Tom O'Dwyer

Who was Tom O'Dwyer?

Thomas Edmund "Tom" O'Dwyer was an Australian cricketer who played 15 first-class matches for Western Australia between 1946 and 1960. He is best known as the last player to dismiss Donald Bradman in a first-class match in Australia. O'Dwyer was born in Bridgetown, Western Australia, to John and Isabel O'Dwyer. His father was manager of the local Lands Department office. O'Dwyer's family moved to Perth when he was five, and he attended St. Patricks College. He began playing cricket with the North Perth C-grade team, and later played for Subiaco and Mount Lawley in the WACA District competition.

Bowling left-arm orthodox spin, O'Dwyer made his first-class debut for Western Australia against the touring Marylebone Cricket Club team in October 1946, and took two wickets on debut, dismissing Joe Hardstaff leg before wicket and having Bill Edrich caught. The following season, he was a member of Western Australia's inaugural Sheffield Shield side against South Australia, taking 5/47 in South Australia's first innings to record his first five-wicket haul.