA
VFA may refer to:*VFA-103, a strike-force fighter squadron*Victorian Football Association, an Australian rules football competition established in the 19th Century that was superseded as the elite competition by the 1897 establishment of the Victorian Football League.*Visiting Forces...
matches before retiring in 1962 to concentrate on cricket.
A parody of Gordon named Jay 'Grub' Gordon appears in the Specky Magee
Specky Magee
The Specky Magee series is a highly popular and best-selling children’s book series in Australia. The books, written by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon, chronicle the life and times of teenager Simon Magee, an aspiring Aussie Rules football champion. There are currently eight books in the series...
series of novels written by former Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
player Garry Lyon
Garry Lyon
Garry Peter Lyon is a former professional Australian rules football player and was captain of the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League. Since his retirement from football, he has been mainly an Australian rules football media personality, featuring on television, radio and in...
and author Felice Arena
Felice Arena
Felice Arena is an Australian children's author and illustrator, and occasional actor. He is best known for the bestselling and award-winning Specky Magee series, and his hilarious Farticus Maximus books...
.