Murray Chapple

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Murray Ernest Chapple (25 July 1930 – 31 July 1985) was a New Zealand cricketer. He played 14 Test matches for New Zealand between 1953 and 1966, captaining the side in one Test in 1966. A right‑handed middle‑order batsman, he also bowled left‑arm pace early in his career and later used left‑arm spin.

In domestic cricket, Chapple played for Canterbury and Central Districts from 1949 to 1966. He scored 5,344 runs in first‑class cricket at about 28.9, with four centuries and 31 fifties, and his top score was 165. His best bowling in first‑class cricket was 5 for 24 for Canterbury against Auckland in 1955–56.

Chapple rose to national prominence in 1952–53, when he opened for Canterbury and made 165 and 88 against the touring South Africans, earning his selection for the Test team and a subsequent South Africa tour.

He retired after a leg injury in 1965–66. After playing, he served as manager for New Zealand tours, including the West Indies trip in 1971–72 and the India/Pakistan tour in 1976–77; he was chosen to manage the England tour in 1986 but died before it began. His calm leadership was praised by Wisden’s Henry Blofeld for helping his players cope with pressure. Chapple was born in Christchurch and died in Hamilton at age 55.