Wikipedia

Beau Casson

Beau Casson (born 7 December 1982) is an Australian former cricketer who played for Western Australia and New South Wales from 2002 to 2011, and represented Australia at Test cricket. Primarily a left-arm wrist spinner, Casson was also capable with the bat and had a highest first-class score of 99. He retired from first-class cricket in 2011.[1]

Beau Casson
Personal information
Full name
Beau Casson
Born (1982-12-07) 7 December 1982 (age 41)
Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
NicknameBuzz
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
BattingRight-handed
BowlingLeft-arm unorthodox spin
RoleAll rounder
International information
National side
Only Test (cap 401)12 June 2008 v West Indies
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2002/03–2005/06Western Australia
2006/07–2011/12New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition Test FC LA T20
Matches 1 50 21 5
Runs scored 10 1,483 47 –
Batting average 10.00 22.81 7.83 –
100s/50s 0/0 0/8 0/0 –
Top score 10 99 18 –
Balls bowled 192 8,594 624 78
Wickets 3 117 18 1
Bowling average 43.00 43.52 28.66 115.00
5 wickets in innings 0 4 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 1 0 0
Best bowling 3/86 6/64 4/31 1/20
Catches/stumpings 2/– 22/– 3/– 1/–
Source: CricketArchive, 10 May 2022

Early and personal life

edit

Casson was born and grew up in the Perth suburb of Subiaco as one of seven children.[2] He began bowling wrist-spin as a child after watching Shane Warne, citing him as a major influence in his career.[2] Casson was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect for which he has undergone three open-heart surgeries.[3]

Junior career

edit

A talented junior cricketer, Casson represented the Australian U-19 cricket team in Youth Test and One Day International matches between 2001 and 2002.[4][5] He was a vital part of the Australian Under 19 team that won the 2002 Under 19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand,[6] taking 12 wickets at 15.08 in 6 matches.[7] He was also a part of the Youth Test team that took on the Sri Lankan U-19 cricket team at Perth and Adelaide in 2001. Australia swept the series 3-0 and Casson performed solidly taking 8 wickets at 17.37 with best figures of 5/52.[8]

Casson represented Western Australia at all junior levels, from playing in their Under 17 team in 1999 to their Under 19 team in 2001.[9] He was also a multiple graduate of the Australian Cricket Academy, being a part of the academy intake in 2001, 2002 and 2006.

Domestic career

edit

Western Australia

edit

As a junior, Casson competed for the Western Australian Under 17 and 19 teams as well as their Second XI team, however it wasn't until the 2002–03 season when he won his first full state contract.[10] Prior to making his first-class debut, Casson also played for a Western Australian XI that took on the travelling English cricket team, taking the wicket of James Foster and finishing with figures of 1/32.[11] With seven of Western Australia's players away on international duties,[12] Casson made his first-class debut on 8 December 2003 against Tasmania at the WACA Ground.[13] He had a quiet debut with the ball, taking 0/44 in Tasmania's first innings, but had a solid showing with the bat, scoring 35 runs in Western Australia's second innings.[13] He had an excellent second first-class match as he tore through South Australia's batting line-up in the first innings to finish with 6/64 and went on to take 10 wickets for the match and was named Man of the Match for the first time in his senior career.[14] Casson played the remaining games of the Pura Cup for Western Australia, however he faded with the ball towards the end of the season, finishing with 17 wickets at 39.35.[15] The 2002–03 season also saw Casson make his List A debut on 10 January 2003 against Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[16] He failed to take a wicket on debut, and in the three other matches he played in the ING Cup season.[17]

Casson had a solid second season for Western Australia, taking 17 wickets at 34.11 in the Pura Cup and 4 wickets at 33.50 in the ING Cup,[18][19] however he missed part of the season due to strained ligaments in his bowling hand.[20] After recovering from his hand injury, Casson had mixed fortunes in the 2004-05 Australian season. He struggled with the ball and bat in the 2004-05 Pura Cup, taking 9 wickets at an average of 40.33 and scoring 36 runs at an average of 9.00.[21][22] In contrast, he performed well with the ball in the ING Cup taking 8 wickets at 17.75.[23] The 2005–06 season was Casson's last for Western Australia, and he performed poorly, managing 17 wickets at the hefty average of 54.29 in the Pura Cup and only 3 wickets at 41.33 in the ING Cup.[24][25]

In his four years with the Warriors, Casson took 71 first-class wickets at 39.38 and 15 List A wickets at 30.20.[26][27]

New South Wales

edit

In May 2006, Casson announced he was making a move east to play for the New South Wales Blues.[28] Although Western Australia tried to keep him, Casson felt that bowling on the more spin-friendly pitches of the Sydney Cricket Ground would help his career.[28] Western Australia claimed that New South Wales had breached the transfer laws in signing him. Cricket Australia, however, ruled that his transfer was lawful and Casson was cleared to play for New South Wales.[29]

