Lindsay Hassett

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Lindsay Hassett
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country = Australia
fullname = Arthur Lindsay Hassett
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dayofbirth = 28
monthofbirth = 08
yearofbirth = 1913
placeofbirth = Geelong, Victoria
countryofbirth = Australia
dayofdeath = 16
monthofdeath = 06
yearofdeath = 1993
placeofdeath = Batehaven, near Batemans Bay, New South Wales
countryofdeath = Australia
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batting = Right-hand
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role = Middle-order batsman
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date = 4 December
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source = [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/5607.html]

Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE (28 August 1913–16 June 1993) was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by "Wisden" as, “... a master of nearly every stroke … his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a simple matter”. [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154629.html "Wisden, 1949 edition:" Lindsay Hassett — Cricketer of the year.] Retrived 4 Dec 2007.] His sporting career at school singled him out as a precocious talent, but he took a number of seasons to establish himself in first-class cricket. World War II interrupted his progress when he had just broken into the Australian team. He served in the Middle East and New Guinea before he was chosen to captain a team of Australian servicemen that played the “Victory Tests” in England during the months immediately following VE Day. Hassett’s leadership was intrinsic to the success of the team, which helped to re-establish the game in England, India and Australia in the aftermath of the war.

At the advanced age of 32, Hassett began his Test career in earnest and became a more sedate, cautious player who often frustrated spectators with his slow scoring. He served as Don Bradman’s vice-captain for three series, including the "Invincibles" tour of England in 1948, and then succeeded Bradman as Australian captain. During his 24 Test matches in charge, he suffered defeat only four times, but it was the last of the four losses that blighted his record. Defeated in the last match of the 1953 series against England, Hassett’s team lost The Ashes after Australia had held them for 19 years. Richie Benaud wrote of Hassett: "There are others who have made more runs and taken more wickets, but very few have ever got more out of a lifetime." [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155324.html "Wisden, 1994 edition:" Obituary — Lindsay Hassett.] Retrieved 9 Dec 2007.]

Early life and cricket career

The youngest of nine children (six boys and three girls), Hassett was born at Newtown, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria's second-largest city. His father Edward was a real estate agent who served as the secretary of the Geelong Permanent Building Society and was a keen club cricketer.Coleman (1993), pp 522–529.] The Hassett boys played three-a-side cricket matches in the backyard where Hassett imitated his idol, the Test batsman Bill Ponsford. Along with two of his brothers, Hassett attended The Geelong College and made the First XI at the age of 14. During his five years in the team, Hassett amassed 2335 runs and was captain for three years. This total included an innings of 245 against Scotch College. In addition, he led the school’s football team for three seasons and won the Victorian Public Schools singles championship at tennis.

While still at school, Hassett played for the South Melbourne First XI in Melbourne’s district cricket competition during the 1930–31 season. A month after his debut for South, he was selected for his first representative match; batting for the Victorian Country XI against the touring West Indies team, Hassett scored 147 not out. He made his first-class debut against South Australia in February 1933, but his highest score in four innings for the season was 12 and he was overlooked for the next three years. Recalled in 1935–36, Hassett consolidated his place in the team through consistency rather than tall scores. The following season, he led Victoria's batting averages and in 1937–38, he made 693 first-class runs at 53.30 average. [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/706/f_Batting_by_Season.html Cricket Archive: First-class batting and fielding by Lindsay Hassett.] Retrieved 8 Dec 2007.] Despite having only one first-class century to his name, 127 not out against the touring New Zealanders at the MCG, he "scraped" into Australia's team for the 1938 tour of England.Robinson (1985), chapter 10.]

Test debut

Hassett allayed doubt about his selection when he began the tour with innings of 43, 146, 148 and 220 not out. This run of form led to his Test debut at Nottingham and he played all four matches of the series, but made only one half-century: 56 at Lord's in the second Test. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16648.html Cricket Archive: England v Australia 2nd Test, scorecard.] Retrieved 4 Dec 2007.] As he finished third in the batting averages for the tour, and the dry summer resulted in pitches mostly favourable to batting, "Wisden" found his Test performances anomalous:

Hassett, adding together the runs he made and the runs he saved, was one of the most useful men on the side. He never quite fulfilled the promise of a sensational start ... He appeared to make his strokes very late and, although adopting almost a two-eyed stance, had, so far as could be seen, no technical faults ... there was a good deal of surprise that he did not come off in the big matches although it must not be forgotten that his second innings at Leeds counted a lot in Australia's victory. [ [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155217.html "Wisden, 1939 edition:" The Australians in England 1938.] Retrieved 4 Dec 2007.]

The match at Leeds was Australia’s only Test victory, which was enough to ensure a drawn series and the retention of The Ashes. Australia, chasing a target of only 105 runs to win, had slumped to 3/50 when Hassett came to the crease as an approaching storm threatened to end the game. Hassett calmly hit 33 runs from 36 balls, [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16720.html Cricket Archive: England v Australia 4th Test, scorecard.] Retrieved 4 Dec 2007.] to the relief of his captain Don Bradman, who was so nervous about the outcome that he could not watch the play. He later wrote that Hassett was a "masterful player" in a crisis. [Bradman (1950), p 115.]

Rivalry with O'Reilly

Benefiting from his experience in England, Hassett scored five centuries in 1938–39 and finished second in the first-class aggregates for the season. [ [http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1930S/1938-39/AUS_LOCAL/STATS/FC_1938-39_BAT_MOST_RUNS.html Cricinfo: Australian first-class season 1938–39 (batting).] Retrieved 4 Dec 2007.] This period of his career was notable for his battles with Australia's leading Test bowler, Bill O'Reilly, when the latter appeared for New South Wales (NSW). O’Reilly conceded that Hassett played his bowling better than any other batsman. Hassett’s method was predicated on counter-attacking: whenever O’Reilly bowled his famed wrong ‘un, he could read this delivery in its flight (whereas most other batsmen could not) and he advanced down the pitch to hit the ball over the fielders on the leg side. The disparate demeanours and physiques of the two men accentuated their rivalry. Ray Robinson wrote that O’Reilly, “... towered nine inches above him; it would have looked more apt for Hassett to sell him a newspaper than contend with his bowling.” The phlegmatic Hassett sometimes goaded the irascible O'Reilly, which few batsmen were game to do. On one occasion, he repeatedly mis-hit O'Reilly's bowling, prompting an irritated O'Reilly to ask if he had a middle to his bat. Hassett replied, "I don't need one with you, Tige." It was a long, defensive innings of 81 against NSW (including O’Reilly) in 1937 that first brought Hassett to the attention of the national selectors. During an interval in the match, O'Reilly told his teammates: "Nobody has ever kept me out like that little bastard." [McHarg (1998), p 27.]

Their rivalry culminated in two encounters on the SCG at the conclusion the 1939–40 season. The first, between Victoria and NSW, effectively decided the winner of the Sheffield Shield. By scoring 122 in both innings, Hassett became the only player to score two centuries in a match against a team containing O’Reilly.Cashman et al (1996), pp 233–234.] Nevertheless, NSW won the game and the shield, then played against a Rest of Australia combination. Batting for the Rest, Hassett almost repeated his feat by making 136 and 75. NSW demonstrated their strength by winning this game as well. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17271.html Cricket Archive: NSW v Rest of Australia 1939–40, scorecard.] Retrieved 13 Dec 2007.] Hassett lost his wicket to O'Reilly in a first-class match only three times. [McHarg (1998), statistical appendix.]

