{{short description|Australian cricketer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Tim Zoehrer | image = | country = Australia | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Legbreak googly | international = true | internationalspan = 1986–1994 | testdebutdate = 21 February | testdebutyear = 1986 | testdebutagainst = New Zealand | testcap = 337 | lasttestdate = 10 January | lasttestyear = 1987 | lasttestagainst = England | odidebutdate = 05 February | odidebutyear = 1986 | odidebutagainst = India | odicap = 93 | lastodidate = 16 January | lastodiyear = 1994 | lastodiagainst = South Africa | columns = 2 | column1 = Test | matches1 = 10 | runs1 = 246 | bat avg1 = 20.50 | 100s/50s1 = 0/1 | top score1 = 52* | hidedeliveries = true | catches/stumpings1 = 18/1 | column2 = ODI | matches2 = 22 | runs2 = 130 | bat avg2 = 10.83 | 100s/50s2 = 0/1 | top score2 = 50 | catches/stumpings2 = 21/2 | club1 = Western Australia | year1 = {{nowrap|1980/81–1993/94}} | date = 12 December | year = 2005 | source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/8468.html Cricinfo }} '''Timothy Joseph Zoehrer''' (born 25 September 1961) is a former Australian cricket player. He played as a wicket-keeper and is of Austrian descent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/test-cricketers-with-german-origins/|title=Test Cricketers with German Origins|website=www.footyalmanac.com.au}}</ref>
He played ten Test matches between 1986 and 1987, touring New Zealand and India. He also played 22 One Day Internationals
==Early career== He began his career in the 1980–81 season with Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield as an understudy to Rod Marsh.
Zoehrer made his first class debut for Western Australia in November 1980, aged 19 years old, in a game against the touring India side.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126160246 |title=CRICKET Gavaskar hammers WA |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=55 |issue=16,496 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=24 November 1980 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Rod Marsh was the first choice Australian keeper but Zoehrer was able to play for his state when Marsh was on international duty. He became a state regular following Marsh's retirement in 1984.
After Marsh's retirement he became the number one state keeper and eventually the Australian Test keeper..
==International Keeper== In late January 1986 Zoehrer was picked as Australia's wicketkeeper for the 1986 tour of New Zealand, replacing Wayne Philips, who continued to play as batter. Zoehrer had played 29 first glass games.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122423891 |title=Phillips loses custody |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=60 |issue=18,384 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=31 January 1986 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=1 (SPORTS SECTION) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He soon made his international debut for Australia in an ODI against India in February 1986, scoring 11 runs (the amount by which Australia won the game).
Zoehrer kept in all three tests in New Zealand, scoring 18 in the first, 30 and 13 in the second, and 9 and 1 in the third, which Australia lost. He scored 71 in a tour game.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118105890 |title=Times Sport |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=60 |issue=18,421 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=9 March 1986 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=6 (SPORT) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> During the third test, Zoehrer fell injured with an eye infection during New Zealand's second innings and Phillips took over as keeper.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118107848 |title=Phillips takes the gloves back |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=60 |issue=18,431 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=19 March 1986 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=44 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He flew home early to treat the infection and Phillips took over for the ODIs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118109212 |title=It's stumps for the keeper as Australia waits on the weather |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=60 |issue=18,437 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=25 March 1986 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=36 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Zoehrer recovered and was selected as Australia's keeper on the 1986 tour to Sharjah and the 1986 tour of India, although Australia also selected a back up, Greg Dyer.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118195650 |title=Jones looking for runs in Sharjah |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=60 |issue=18,448 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=5 April 1986 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=12 (Section D) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131701203 |title=Phillips discarded as selectors go for a 'keeper |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=60 |issue=18,474 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=1 May 1986 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=30 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Zoehrer scored 52 in the second test.
===1986-87 season including The Ashes=== Zoehrer played in four tests during the 1986-87 Ashes, missing the third test due to injury.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130634480 |title=Spinner set to carry Test drinks |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=61 |issue=18,698 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=12 December 1986 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=24 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He was a regular in Australia's ODI team.
Chris Broad, who batted for England that summer, later recalled "Tim Zoehrer did not bother us on the field: we would laugh at his histrionics as he tried to cover up his inadequacies behind the stumps with a load of bluster. He bothered Greg Matthews far more than us: time and again Greg would wander away, muttering about Zoehrer’s efforts. Greg thought that his New South Wales colleague Greg Dyer should be playing and he used to give Zoehrer some terrible volleys."<ref>{{cite book|page=105|url=https://archive.org/details/hometruthsfromab0000broa/page/104/mode/2up?|first=Chris|last=Broad|title=Home Truths|year=1987|publisher=Arthur Baker |isbn=978-0-213-16952-7 }}</ref>
Frances Edmonds, wife of Phil Edmonds who also played for England, wrote, Zoehrer "has a reputation on the circuit for giving it quite a touch of the verbals, or sledging," although she says there was a good natured competition between her husband and Zoehrer where both would send each other limericks critical of the other.<ref>{{cite book|first=Frances|last=Edmonds|page=161|title= Cricket "XXXX" Cricket |year=1988|publisher=Pan Books |isbn=978-0-330-30351-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780330303514/page/n10/mode/1up?}}</ref>
Zoehrer won Man of the Match scoring 50 in a ODI against the West Indies, batting as opener.
