Lindsay Hassett

Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middleorder 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. His sporting career at school singled him out as a precocious talent, but he took a number of seasons to secure a regular place in firstclass cricket and initially struggled to make large scores. Selected for the 1938 tour of England with only one firstclass century to his name, Hassett established himself with three consecutive firstclass tons at the start of the campaign. Although he struggled in the Tests, he played a crucial role in Australias win in the Fourth Test, with a composed display in the runchase which sealed the retention of the Ashes. Upon returning to Australia, he distinguished himself in domestic cricket with a series of high scores, becoming the only player to sc

The youngest of nine children , Hassett was born in Newtown, a suburb of Geelong, Victorias secondlargest 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. The Hassett boys played threeaside cricket matches in the backyard where Lindsay imitated his idol, the Test batsman Bill Ponsford. Along with two of his brothers, Lindsay attended Geelong College and made the First XI at the age of 14. During his five years in the team, he amassed 2,335 runs and was captain for three years. This total included an innings of 245 against Scotch College. In addition, he led the schools football team for three seasons and won the Victorian Public Schools singles championship at tennis. An elder brother, Richard, played for Victoria in the early 1930s as a leg spinner.

Source: Wikipedia