Jon Moss
(1975 - )
Jonathan Moss (born May 4, 1975) is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler who played for the Victorian Bushrangers from season 2000-01 to 2006-07.
A consistent All-rounder for Victoria, Derbyshire and Berkshire, Moss became one of Australia’s most unsung yet successful cricketers on the domestic scene. Prior to his first class debut, Moss played for Australia in the Maccabiah Games in Israel, a competition in which the best Jewish sportsmen from around the world compete representing their country. Moss was involved in a life shaping event, when a bridge collapsed as the Australian team were walking in Tel Aviv, killing 4 people. Moss was on the bridge at the time, on his way to the opening games with his team, and fell into the river.
The Sydney native first played cricket for Hampshire’s Second XI in one game in 2000, before moving back to his home country and playing for Victoria, as the Sydney native was unable to crack the New South Wales squad. His exploits as a middle-order batsman in the Victorian team got them to the finals of the 2000-01 and 2003-04 Pura Cup finals, the latter of which they won thanks to a first-innings total of 710 all out, the highest score in either a Sheffield Shield or Pura Cup final, while Moss himself averaged around 60 for the tournament.
After a performance of this style, Moss was soon packing his bags for England, where he appeared almost two months later for Derbyshire for the first time. Despite struggling to make himself a part of the first team during his first two seasons at the club, and despite a failed transfer request to back to New South Wales, Moss kept in a consistent vein of form for the Peakites.
Season 2005-06 saw a great year for Moss, as international selection was suggested by numerous journalists (such as Darren Berry) and armchair critics, after a strong start to the season with both bat and ball, saving the Victorians on numerous occasions, but his age of 32 was seen as a barrier for this, and it never eventuated. However, Moss’s form reaped the rewards for his state, and he finished off an excellent season with 295 runs (at an average of 29.50) in the ING Cup, and 413 (at an average of 27) runs in the Pura Cup, plus 20 wickets in the same competition, as Victoria made the Pura Cup final.
The 2006-07 season was expected to be a big season for the Victorian veteran, but the all-rounder faced an inconsistent season in Pura Cup cricket, scoring just 149 runs (at an average of 18.62), whilst his medium pacers proved handy, taking 14 wickets (at 28.14) in a decent return, but it was not enough to make Moss a permanent fixture, and he was in and out of the side at times. Moss was more consistent in the recently renamed Ford Ranger (OD) cup, scoring 344 runs (at 31.27), playing every match, but failing to score a century.
Moss is also an accomplished golfer, playing off single figures and recently beating off stiff competition to take the trophy at this years Tin Cup XI Golf Tournament.
In spite of his previous success as an excellent all-rounder, Moss was dropped from the Victorian squad for Season 2007-08, bringing to close an illustrious career, which featured 4482 first class runs (at 35.01), with 7 centuries and 30 half centuries, the honour of being vice captain and stand in captain, in a match which brought upon his highest ever FC score of 172 (not out), and 131 wickets (at 33.93) in FC cricket as well.
He has since returned home to Sydney, where he has not ruled out playing in the future for New South Wales, but has confirmed he wasn’t offered a contract yet by them. He currently plays for Sydney in the Sydney Cricket Association, Sydney’s premier cricket association.
Sources: Wikipedia