Goodwin joins cricket's royalty

Veteran Bunbury batsman Murray Goodwin joined an exclusive club earlier this month when he reached his 300th first class cricket match.

He chalked up the milestone while playing for Welsh county Glamorgan against Essex last week.

Goodwin reached the landmark without fanfare with the highlight his knock of 44 in the second innings.

After a glittering 12-year career with Sussex, Goodwin is now lining up for Glamorgan.

He represented Western Australia between 1994 and 2007 and plays for Colts in the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association.

“When Sussex told me they would not be renewing my contract I was devastated,” Goodwin said.

“They needed to start a youth policy and with their batting list getting older they need to look to the future.

“I reckoned I had a couple of years left in me so I put out feelers and got replies from several counties and I selected second tier Glamorgan because of their young list and the challenge of bringing them up into the top division.”

Goodwin’s departure from Sussex prompted several glowing testimonials from English cricket’s biggest figures.

Before his death in January, legendary cricket author and broadcaster Christopher Martin-Jenkins paid tribute to Goodwin writing in The Times of London: “Anyway, believe me, no player of recent vintage has played it half so well as Murray Goodwin, who has lost his gift this season and is, perforce, saying farewell to Sussex, where he has performed like a priceless secretary to a highly successful Cabinet, year after year.”

“Famously, he told the Sussex huddle on the warm, slightly misty September morning in 2003 that the championship was finally won: “Sorry mates but I’m going to hit the winning runs.”

"A few hours later he hit the runs that earned the vital bonus point.”

The 40-year-old is engaged in his 301st game against Leicestershire.

He made 57 before being dismissed lbw in the first innings.

He played 19 Tests and 71 one day internationals for Zimbabwe and has made 365 domestic one day appearances in a glittering career at the crease.

Scoreboard

First Class Career of Murray Goodwin

Matches: 300

Runs: 22,248

High score: 344no

Average: 46.64

100s: 67

50s: 91