Keith Rigg

Keith Rigg was a strong, stylish batsman who flourished in the 1930s, though in an era of great batsmen he was often overshadowed. After making his Victorian debut in 1926-27, it took him a while to get established in the Shield side. In 1930-31 he was picked for the Test squad when he was supposed to be sitting his economics finals at Melbourne University; after getting special dispensation from his professor he was rather embarrassed to be made twelfth man, a position he maintained for three more Tests until he finally got his chance at Sydney. West Indies caught his side on a sticky wicket and achieved their first win over Australia: Rigg scored 14 and 16. On the same ground a year later he hit his only Test century, 127 against South Africa, made partly in tandem with Bradman. But Rigg was ignored for the Bodyline series of 1932-33, which was surprising since he was a fine hooker and cutter, and his eight Tests were all at home - he never toured, although in 1930, when Australia brought only 15 men to England, he was told by a selector he would have been the 16th. For 30 years, he worked for a large farm machinery company in Melbourne and became their public relations director. He was a Victorian selector for many years and remained a regular at the MCG into old age; he was a particular admirer of Steve Waugh's batting.
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