By D. J. CAMERON
Cricketer, raconteur. Died aged 48
David Hookes was a cross between Errol Flynn and Keith Miller, a dasher of a cricketer, and difficult to defeat in an argument.
Hookes did admit to one such defeat. Having stormed his way into the centenary test in 1977 with five centuries for
South Australia, Hookes was quickly taken up by the new-fangled World Series Cricket.
Kerry Packer called the first meeting of his troops at the Old Melbourne Hotel. In those days players arrived wearing jackets and ties.
Not Hookes - open shirt.
"Where is your tie?" asked Packer.
"I do not wear a tie," said the cocky youngster.
"You will, son. For me."
There was another confrontation, rather than an argument. Playing for the Australians in a WSC super test, Hookes taunted West Indies fast bowler Andy Roberts. So Roberts bowled his slow bouncer, which Hookes happily hooked for four, and followed with some comment about Roberts' bowling pies.
So Roberts bowled his fast bouncer, Hookes tried to hook, was far too late and the ball smashed into his unhelmeted head.
They picked Hookes up, but his fiery spirit flickered rather than flared after that.
He scored the fastest first-class century of all time for South Australia one afternoon, to show his disgust at a Victorian declaration offering South Australia 30 overs in which to score 272 for a win.
Hookes opened the batting and hit the first ball onto the grandstand roof. Forty-three minutes and 34 balls from the start Hookes had his century, with three sixes and 17 fours. Bad light caused a draw.
Quite a cricketer, Hookes. Quite a gentleman of sport, too.
