Vale Lindsay Kline: A name remembered for a run-less hat-trick

Remembered for a rare Test hat-trick, cricketer Lindsay Kline has ‘scored’ one himself. He became the third Australian Test cricketer to pass away in 2015 following the hallowed footsteps of Richie Benaud and Arthur Morris.

Kline died on Friday only three days after his 81st birthday. He was an acrobatic chinaman (slow left-arm googly) bowler remembered for two dramatic moments in Test annals.

As a bowler he took a rare hat-trick which gave Australia a victory against South Africa in the Cape Town Test of January 1958. It was in his second Test.

Although a tailender, Kline also saved Australia from certain defeat in the cliff-hanging Test series against the West Indies at Adelaide in 1960-61 with his batting.

He will be always remembered for frustrating the West Indians as Australia held on for a draw. Requiring 460 to win, Australia lost nine wickets for 207 with 100 minutes still remaining.

A victory for the Windies was a certainty but cometh the hour and cometh number 11 batsman Kline. With the gritty Ken Mackay (62 not out), Kline added 66 heroic runs for the final heart-throbbing 100 minutes and the Test was saved. He contributed a gallant and unbeaten 15 runs.

It was his farewell to Test cricket, but what a way to go, scoring his highest Test score and saving Australia.

His Test span was short, only 13 Tests in three years. But his 34 wickets were claimed at an economical average of 22.82 and included 7-75 against Pakistan at Lahore in November 1959.

This led to Australia becoming the first country to win a Test series in Pakistan.

Kline took 276 wickets at 27.39 in 88 first-class matches for Victoria and Australia. In Victorian Premier Cricket he represented the Melbourne Cricket Club for 11 seasons which included leading his team to the 1958-59 premiership when he claimed 7-78 in the competition final.

Born on September 29, 1934 Kline is one of only nine Australians to have taken a hat-trick in Test cricket, he being the fourth. Only five bowlers have achieved a run-less hat-trick in Test history; all three victims shot down for ducks.

When writing my book Hat-Tricks in 1995, I had interviewed Kline on his run-less hat-trick in the January 1957-58 Cape Town Test. Here is how he responded:

“We batted first, making 449. South Africa were dismissed for 209, Richie Benaud taking 4-95 and myself 3-29. When they followed-on Richie tore their heart out with five wickets.

“I was brought back for my 11th over. My second ball was a leg-break to which Eddie Fuller played forward and was caught by Richie at silly mid-on for a duck. The next ball, a quicker delivery, went straight to have Hughie Tayfield lbw for nought.

“As our skipper Ian Craig and I discussed field-placings for the next ball, I thought to myself that this is one for the hat-trick. I was undecided on which type of ball to bowl to Neil Adcock, the next man in.

“Should I make it a googly or a chinaman (which is my leg-break, as I am a left-arm bowler)? I selected a googly, Adcock played forward, the ball caught the outside edge and carried to first slip where Bob Simpson took a great catch for a duck of course and we won!

“There was then great excitement for our Test win by an innings and on my hat-trick. It took some two or three days for me to finally let it sink in that I had taken a Test hat-trick.

“I was amazed when I was told that the previous hat-trick by an Australian was 46 years ago in 1912.

“One of the special things I remember is being given the honour of leading our team from the field, even though Richie Benaud was the star of the show.”

I can imagine Richie and Lindsay Kline recalling that hat-trick in heaven today!