Craig McDermott
A fiery, blond-haired fast bowler who spearheaded Australia's attack for over a decade, terrorizing batsmen with his aggressive pace and bounce.
Born 1965 (age 61)·Australian cricketer·Birthday: April 14·Generation X
Biography
Craig McDermott burst onto the cricket scene as a teenage prodigy from Queensland, his raw speed and aggressive demeanor instantly marking him as Australia's next great fast bowler. With a classic, side-on action and a mop of blond hair flowing from beneath his baggy green, he became the spearhead of the attack through the late 1980s and early 1990s. His career was a rollercoaster of spectacular wicket hauls and debilitating injuries, but at his peak, he was virtually unplayable, particularly in the seaming conditions he relished. McDermott was instrumental in Australia's 1987 World Cup victory and later mentored a new generation as the national team's bowling coach, helping to shape the successors who would dominate world cricket.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Craig was born in 1965, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Craig Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Craig's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1983Could vote
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Turned 21
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Took 291 wickets in 71 Test matches for Australia, placing him among the country's all-time leading wicket-takers at his retirement.
- Was a key member of the Australian team that won its first Cricket World Cup title in 1987.
- Captured 7 wickets for 97 runs in a single Test innings against England at the WACA in 1995.
Did You Know?
He made his Test debut for Australia at the age of 19.
His son, Ben McDermott, is a professional cricketer who has played for Australia in limited-overs formats.
He once took a hat-trick in a Sheffield Shield match for Queensland against South Australia.
“My job was simple: take the new ball and attack the top of off stump.”
