Vale Ashley Mallett

Ashley Mallett, ex-Australian cricketer and author of 35 books, has died in Adelaide at age 76.

Born in Sydney in 1945, Mallett moved as a child to Western Australia where he started his cricket career. In 1968 he was selected for the Australian team and made his Test debut for Australia in the Ashes series in England, taking a wicket on his fifth ball. Mallett would go on to play 38 Test matches and nine one day internationals for Australia and is still considered one of the all-time best off-leg spin bowlers since WWII.

After retiring, Mallett was a successful journalist and commentator who went on to write 35 books. His last book Neil Harvey: The last invincible was published by Hardie Grant Books earlier this year.

Hardie Grant publisher Pam Brewster writes: 

‘Working with Ashley was such a joy: a gentleman whose passion for cricket was infectious. His stories will be sadly missed.’

Hardie Grant CEO Sandy Grant writes: 

‘We were really sorry to lose our author Ashley Mallett—obviously he will always be first remembered as a fine Test cricketer, but he had an illustrious career as a journalist and author and we were proud to have been his publisher—most recently for his Neil Harvey biography. Tragically his next work was to be an Alan Davidson biography—Alan died the same weekend. Two great losses.’

Category: Obituaries