Alan Turner (cricketer)

Alan Turner (born 23 July 1950, Camperdown, New South Wales) is a former Australian cricketer. He was a left-handed batsman who played for New South Wales from 1968 until retirement in 1978. He scored over 5,700 runs as a stocky opener with a practised cut shot, though he was not able to prove his abilities at best at international level. He played in fourteen Test matches and six One Day Internationals from 1975 to 1977. On the back of his several good Sheffield Shield seasons he was selected for Australian tours of England and New Zealand. He scored a single Test century against the touring West Indian side in 1975–76. By a noted cricket writer Peter Hanlon, Turner was described as "an ordinary man in the company of Gods."

His nickname was "Fitter-an'", as in "fitter and turner".

After leaving school, Turner went to work for British American Tobacco. He would stay there for 43 years, working in management in finance and accounting, sales, marketing, and supply chain.

Turner was selected on the 1975 tour of Canada and England. Captain Ian Chappell admitted "some might consider" Turner's selection "a surprise, but he is a hard, tough, experienced player with a strong season behind him. Turner has opened the innings for NSW and has batted in a variety of positions. For this reason he must have been given the nod over Ashley Woodcock, who was most unfortunate to have broken down in the last Shield game".

He made his first appearance for Australia in the 1975 Cricket World Cup. He scored 46 against Pakistan. then in a match against Sri Lanka, became the first Australian to score a century in a One Day International. He scored 101 runs from 113 balls, all in the morning session prior to his dismissal, in a partnership of 178 with fellow opening bat Rick McCosker. His blistering innings included 9 fours and a six.