War years and the Services team

On 23 September 1940, Hassett enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF); [http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=A&VeteranID=449215 Australian Army WW2 Nominal Roll: Hassett, Arthur Lindsay.] Retrieved 13 Dec 2007.] he played four matches for Victoria in the following cricket season before his posting to the Middle East in early 1941. As a member of the 2/2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, attached to the Australian 7th Division, he was stationed at Haifa. [McHarg (1998), p 48.] Hassett maintained his connection to cricket by captaining an AIF team against service teams from other Empire countries serving in the region, playing matches in Egypt and Palestine. Following the outbreak of war in the Pacific, the Australian 6th and 7th Divisions were recalled to Australia. He married during his brief return to Melbourne in May 1942, and then his unit was sent to Port Moresby in New Guinea.

In 1945, with the cessation of hostilities in Europe, Hassett was selected to lead an Australian Services XI on a tour of England - the "Victory Tests". In the six matches played, Hassett made 296 runs at 26.9. Hassett enjoyed greater success on the Services tour of India, hitting a century in Calcutta.

Post-war career

Hassett's commitment to the Services team prevented him from appearing for Victoria during the 1945–46 season. Based on his modest form for the Services (312 runs at an average of 39.00), he was selected in the Australian team for a brief tour of New Zealand in February and March 1946. Despite speculation that he would lead the team, as Bradman was unavailable, the Board of Control appointed Bill Brown as captain and Bill O'Reilly as vice-captain. In the Board's ballot for the leadership positions, Hassett received only one of the 13 votes. On the tour, Hassett made first-class centuries against Auckland and Wellington and scored 19 in the one-off Test match played at Wellington on a poor pitch. The match ended in an easy victory for Australia when New Zealand was bowled out for 42 and 54, but the tour attracted big crowds and made a record profit. [Harte (1993), p 393.] By the time he returned home from the tour, Hassett had played cricket continuously for almost twelve months.

heet anchor role

The following season, Hassett became Victorian captain for the first time and hit 114 against South Australia in his last match before the beginning of the Ashes series. After a long deliberation, and against medical advice, Bradman decided to resume as Test captain. [Bradman (1950), pp 126–128.] As Brown was injured and O'Reilly had retired, Hassett was appointed vice-captain. The first Test at Brisbane revealed a more circumspect Hassett. He made 128 (from 395 balls in 392 minutes), his maiden Test century, and shared a 276-run partnership with Bradman, the cornerstone of Australia’s match-winning score of 645. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17895.html Cricket Archive: 1st Test Australia v England, scorecard.] Retrieved 9 Dec 2007.] Although the crowd continually barracked Hassett for his slow scoring, Ray Robinson felt that he played a crucial “anchoring” role in support of Bradman, who initially struggled with his timing, controversially survived an appeal for a catch, then limped through the latter stages of his innings with a strained muscle. Hassett’s other major innings of the series was 78 from 227 balls in the fourth Test at Adelaide. He added 189 runs with Arthur Morris after Australia, in reply to England’s first innings of 460, were 2/18. At one point, the umpire denied an appeal by Norman Yardley for lbw against Hassett, prompting a frustrated Neville Cardus to write, “... he deserved to be [given out] ; the sight of a cricketer of his gifts continuing to deny his eye and technique in a Test match was enough to make any umpire go mad and, like the judge in Chesterton’s story, administer justice instead of law.” Yet in two matches for Victoria between the third and fourth Tests, Hassett hit 200 against Queensland and 190 against NSW; in both innings he scored at a rate of almost 50 runs per hour. [McHarg (1998), p 94.]

India embarked on its first tour of Australia in the summer of 1947/48. Australia won the first series between the two countries 4–0. In the fourth Test at Adelaide, Hassett hit his highest Test score - 198 not out - finishing the series with 332 runs (average 110.67).

"Invincibles" tour

Ten years after his first tour of England, Lindsay Hassett was included in the 1948 team under Bradman's captaincy. Considered one of the strongest Australia teams to tour England, the team became known as "the Invincibles". Australia won the series convincingly - 4–0 - Hassett finishing the series with 310 runs at 44.29, highest score 137 at Trent Bridge. The Fifth Test at the Oval marked the final appearance of captain Don Bradman.

Captain of Australia

By virtue of his performances with the Services team and his seniority in Australian cricket, Hassett appeared certain to succeed Bradman as captain; his only rival for the position was NSW captain Arthur Morris. Morris and Hassett were the first and third highest run-scorers, respectively, for the 1948–49 season, [ [http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1940S/1948-49/AUS_LOCAL/STATS/FC_1948-49_BAT_MOST_RUNS.html Cricinfo: Australian first-class season 1948–49: batting.] Retrieved 8 Dec 2007.] which finished with Hassett captaining a team against an eleven led by Morris. The match was designated as a trial for the selection of the Australian team to tour South Africa the following summer. Hassett scored 73 and 159; Morris 66 and 12. [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/18/18791.html Cricket Archive: Hassett's XI v Morris's XI 1948–49, scorecard.] Retrieved 8 Dec 2007.] The day after the match, the chosen touring team was passed to the Board of Control for a decision on the captaincy. The 7–6 result in favour of Hassett provoked Ray Robinson to write that the deciding vote, cast for Hassett by the Board chairman Dr Allen Robertson (from Victoria), “...save [d] the Board from an act of disgusting ingratitude” and that, “...once again Hassett’s notable achievements with the Services team had been devalued.” [Harte (1993), p 410.]

Two reasons account for the administrators’ less than unanimous endorsement of Hassett. The first is that Hassett was subjected to the sectarian bias of some Australian cricket officials: he was the first Catholic to lead Australia since the Board of Control took away responsibility for the appointment from the players in 1909.Dubious|date=March 2008 [Harte (1993), p 236.] The other reason is interstate rivalry and its resultant politicking. Only one NSW player (Herbie Collins) had regularly captained Australia since Syd Gregory led the 1912 tour of England, an anomalous situation considering NSW possessed the greatest playing strength for most of the period. NSW cast their three votes for Morris and persuaded another three delegates from other states to follow suit. The team itself was significantly different to the Invincibles squad. Bradman and Ernie Toshack had retired; Sid Barnes, Don Tallon and Bill Brown were unavailable, while the omission of Keith Miller caused a furore. Miller later joined the tour after an injury sidelined Bill Johnston for an extended period.

Matching Bradman’s feat, Hassett led his team through South Africa undefeated and won the Test series 4–0. Although hampered by recurrent problems with his tonsils, the success of the tour was attributed to Hassett's, "... unobtrusive yet dominant personality." [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155260.html "Wisden, 1951 edition:" Australia in South Africa 1949–50.] Retrieved 8 Dec 2007.] He scored 889 first-class runs at 68.38 on the tour, including four centuries. The opening Test began at Johannesburg on Christmas Eve 1949. Batting first, Australia started poorly when both opening batsmen failed to score before Hassett, “transformed the course of the game with a hundred of considerable quality.” [ [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152937.html "Wisden, 1951 edition:" 1st Test South Africa v Australia, match report.] Retrieved 8 Dec 2007.] He compiled 112 (in 261 minutes) of the 198 runs added while he was at the crease; Australia amassed a big score then bowled South Africa out twice to win easily. After scoring half-centuries in the second and fourth Tests, Hassett “reached peak form” in the final Test at Port Elizabeth. He top-scored with 167 as the match unfolded in a similar manner to the first Test, with a similar result.

