Matt Mason (cricketer)

Matthew Sean Mason (born 20 March 1974) is an Australian former first-class cricketer. He holds an Irish passport and was therefore not considered an overseas player when playing for Worcestershire County Cricket Club. He played as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, who benefits from his 6-foot 6-inch (1.98 m) height, and a lower-order right-handed batsman.

Mason started his career with Western Australia in 1996–97, and made his senior debut in a February List A win over Tasmania, taking the wicket of Michael di Venuto. Six days later he made his first appearance in first-class cricket in a drawn Sheffield Shield match against Queensland, but could manage only 1-72. He batted as a nightwatchman in his team's second innings, but made just 3 before being bowled by Michael Kasprowicz.

He played another three first-class games and one List A match in 1997–98, but never took more than two wickets in an innings and drifted out of the side. A few years later, Worcestershire coach Tom Moody, who had known Mason since the bowler was a teenager, tried to entice him to New Road to play county cricket, but was turned down; however, a second approach was accepted and Mason became a Worcestershire player in time for the 2002 season.

Mason's first-team experience at Worcester began in the Benson & Hedges Cup, where he took seven wickets in three matches. A number of further one-day games followed, before he was given his County Championship debut against Northamptonshire in July. He responded with six wickets in the match, and kept his place in the first-class side for the rest of the season, taking 5–50 against Nottinghamshire. In the last game of the season in September, he also scored a vital 50 as Worcestershire squeezed past Derbyshire by just one wicket.

2003 saw Mason firmly established in the first team, and he took 53 first-class wickets that year at a fine average of 21.58, as well as 26 wickets at 24.92 in limited-overs cricket. A highlight came in early July, when he took 6–68 in the second innings (and 9–116 in the match) against Durham as Worcestershire recorded a 31-run win. In 2004 he took 52 wickets, albeit at an average slightly over 30, and he passed the 50-wicket mark for the third successive summer in 2005.

He struggled with injuries through 2007 and 2008 before returning to the side and in August 2008, signed a deal with the club which saw him assume the dual role of player and bowling coach in 2009.