Ivor Clay

Who was Ivor Clay?

Ivor Thomas Clay was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League during the 1940s and also a first-class cricketer for Tasmania.

Clay kicked 13 goals in his debut season at Fitzroy, in 1941, after making his debut in their round five game against Richmond. He was a semi regular in the team again the following year but from 1943 to 1946 his appearances were sporadic. As a result he missed out on a place in Fitzroy's drought breaking 1944 premiership team, which his twin brother Bert played in.

Once his VFL career was over, Clay went to Tasmania and ended up playing three first-class cricket matches for the state, as a right-arm fast-medium bowler. He took nine wickets at 37.77, among them Test opener Colin McDonald. Five of his wickets came on his debut when he played against Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and included his career best figures of 3 for 64.