David Hookes facts for kids

David William Hookes (born 3 May 1955 – died 19 January 2004) was a famous Australian cricket player and coach. He played for the Australia national cricket team and for his home state, South Australia. Later, he became a coach for the Victoria team.

Hookes was a left-handed batsman known for his attacking style. He usually batted in the middle of the team's batting order. His international career began with a bang in the Centenary Test in 1977. He hit five boundaries in a row against England's captain, Tony Greig.

Even though he had a great start, he didn't play for the Australian team as often as some thought he would. He once wrote that his record in Test matches might make people judge him harshly.

For many years, David Hookes was a key player in Australian domestic cricket. He was especially important as the captain of South Australia. He was known for scoring runs quickly. In 1982, he scored a century (100 runs) in just 34 balls and 43 minutes! This was the fastest century in first-class cricket at the time. He ended his career as the player with the most runs in the history of the Sheffield Shield competition.

After retiring from playing in 1992, Hookes worked in the media, talking about sports on radio. In 2002, he became the coach of the Victorian cricket team. Under his leadership, the team became very successful.

David Hookes' Cricket Journey

Hookes grew up in Torrensville, South Australia. He started playing for the West Torrens Cricket Club and made his top-level club debut at just 15 years old.

When he first batted, he faced a well-known bowler named Ken "KG" Cunningham. KG tried to make the young Hookes nervous. But Hookes hit the next four balls for boundaries! He then told KG that if he kept bowling "wobbly little inswingers," the next four would go over the fence. KG later became a close friend and supporter of Hookes.

David Hookes began his first-class career for South Australia in the 1975–76 season. In February 1977, he was in amazing form, scoring five centuries in just 17 days. This led to him being picked for the Centenary Test in March 1977, when he was only 21.

First Test Match and World Series Cricket

In Australia's second turn at batting during the Centenary Test, Hookes scored 56 runs. He famously hit five boundaries in a row off England's captain, Tony Greig.

Soon after, he joined World Series Cricket (WSC). This was a new cricket competition that featured many of the world's best players. The Australian captain, Ian Chappell, said WSC was the toughest cricket he ever played.

Hookes was a big name promoted by WSC. In a Supertest match in 1977, a fast ball (called a bouncer) from Andy Roberts broke Hookes' jaw. This injury affected his confidence.

Even with the injury, he was one of Australia's best batsmen in WSC. He scored 770 runs over two seasons. He was the best Australian batsman in the 1978–79 Supertests, scoring 392 runs. It seemed like he would have a long future in the Australian team.

Challenges After WSC

After WSC and official cricket joined forces again, Hookes had some bad luck. Injuries limited him to only one Test and two One Day International (ODI) matches in the 1979–80 season.

He toured Pakistan in 1980 but struggled against spin bowling. He was dropped from the Australian team. His form also dropped in the next Australian season, and he even lost his spot in the South Australia team.

The SACA took a chance and made Hookes captain of South Australia in 1981–82. He rose to the challenge and led the state team to win the Sheffield Shield.

His improved confidence and form helped him get back into the Australian team for the 1982–83 Ashes series. He batted well, scoring 344 runs. He continued his good form on the tour of Sri Lanka, scoring 143 runs in the first Test match there.

Later Seasons and Domestic Success

Hookes' performances were not as strong during the 1983 World Cup in England. Australia played poorly in the tournament. When the team returned home, Hookes openly criticized the team's captain, Kim Hughes. This led to him being fined and left out of the 1983–84 Test series against Pakistan.

He returned for five Tests in the West Indies in 1984. He often got good starts but struggled to turn them into very big scores. He only made one half-century (50 runs or more).

Because he didn't turn his good starts into big scores, the Australian selectors didn't pick him for the next 18 months. He wasn't chosen for the 1985 tour of England. His last international games were in 1985–86, playing two Tests against New Zealand and India, and two ODIs. After this, Australia started picking younger players.

Despite not always meeting expectations at the highest level, Hookes continued to captain South Australia until 1990. In October 1982, he scored his incredibly fast century in just 43 minutes and 34 balls.

On 7–8 March 1987, Hookes and Wayne Phillips made a huge partnership of 462 runs for South Australia against Tasmania. Hookes scored his highest ever score of 306 runs not out. This amazing innings included 40 fours and 2 sixes.

Hookes also formed a strong batting partnership with fellow left-hander Darren Lehmann. They often entertained fans at the Adelaide Oval with their attacking style of play. In all first-class cricket, Hookes scored 12,671 runs in 178 matches.

Batting Style

Hookes was an exciting batsman who loved to hit fast bowling. He was especially good at playing the hook shot. However, he found it harder to play against spin bowling. He was known as an "eye" player, meaning he relied more on his quick reactions than on perfect batting technique.

Life After Cricket

After retiring from playing, David Hookes became involved in the media. He appeared on television and hosted a radio show in Melbourne.

In 2002, he was chosen as the new coach of the Victorian cricket team. He helped turn the team around, and they became one of the top teams in Australian domestic cricket.

He was known for speaking his mind. He once suggested that Australian selectors might favor players from New South Wales.

David Hookes' Passing

On the night of 18 January 2004, Hookes was celebrating a cricket win with members of the Victorian and South Australian teams in Melbourne. After midnight, an argument happened outside the hotel. During the argument, Hookes fell and hit his head.

He was taken to the hospital but did not wake up. The next evening, after his family and friends said goodbye, David Hookes passed away. He was an organ donor, and his organs helped 10 other people.

A memorial service was held at the Adelaide Oval on 27 January 2004. Many people attended, including members of the Australian, South Australian, and Victorian cricket teams.

Images for kids

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  David Hookes monument in his home suburb of Torrensville near his beloved Thebarton Oval