David Hookes

David William Hookes (3 May 1955 – 19 January 2004) was an Australian cricket player and coach.

He played for the Australia national cricket team and domestic cricket for South Australia, later coaching Victoria.

An aggressive left-handed batsman, Hookes usually batted in the middle order.

David Hookes made his first-class debut in 1975–76 for South Australia.

His international career got off to a sensational start in the Centenary Test at Melbourne in 1977 when he hit England captain Tony Greig for five consecutive boundaries, but a combination of circumstances ensured that he never became a regular in the Australian team.

He wrote in his autobiography, "I suspect history will judge me harshly as a batsman because of my modest record in 23 Tests and I can't complain about that".

For many years, he was a leading figure in Australian domestic cricket, most notably in his role as captain of South Australia (SA).

Wisden called him "a first-class destroyer of second-rate bowling".

A rush of form in February 1977, when he scored five centuries from six innings in 17 days, led to his selection for the Centenary Test in March, 1977, at the age of 21.

During Australia's second innings of the match, Hookes made 56, and hit Tony Greig for five consecutive boundaries.

Soon after, he signed a contract with World Series Cricket (WSC) and then toured England.

Playing all five Tests, Hookes compiled 283 runs at 31.44, with scores of 85 at The Oval and 50 at Lord's.

Australian Captain Ian Chappell described World Series Cricket (WSC) as the toughest cricket he ever played (with all the best players in the world involved)

Hookes was one of the key personalities marketed by the breakaway WSC organisation.

In a Supertest at the Sydney Showground in 1977, a bouncer from Andy Roberts broke his jaw, and his confidence never fully recovered from the injury.

Nevertheless, he was the third-best performed Australian batsman behind Ian and Greg Chappell with 770 runs (at 38.5 average) across the Supertests played during the 1977–78 / 78-79 and was in fact the best performed Australian batsmen across the 1978–79 Supertests with 392 runs (at 56 average).

His future in the Australian team following the rapprochement between WSC and official cricket seemed assured.

However, Hookes managed just one Test and two ODIs when injury curtailed his 1979–80 season.

Returned to fitness, he toured Pakistan in 1980, but made a pair in the first Test at Karachi, dismissed twice by spin bowler Iqbal Qasim.

His play against slow bowling had not developed and he was vulnerable to the well-flighted delivery as his footwork was non-existent.

Dropped from the Australian team, his form failed to improve in the following Australian season, and he lost his place in the South Australia team as well.

The SACA took a gamble by appointing Hookes as South Australia captain at the start of the 1981–82 season.

He responded to the challenge and led the state to the Sheffield Shield.

Angered by Victorian captain Graham Yallop's late declaration in a Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval in October 1982, Hookes, who normally batted at number 3 or 4, promoted himself to opening batsman and proceeded to score a century from 34 balls in just 43 minutes (including 18 fours and two sixes), at the time the fastest century scored in first-class cricket.

He finished his career as the highest run-scorer in Sheffield Shield history.

Improved confidence and form led to his reinstatement in the Australian team for the 1982–83 Ashes series, and he batted consistently for 344 runs at 49.14 average with a best score of 68 in the fourth Test at Melbourne.

Continuing his good form on the following tour of Sri Lanka, Hookes scored 143 off 152 balls in the first Test between the nations.

Hookes's performances were more subdued during the 1983 World Cup in England.

Australia played poorly in the tournament.

An outspoken man who had several brushes with the game's officials, Hookes retired at the end of the 1991–92 season and pursued his media career.

He moved to Melbourne in 1995 and broadcast on Radio 3AW.

His popularity among players and his reputation for strong leadership led to his appointment as coach of the Victorian team in 2002.

The team enjoyed success under his tutelage.

He died after being punched by a hotel bouncer outside a pub where he had been drinking with Victorian players following their victory in a match earlier in the day.

Hookes grew up in Torrensville, South Australia.

He played for the West Torrens Cricket Club and made his A-Grade debut at the age of just 15.

When he came in to bat he faced Adelaide Cricket Club bowler and local Australian rules football and media personality Ken "KG" Cunningham.

KG said later in a Channel 9 tribute to Hookes that after the first two balls went past the edge of the bat, he walked down the wicket and attempted to upset the youngster in his first game and "gave him a huge spray".

Hookes then sent the next four balls to the fence and after the over walked up to Cunningham and said: "Listen old man, if you continue to bowl those wobbly little inswingers the next four will go over the fence and not into the fence."

In later years KG became one of Hookes's close friends and on Adelaide television and radio one of his strongest supporters even after his move to Melbourne to become coach of the Victorian state side.