Zoehrer's attitude on the field saw Border defend him publicly.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118116941 |title=Zoehrer defended by Border |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=61 |issue=18,749 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=2 February 1987 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Later on however Border would write, "Tim might do well to improve his attitude to the game. There is the suspicion that he doesn’t do enough work in practice. The ‘greats’ I’ve watched like Knott and Marsh both worked a great deal on their skills... Tim Zoehrer seems to slacken off to a certain extent. He has been given a fantastic opportunity, keeping wicket for his country, and I'd like to see him doing a little more work."<ref>{{cite book|first=Alan|last=Border|url=https://archive.org/details/peepatpomsaustra0000bord/page/81/mode/1up?|year=1987|title=A peep at the Poms- : the Australian captain in England|publisher=Arthur Barker |isbn=978-0-213-16946-6 }}</ref>
Zoehrer was selected in the squad to tour Sharjah in 1987.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136297775 |title=Everyone fit for Sharjah |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=61 |issue=18,805 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=30 March 1987 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> However he was dropped in favour of Greg Dyer for the 1987 World Cup, although he was listed as a reserve player.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118297644 |title=Times Sport |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=61 |issue=18,880 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=13 June 1987 |accessdate=1 July 2024 |page=9 (TIMES JOBS) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> David Gower reflected, " Bobby Simpson and Allan Border decided that a certain type of character was required to play for Australia, hence the more flamboyant and slightly rebellious people like Greg Ritchie, Tim Zoehrer, Craig McDermott and Greg Matthews all got thrown out."<ref>{{cite book|first=David|last=Gower|page=9|url=https://archive.org/details/gowerautobiograp0000gowe_o5a1/page/8/mode/2up?|title=Gower an Autobiography|year=1992|publisher=CollinsWillow |isbn=978-0-00-218413-7 }}</ref>
===Back up Keeper=== Zoehrer claims he was replaced as first-choice keeper after a personality clash with Australian coach and newly appointed selector, Bob Simpson.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/zoehrer-scotches-sacking-claims--cricket-1571204.html Zoehrer scotches sacking claims: Cricket]</ref> He was replaced firstly by Greg Dyer and then Ian Healy. Zoehrer did, though, tour England twice, in 1989 and 1993, as Healy's deputy. Zoehrer was selected as a reserve for the 1987 Cricket World Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118297644|title=Matthews sacked from touring party|newspaper=Canberra Times |date=13 June 1987 |accessdate=13 June 2019}}</ref> He played his final One Day International in 1994, at Perth vs South Africa, seven years after his previous appearance again as a replacement for a rested Healy.
==Western Australia Career== Zoehrer was a successful and popular keeper for Western Australia with a state record of 360 dismissals and also took 38 first-class wickets with his leg break bowling. In both of his tours of England he topped the first class bowling averages for the Australians on tour, taking 1 wicket for 9 runs in 1989<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/ENG/Australia_in_British_Isles_1989/f_Australians_Bowling.html 1989 tour averages]</ref> and 12 wickets at an average of 20.8 in 1993.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/ENG/Australia_in_British_Isles_1993/f_Australians_Bowling.html 1993 tour averages]</ref> However he never bowled at Test or One Day International level. He was controversially replaced by former NSW's Adam Gilchrist at the beginning of the 1994–95 season and never played first class or list-A cricket again.
Zoehrer later played and coached cricket in the Netherlands and wrote an autobiography, ''"The Gloves Are Off".''<ref>{{cite book | title=The Gloves Are Off (Paperback) | url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00146A270 | year=1995 |isbn=0-646-22580-4 | last1=Zoehrer | first1=Tim | publisher=EMW Publications }}</ref> In it he claimed that he was dropped from the Australian team in Sharjah in 1987 after abusing Bob Simpson in front of the rest of the team; Zoehrer thought Simpson had accused him of stealing a bottle of whiskey: <blockquote>I gave Simpson the biggest mouthful of abuse ever given by a player to an Australian official. I called him everything from being two-faced to yellow-bellied.... I had been stewing all day over being branded a thief. I demanded Simpson be fined for not having the balls to ask me to my face whether I stole the Scotch, instead of asking my team-mates if it was true. You could have heard a pin drop.<ref name="ind">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/zoehrer-scotches-sacking-claims-cricket-1571204.html|newspaper=Independent|title=Zoehrer scotches sacking claims : Cricket|date=2 February 1995}}</ref></blockquote> In the book Zoehrer also claimed he had a physical altercation with Damien Martyn, after Martyn abused Zoehrer's wife Michelle. "I saw red, grabbed Martyn by the throat and was about to hit him when [[Tom Moody|[Tom] Moody]] grabbed my arm and pulled me away," wrote Zoehrer. "Martyn had no reason to act the way he did because Michelle had never done anything to offend him."<ref name="ind"/>
==Australian Rules Football Career== Zoehrer played professional Australian rules football with Western Australian Football League (WAFL) club East Fremantle in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.effc.com.au/|title= Website of the East Fremantle Football Club}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{Cricinfo}} *{{WAFL FootyFacts}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zoehrer, Tim}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Western Australia cricketers Category:People educated at Trinity College, Perth Category:Australia One Day International cricketers Category:Australia Test cricketers Category:East Fremantle Football Club players Category:Australian rules footballers from Perth, Western Australia Category:Australian cricketers Category:Cricketers from Perth, Western Australia Category:Sportsmen from Western Australia Category:Scarborough Festival President's XI cricketers Category:Australian people of Austrian descent Category:Wicket-keepers Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen