Ebeling Hans Image 2 Victoria 1934

Description

Avoca, Victoria born right-arm fast-medium bowler Hans Ebeling made his debut for Victoria in 1923-24 and had a long career for Victoria, becoming their captain. He captained Victoria to two Sheffield Shield Championships in four years between 1934 and 1938, and at club level captained the Melbourne Cricket Club to four premierships. He played in his sole Test match on tour for Australia against England at The Oval in August 1934, having performed well for Victoria against Douglas Jardine’s M.C.C. team in the Bodyline tour in 1933. In England he was a distinct success: in a side which relied heavily on spin he took 62 wickets with an average of 20.80, and in the Test match took three wickets, including Hammond, and in an admirable second innings of 41 put on 56 in forty minutes with Tiger O’Reilly for the last wicket as Australia won by 562 runs.

No less a judge than Jack Hobbs thought highly of his bowling and was surprised that he was ever omitted from a representative side. A tall man, he bowled medium-pace with a sharp in-swing, but he could also make the ball run away. Moreover, he was useful attacking bat and a particularly good driver and hooker.

In 73 first class matches through to 1937-38, he scored 3 half centuries with a highest score of 76 against South Australia in December 1928, averaging 14.15. With his bowling he took 217 wickets at 26.58 apiece, with a best return of 7-33, twice taking ten wickets on a match and recording 7 five wicket hauls.

A Squadron Leader in the Second World War, he was was later prominent in cricket administration. He served as a member of the board of the Melbourne Cricket Club, the body which oversees not only the club’s sporting teams but also the operations of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (M.C.G.) for 45 years and was serving his first year as M.C.C. President when he died aged 75 in 1980. During this time, he helped to organise the 1977 Centenary Test between England and Australia at the M.C.G. He was also awarded the MBE. In 1999, the Melbourne Cricket Club selected him in its Team of the Century.

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