When his Dunedin club, Grange, won the Otago Cricket Association competition in 1948–49, he was their leading batsman, with 536 runs at an average of 48.72, and did little bowling.

"[3] But after watching the Australian leg-spinner Bill O'Reilly bowl, Moir decided to try his hand at leg-spin, and it was primarily as a spinner that he won his spot in the Otago team in 1949–50, when he made his first-class debut at the age of 30.

[8] Moir was not selected for New Zealand's tour of South Africa in 1953–54, the selectors preferring younger, more athletic players.

[9] While the Test team were away, in 1953–54 Moir took match figures of 15 for 203 for Otago against Central Districts at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth.

The other recorded instance of this violation of the Laws of cricket in a Test match was in 1921, the bowler being Warwick Armstrong.