Michael Pierce (cricketer)

{{short description|Australian cricketer (1869–1913)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}

{{use Australian English|date=January 2017}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Michael Pierce

| image = Michael Pierce.png

| country =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1869|9|3|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Sydney, Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|1913|2|4|1869|9|3|df=yes}}

| death_place = Sydney, Australia

| batting =

| bowling = Right-arm leg-spin

| role = Bowler

| club1 = New South Wales

| year1 = 1892–93 to 1893–94

| clubnumber1 =

| club2 = Queensland

| year2 = 1894–95

| clubnumber2 =

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 8

| runs1 = 87

| bat avg1 = 8.70

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 32

| deliveries1 = 1,658

| wickets1 = 30

| bowl avg1 = 27.93

| fivefor1 = 3

| tenfor1 = 1

| best bowling1 = 8/111

| catches/stumpings1= 7/–

| date = 24 October 2019

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/7122.html ESPNcricinfo

}}

Michael Pierce (3 September 1869 – 4 February 1913) was an Australian cricketer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/7122.html |title=Michael Pierce |access-date=15 January 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He played eight first-class matches for New South Wales and Queensland between 1892/93 and 1894/95.{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/6/6058/6058.html |title=Michael Pierce |access-date=15 January 2017 |work=Cricket Archive}}

Short, thick-set and muscular, Mick Pierce was a slow leg-break bowler who could spin the ball sharply even on the hardest pitch.{{cite journal |title=Intercolonial cricket match |journal=Referee |date=21 December 1892 |page=8 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/121783941}}{{cite journal |title=Another wonder |journal=Sunday Times (Sydney) |date=7 March 1909 |page=6 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126591576}} On his first-class debut in December 1892, which was also the first-ever Sheffield Shield match, Pierce opened the bowling for New South Wales and took 8 for 111 and 5 for 154, but South Australia nevertheless won by 57 runs.{{cite web |title=Sheffield Shield at Adelaide, Dec 16-21 1892 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8043/scorecard/286622/south-australia-vs-new-south-wales-sheffield-shield-1892-93 |website=Cricinfo |access-date=24 October 2019}} A week later, in the second Sheffield Shield match, he took 6 for 100 and 1 for 63 against Victoria, but again he was on the losing side.{{cite web |title=Victoria v New South Wales 1892-93 |url-access=subscription|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/3/3903.html|website=CricketArchive |access-date=24 October 2019}} Despite this brilliant beginning to his career he quickly faded from the first-class scene, apparently through lack of ambition.

Pierce died in February 1913 after a long illness.{{cite journal |title=Death of a Sydney cricketer |journal=Referee |date=26 February 1913 |page=12 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120482334}}