Former Australian and NSW footballer Frank Misson dies aged 85

Mison played five Tests in the famous 1960–61 home series against the West Indies and the 1961 Ashes tour to England but his Test career was cut short by an Achilles injury. He took 16 wickets at 38.50 including a career best 4 for 58 against the West Indies in Melbourne.

He played 71 first-class matches, mainly for New South Wales, and finished with 177 first-class wickets at 31.13 in a short career that spanned from 1958 to 1964.

Misson was a keen athlete in his youth, training with Australian middle distance athletics coach Percy Cerutty who famously coached Australia’s Herb Elliott to Olympic gold and the world record in the 1500m in Rome in 1960.

Mison carried that strength and athleticism into his cricket career, bursting onto the scene and taking six wickets as a 20-year-old for NSW in the inaugural Sheffield Shield in the final match of the 1958-59 season. At the end of the 1959–60 Shield season Misson was named in Australia’s second XI to tour New Zealand and took 17 wickets at 12.47.

“The 1961 Australian team went to England by boat, but Mison was not to be denied his training,” writes Chappell. “As he ran around the edge of the deck, some physically challenged players sitting at the bar saw Misson shining through the window. Perhaps embarrassed by Misson’s zealous exertion, they decided to supplement his exercise regime by placing deck chairs in his path. Mison avoided the first set of obstacles and did the same with yet another set of chairs. , the bar rats withdrew and left him to train in peace.”

Misson played the first two Tests of the Ashes series but an Achilles injury hampered him for the remainder of the tour and he did not play another Test match.

Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon paid tribute to Mison following his passing.

“Our condolences go out to Frank’s family and friends, especially all those who played with him as part of the NSW Men’s Team and the Australian Men’s Team,” Germon said.

“Frank’s career was cut short by injury, which was ironic considering his focus on health, nutrition and fitness in an era when sports science was not very prevalent.

“His five Test caps are a tribute to his talent and determination and there is no doubt that had it not been for injury he would have played many more times for his nation and country.”