While there were doubts over whether Casson would be able to hold down a permanent place in the New South Wales team with four other spinners in the squad,[30] he managed to play seven matches in his first season with the Blues. Despite this, he had a very poor first season, taking only 7 wickets at an average of 72.00,[31] however his form was not helped by a shoulder injury that eventually required reconstructive surgery.[32] Coming back from shoulder injury, Casson had an excellent 2007-08 Pura Cup season. Playing nine matches in the season, he took 29 wickets at an average of 35.13 and scored 485 runs at 60.62.[33][34] He hit a career top score of 99 off 180 balls against South Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground and he played a vital role in the Blues' 2007-08 Pura Cup final win.[35] After scoring 89 in a state record seventh wicket stand with Brett Lee,[36] he took 4 wickets in Victoria's unsuccessful run chase, including the final wicket that won the Cup for New South Wales.[37] His strong season was rewarded with his first Cricket Australia contract on 9 April 2008.[38]

Despite performing well in first-class cricket, Casson struggled to make the New South Wales one-day side with Nathan Hauritz being the first choice List A spinner for the Blues. Casson only played one List A game and two Twenty20 for New South Wales.

He announced his retirement from all cricket in November 2011 due to his long-standing heart condition.[39]

International career

edit

On 1 April 2008, Casson was named in Australia's squad for the tour of the West Indies as a back-up for Stuart MacGill.[40] After the retirement of MacGill following the Second Test in Antigua, Casson was named in the Australian team for the final Test in Barbados.[41] His Test debut came on 12 June 2008 at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, making him the 401st man to play Test cricket for Australia. Despite going wicket-less in his first innings of the match, he picked up vital wickets in the final innings, taking 3/86. His first Test wicket was that of Xavier Marshall, caught at short leg by Phil Jaques for 85.[42]

Later life

edit

Casson became a coach, working with New South Wales under-age players. He was appointed New South Wales' senior batting coach in 2018.[43]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Beau Casson retires from all cricket at 28". ESPNcricinfo. 22 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Casson coming out of the shadows". The Age. 10 May 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  3. ^ "Beau Casson - Plenty of ticker". The Age. 6 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  4. ^ Youth Test Matches played by Beau Casson (3) Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Cricket Archive. Retrieved 12 June 2008
  5. ^ Youth One-Day International Matches played by Beau Casson (8) Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Cricket Archive. Retrieved 12 June 2008
  6. ^ Australian team for 2002 ICC Under-19 World Cup announced Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 June 2008
  7. ^ Bowling in ICC Under-19 World Cup 2001/02 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 11 June 2008
  8. ^ Under-19 Test Bowling for Australia Under-19s Sri Lanka Under-19s in Australia 2000/01 Cricket Archive. Retrieved 11 June 2008
  9. ^ Other matches played by Beau Casson (84) Archived 22 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Cricket Archive. Retrieved 12 June 2008
  10. ^ Callum Thorp joins warriors squad Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  11. ^ Western Australia v England XI Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  12. ^ Opportunity knocks for young Warriors Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  13. ^ a b Western Australia v Tasmania - Pura Cup 2002/03 Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  14. ^ South Australia v Western Australia - Pura Cup 2002/03 Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  15. ^ Bowling in Pura Cup 2002/03 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  16. ^ Victoria v Western Australia - ING Cup 2002/03 Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  17. ^ Bowling in ING Cup 2002/03 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  18. ^ Bowling in Pura Cup 2003/04 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  19. ^ Bowling in ING Cup 2003/04 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  20. ^ Casson returns to action Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  21. ^ Bowling in ING Cup 2004/05 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  22. ^ Batting and Fielding in Pura Cup 2004/05 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  23. ^ Bowling in ING Cup 2004/05 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  24. ^ Bowling in Pura Cup 2005/06 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  25. ^ Bowling in ING Cup 2005/06 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  26. ^ First-class Bowling For Each Team by Beau Casson Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  27. ^ ListA Bowling For Each Team by Beau Casson Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  28. ^ a b Casson trades in Perth for Sydney Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  29. ^ Casson cleared for move to New South Wales Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  30. ^ NSW name spin-friendly contract squad Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  31. ^ Bowling in Pura Cup 2006/07 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  32. ^ MacGill's Injury Was Casson's Lucky Break[permanent dead link‍] Live News. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  33. ^ Batting and Fielding in Pura Cup 2007/08 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  34. ^ Bowling in Pura Cup 2007/08 (Ordered by Average) Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  35. ^ New South Wales v South Australia - Pura Cup Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  36. ^ Lee's 97 puts Blues on the brink Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  37. ^ New South Wales v Victoria Cricket Archive. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  38. ^ Bollinger and Marsh receive contracts Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  39. ^ "Beau Casson retires from all cricket at 28". ESPNcricinfo. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
  40. ^ Casson picked for West Indies tour Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  41. ^ Australia pick Casson for third Test Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  42. ^ West Indies v Australia - The Frank Worrell Trophy - 3rd Test Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2008
  43. ^ Wu, Andrew (22 August 2018). "NSW appoint former spinner Beau Casson batting coach in Blues revamp". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beau_Casson&oldid=1188322405"