Name:

Hilditch, Andrew M J

Date of Birth:

20 May 1956

Gender:

Male

Place of Birth:

Adelaide

Career:

Test: 1979 - 1986
ODI: 1979 - 1985

Teams:

Australia (Country)
SA (Regional)

Happy hooker Andrew Hilditch (1985)

Andrew Hilditch: Happy Hooker gets found out 

Andrew Hilditch showed early promise as a right handed opening batsman. He made his debut for New South Wales in 1976-77 and made his Test debut against Mike Brearley's England side in 1978-78 where he was was run out for 3 by opening partner Graeme Wood.

In March 1979, Hilditch created unwanted history against Pakistan in the Perth Test. Rick Darling and Hilditch walked out to open the Australian innings, adding 87 in partnership. Darling drove Sarfraz where the ball rebounded towards the non-striker’s end. The unsuspecting Hilditch picked it up and lobbed it back to Sarfraz. The Pakistani seamer appealed to umpire Tony Crafter, who had no option but to rule Hilditch out “handled the ball”.

Hilditch got a recall to the Australian team for the 1985 Ashes tour as Vice Captain to Allan Border. At Leeds, Hilditch opened up with 119 which included 17 fours and 2 sixes. Opposing skipper David Gower set the trap for the hook and like a punch-drunk boxer, Hilditch fell for the sucker blow every time. He only played another Test match against New Zealand in 1986 before being discarded.

Hilditch played 18 Test Matches scoring 1073 runs at an average of 31.56.

After retirement, Hilditch was a solicitor and took over the role of chairman of the Australian selectors.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter