Bruce Dooland

Not to be confused with Bruce Doolan.

Bruce Dooland (1 November 1923 – 8 September 1980) was an Australian cricketer who played in three Test matches for the Australian national cricket team during the late 1940s.

Bruce Dooland

Dooland in about 1948
Personal information
Full name	Bruce Dooland
Born	(1923-11-01)1 November 1923 Cowandilla, South Australia
Died	8 September 1980(1980-09-08) (aged 56) Bedford Park, South Australia
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Leg-break and googly
Role	Bowling all-rounder
International information
National side	Australia
Test debut (cap 174)	1 January 1947 v England
Last Test	1 January 1948 v India
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1945/46–1957/58	South Australia
1953–1957	Nottinghamshire
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 3 214 Runs scored 76 7,141 Batting average 19.00 24.37 100s/50s 0/0 4/41 Top score 29 115* Balls bowled 880 52,734 Wickets 9 1,016 Bowling average 46.55 21.98 5 wickets in innings 0 84 10 wickets in match 0 23 Best bowling 4/69 8/20 Catches/stumpings 3/– 186/–
Source: CricketArchive, 14 January 2013

During the war Dooland was in an Australian Commando unit serving in the South Pacific.^[1] A member of Z Special Unit, he took part in rescue, intelligence and sabotage missions in Borneo, often behind enemy lines.^[2]

After the war, he played Sheffield Shield cricket for South Australia and took the first post-war hat-trick in Australia.^[2] In 1946–47 he was called up for the Third Test in Melbourne against England and took 4/69 and 1/84. More importantly he held up one end while Colin McCool made his maiden Test century. He was kept for the Fourth Test in Melbourne and again defended stoutly while Keith Miller made his maiden Test century, but returned match figures of 3/198 and was dropped in favour of George Tribe. His Test career ended when, after Doug Ring and Colin McCool were preferred as the leg spin bowlers in the 1948 Australian touring party to England, he came to England to play in the Lancashire League and then qualified by residence to play for Nottinghamshire (Notts). In 1950–51 He toured India with the Commonwealth team.

The county team was at a low ebb and Dooland had the responsibility of being the first overseas import brought in specifically to strengthen the team. He played for them from 1953 to 1957, scoring 4,782 runs at an average of 24.52 and taking 770 wickets at 18.86. He completed the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season twice and in another season missed it by only 30 runs. He took 16 for 83 in the match against Essex at Trent Bridge in 1954^[3] and his total of 181 wickets for Nottinghamshire that season remains the club's record. Following his departure, Notts had their worst-ever period in terms of results.

Dooland played twice for the Players in the Gentlemen v Players match, and was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1955. In 1956, when the Australian touring team played Notts, he taught Richie Benaud how to bowl the flipper.^[2]

He also played baseball for the West Torrens Baseball Club and was regarded as one of the best pitchers in his state, and represented Australia at baseball as well as cricket. He is West Torrens Baseball Club Team of the Century member.

References

1. Cricketer magazine, August 1957, 28th edition.
2. Greg Growden, Cricketers at War, ABC Books, Sydney, 2019, pp. 228–39.
3. Nottinghamshire v Essex 1954. Cricket Archive

External links

• Bruce Dooland at ESPNcricinfo
• Wisden obituary
• 1955 Cricketer of the Year article