uccess at home

The England team that visited Australia in 1950–51 endured a poor start to their tour, but at Brisbane on the opening day of the Test series, “... surprised even themselves by dismissing Australia for 228 on a good pitch.” [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152955.html "Wisden, 1952 edition:" MCC team in Australia and New Zealand 1950–51.] Retrieved 14 Dec 2007.] However, rain intervened to negate England’s advantage, and when the contest resumed two days later, England batted on a sticky wicket. The English captain Freddie Brown conceded a first-innings lead of 160 runs by declaring with his team’s score on 7/68. The Australian batsmen fared worse in the difficult conditions and Hassett gambled by declaring at 7/32, setting England 193 to win. During the 70 minutes remaining before stumps, Australia took six English wickets (which meant that 20 wickets fell in the day’s play), and went on to win the match by 70 runs the following day. In the second Test at Melbourne, “Australia owed much to the imperturbable Hassett" as he top-scored with 52 in the first innings. Australia won another low-scoring match by 28 runs; Freddie Brown was the only other player to post a half century in the match. [ [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152957.html "Wisden, 1952 edition:" Australia v England 2nd Test, match report.] Retrieved 14 Dec 2007.] Hassett was the second-highest run-scorer of the series, hitting 366 runs at 40.67. Only England's Len Hutton (533 runs at 88.83) was better.

"Wisden", taking into consideration Australia’s post-war record and the West Indies’ success during their 1950 tour of England, declared the 1951–52 series between the two sides to be, “the unofficial cricket championship of the world”. [ [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152977.html "Wisden, 1953 edition:" West Indies in Australia and New Zealand 1951–52.] Retrieved 14 Dec 2007.] Hassett went into the first Test at Brisbane without playing a first-class match for the season. After contributing to Australia’s successful second innings run-chase with a score of 35, he compiled 132 and 46 not out in another winning effort during the second Test at Sydney. Hassett missed the next Test with a strained muscle; in his absence, Australia lost. Returning for the fourth Test, in which his team was set a second innings target of 260 runs to win, Hassett made 102 but found little support from the other batsmen. When he was dismissed with the score at 8/218, the West Indies appeared set to level the series. However, an unbeaten last wicket partnership of 38 runs between tailenders Doug Ring and Bill Johnston gave Australia an unlikely victory. Australia completed an emphatic 4–1 result by winning the final encounter, even though they were bowled out for 116 on the first day of the match. Hassett’s second innings score of 64 took his total to 402 runs (at an average of 57.43), making him the leading run-scorer of the series.

Australia's decline and the Ashes lost

In 1952–53, South Africa’s cricket authorities were hesitant to send their inexperienced team to Australia, fearing that the Test series would be uncompetitive. [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152569.html "Wisden, 1954 edition:" South Africans in Australia and New Zealand 1952–53.] Retrieved 15 Dec 2007.] The Australian Board of Control’s concern that—after losing money on the previous season’s tour by the West Indies—the series would be another financial disaster resulted in South Africa offering an indemnity of ₤10,000 against any losses. Australia won the opening game of the rubber before South Africa gained their first Test victory over Australia for 41 years, in the second Test at Melbourne. Australia recovered momentum by winning the third Test, but Hassett’s form had been mediocre in all three encounters. In the fourth Test at Adelaide, he played his only significant innings for the series, scoring 163 and sharing a 275-run stand with Colin McDonald. With Australia heading for a victory that would give them the series, Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller suffered injuries and were unable to bowl in the second innings. This compelled Hassett to delay his second innings declaration: South Africa then forced a draw by batting out 73 (eight-ball) overs against the depleted bowling attack. In anticipation of the forthcoming tour of England, the Australian selectors made a fateful decision to rest Lindwall and Miller for the last Test when Hassett won the toss and elected to bat. He scored 40 runs in a total of 520 that gave Australia apparent command of the match. However, South Africa again fought back, this time winning the match by chasing a target of 297 runs in their second innings. For the first time in 20 years, Australia had failed to win a Test series at home. "Wisden" called the 2–2 result, “... the biggest cricket shock for many years.” The absence of Lindwall and Miller exposed the limitations of the other Australian bowlers and did not auger well for the 1953 Ashes series.

