SYDNEY: Former Australian and Queensland wicketkeeper John Maclean has passed away at the age of 80 following a long illness.
Maclean represented Australia in four Test matches and two One Day Internationals during the 1978–79 Ashes series at home, a period when several leading Australian players were unavailable due to World Series Cricket commitments.
He made his first-class debut for Queensland in 1968 and quickly established himself as a dependable wicketkeeper, breaking the state record for most dismissals in a season previously held by former Australia wicketkeeper Wally Grout. In his debut season of Sheffield Shield cricket, he also scored his highest first-class score of 156.
His performances earned him selection for an Australian development tour of New Zealand in 1969–70 alongside players such as Greg Chappell and Dennis Lillee.
However, he had to wait several years for another opportunity at the international level, eventually returning during the 1978–79 Ashes series.
Maclean was a key figure in Queensland cricket during the 1970s, captaining the side in 30 of his 86 Sheffield Shield matches and helping the team finish runner-up four times in five seasons between 1973–74 and 1977–78.
He retired with an impressive record of 385 first-class dismissals, including 354 catches and 31 stumpings, making him one of the most successful wicketkeepers in Australian domestic cricket history.
Beyond his playing career, Maclean was awarded an MBE in the 1980 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to cricket.
He later served in various administrative roles, including vice-president and president of Queensland Cricket, and contributed to the Australian Cricket Board in a players’ representative capacity.
Queensland Cricket paid tribute to Maclean, describing him as a “team-first” player whose leadership, commitment, and service left a lasting legacy in Australian cricket.
