Clem Hill (member of the 1896 Australian Cricket Team)

Clem Hill (1877–1945), one of sixteen children, was born into a notable Adelaide sporting family. His father, HJ Hill, was the first to make a century at the Adelaide Oval; six of his brothers played for South Australia; and one of his sisters played for a local ladies’ cricket side. Clem excelled at various sports but his specialisation in cricket was decided following his debut for South Australia in 1895, when he scored 155 runs in a match against the visiting Englishmen. He debuted for Australia at Lord’s in June 1896, aged nineteen, and in the course of his subsequent 48 Test appearances became one of the greatest batsmen of his era. During the 1897/98 season, he scored more than 800 runs against Andrew Stoddart’s England side, including a double century playing for South Australia, and an innings of 188 in the Fourth Test in Melbourne. He and Victor Trumper each scored 135 runs in the first innings of Australia’s ten-wicket victory over England at Lord’s in 1899, Hill finishing that Test series with the leading average of 60.2. He captained Australia against South Africa in 1910 and England in 1911, concluding his Test career in 1912 having hit eleven centuries and a total of 3 412 runs. In the Sheffield Shield, his record average of 52.25 stood for many years before it was bettered by Don Bradman. Journalist Alban Moyes counted him amongst Australia’s greatest batsmen, and the ‘finest left-hander ever …shortish, thickset, powerful … swift on his feet, and a master of attack and defence’.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by L Gordon Darling AC CMG 2014