Hassett made it known that the tour of England in 1953 would be his farewell to the game. The selectors included only two specialist opening batsmen in the team, which caused problems when Colin McDonald was injured and Arthur Morris struggled for form. In the first Test at Trent Bridge, Hassett hit 115 in a rain-affected match that ended in a draw, as did the next three. England won the final Test at the Oval to claim a 1–0 victory, thus winning the Ashes for the first time since the infamous "Bodyline" tour of 1932/33. Lindsay Hassett, aged 40, promptly announced his retirement from cricket.

Pranks

Hassett was particularly known for his sense of humour, which resulted in a variety of practical jokes while on tour that became part of cricketing folklore.
*During the 1938 tour of England, Hassett smuggled a goat into the bedroom he shared with Stan McCabe and Bill O'Reilly while the team was staying at Grindleford in the hills of Derbyshire, after they had fallen asleep. They awoke to unexpected smells and bleating.Perry, p. 180.]
*During the 1948 "Invincibles" tour, Hassett was being chauffeured back to London along with Keith Miller, Bill Johnston and Ian Johnson after a function in Surrey. It was after midnight, but Hassett asked the driver to stop at a random mansion along the road. Hassett then rung the bell and when the startled householder asked him what he was doing, he replied "Just thought we'd pop in". The owner happened to recognise Hassett and received the cricketers. [Perry, p. 180.]
*During the "Invincibles" tour, in the Third Test at Old Trafford, Ray Lindwall was bowling to Cyril Washbrook with Hassett at deep square leg. Lindwall twice tempted Washbrook with short balls and the batsman obliged, hooking him in the air to Hassett, who dropped both catches. Hassett responded by borrowing a helmet from the policeman on the boundary, evoking crowd laughter, before motioning to Lindwall to bowl another bouncer. [Pollard (1990), p. 13.]
*During the 1953 tour of England, a waiter spilled a dessert on Hassett's jacket. Hassett initially declined the waiter's multiple offers to have his jacket taken away for cleaning. Hassett acquiesced and while taking off his jacket, he noticed a spot on his trousers. He then silently pointed to the spot, removed his trousers and handed them to the waiter. Hassett went on eating his meal in his underpants. [Perry, pp. 184–185.]

Personal life

After his retirement, Hassett operated a sports store in Melbourne. He later joined the ABC as a radio commentator, retiring from that position in 1981.

Hassett was known for his sense of humour. According to author Roland Perry, "Hassett tended to be a clown, even an up-market larrikin, while never losing the respect of his players ... [he] never allowed anyone – particularly himself – to be depressed on the team's travels" (pp.178-9).

In 1942, Hassett married Tessie Davis, a Geelong accountant, who celebrated her 90th birthday with a fancy dress party in 2007.

Test match performance

Notes

References

* Bradman, Don (1950): "Farewell to Cricket", Pavilion Library (1988 reprint). ISBN 1 85145 225 7.

* Cashman, Richard et al. — editors (1996): "The Oxford Campanion to Australian Cricket", OUP. ISBN 0 19 553575 8.

* Coleman, Robert (1993): "Seasons In the Sun — the Story Of the Victorian Cricket Association", Hargreen Publishing. ISBN 0 949905 59 3.

* Harte, Chris (1993): "A History of Australian Cricket", Andre Deutsch. ISBN 0 233 98825.

* McHarg, Jack (1998): "Lindsay Hassett — One Of a Kind", Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0 7318 0726 x.

* Robinson, Ray (1985): "After Stumps Were Drawn — the Best of Ray Robinson's Cricket Writing", Collins. ISBN 0 00 216583 x.

External links

* [http://content.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/5607.html Cricinfo article on Lindsay Hassett]

Persondata
NAME=Hassett, Arthur Lindsay
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Cricketer
DATE OF BIRTH=28 August 1913
PLACE OF BIRTH=Geelong, Victoria
DATE OF DEATH=16 June 1993
PLACE OF DEATH=Batehaven, New South Wales