Murray Bisset: Difference between revisions

Born in [[Port Elizabeth]], Bisset was the fifth son of James Bisset, engineer and former Mayor of [[Wynberg, Cape Town|Wynberg]], and Emily, née Jarvis, daughter of [[Hercules Jarvis]], MLC, MLA.<ref name=Beyes>Beyes, C.J. (1981) ''The Dictionary of South African Biography'', vol. 4, Butterworth & Co., Durban.</ref> Educated at Diocesan College, [[Rondebosch]], Bisset soon gained a reputation as a batsman and a wicket keeper who could stand up to the fastest bowlers,<ref name="Martin-Jenkins, C. 1996">Martin-Jenkins, C. (1996) ''World Cricketers: A Biographical Dictionary'', Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 019210005X.</ref> and made his first class cricket debut for [[Western Province cricket team (South Africa)|Western Province]] on 18 April 1895 against [[Transvaal cricket team|Transvaal]] at [[Durban]], scoring 0 and five not out. Despite this setback, Bisset was a regular member of the Western Province side, scoring an unbeaten 124 against Transvaal in 1897, leading to his announcement as captain of the Western Province side for the [[Supersport Series|Currie Cup]] final that year. He scored 5 and 63*, enough to secure his position as South African captain against the touring [[England cricket team|English]] side. Aged 22, Bisset remained Test cricket's youngest ever captain until [[Ian Craig]] captained [[Australia cricket team|Australia]] in 1957.<ref>''CricInfo'' http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283416.html Accessed 26 October 2007.</ref>

Bisset studied law and, following graduation, was admitted to the Cape Bar in 1899 and practised in the Cape before serving in the [[South African War]].<ref>Rosenthal, E. (1978) ''Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa'', Juta & Company Ltd: Cape Town. ISBN 07021 0971 1</ref>. Following his war service, In 1901, Bisset led the South African team to England in the face of fierce criticism that the tour was taking place during the war.<ref> name="Martin-Jenkins, C. (1996) ''World Cricketers: A Biographical Dictionary'', Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 019210005X.<"/ref>. Bisset starred on the tour, which did not include a Test, including 184 against [[Derbyshire County Cricket Club|Derbyshire]], his highest first-class score.

In [[South African election, 1914|1914]], Bisset was elected to the [[Union Legislative Assembly]] as a [[South African Party (Union of South Africa)|South African Party]] representative for South Peninsula, holding his seat until his retirement from politics in 1924.<ref name="The Times' 1931, p 19">''The Times'' "Obituary - Sir Murray Bisset", ''The Times'', 26 October 1931, p 19.</ref>. While in parliament, Bisset unsuccessfully introduced a [[Private Members Bill]] in 1921 whereby a widow was lawfully entitled to marry her deceased husband's brother.<ref name=Beyes/>

Following his retirement from politics, Bisset moved to Southern Rhodesia where he was appointed a senior judge in 1925 and served as Chief Justice of Southern Rhodesia from 1927 until his death. Knighted in 1928, Bisset had served as acting Governor of Southern Rhodesia in 1928 and was serving as Governor again in 1931 while the Governor [[Cecil Hunter Rodwell]] was in [[England]], when he died in [[Harare|Salisbury]], [[Zimbabwe|Southern Rhodesia]].<ref>''The Times'' name="Obituary - Sir Murray Bisset", ''The Times'', 26 October 1931, p 19.<"/ref> He was survived by his wife, Gladys, whom he married in 1905, and one son.<ref name=Beyes/>

Bisset's brothers Edgar and Arthur Bisset, and brother-in-law Archibald Difford also played first-class cricket in South Africa.<ref>''Cricket Archive'' http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/0/221/221.html Accessed 26 October 2007.</ref>

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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = South African cricketer