Basil Rigg, who was last living member of WA's legendary 1947-48 Sheffield Shield squad, passed away peacefully this month at the age of 99.
WA Cricket Mourns Shield Trailblazer
Born in Mount Lawley on 12 August 1925, Rigg lived a rich and diverse sporting life, excelling in multiple sports while also serving in the military.
He will forever hold a special place in history as part of the WA team that won the Sheffield Shield just months after they were finally allowed to join the national competition.
The title, orchestrated by Keith Carmody, sent shockwaves across the nation and laid the platform for WA to become a powerhouse of Australian cricket.
Rigg played 18 First Class games for WA in career that spanned the summers of 1947-48 and 1956-57, tallying 511 runs and eight wickets as a spin-bowling allrounder.
His debut against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 30 January 1948 preceded a famous win versus Queensland the following week, rubber-stamping WA’s remarkable Shield championship. Rigg kept a stump from that landmark victory, cherishing the souvenir for more than 75 years.
While the gritty right-hander’s First Class record was relatively modest, Rigg made several noteworthy contributions against international opponents.
He scored his maiden half-century and took his first wickets in First Class cricket against India in 1948, and passed 50 against an Australian XI featuring Sir Donald Bradman and Keith Miller.
The latter struck him on the head with a bouncer but Rigg courageously resumed his innings after being assessed in the pavilion. Bradman, who initially guided Rigg from the field, met the young Perth product at the boundary upon his return to the field and personally showed him how to play the hook shot.
Gifted at multiple sports, Rigg won Perth’s goalkicking award at the age of 18 after his second season in the Western Australian Football League, having broken into the team the previous year.
His football career was put on hold when he enlisted in the Army during World War Two, and he eventually retired from the code in 1948 after 45 league games to focus on cricket.
Rigg also represented WA’s baseball side in the Claxton Shield and fielded at short stop, sharpening his skills to become one of the Sheffield Shield team’s best fielders.
WA Cricket extends its deepest condolences to the extended Rigg family, and recognises the considerable mark Basil left within the WA sporting landscape.