25 Facts About Ron Hamence

Ronald Arthur Hamence was a cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia.

Ron Hamence scored two of these centuries in his first and last first-class matches.

Ron Hamence was a compact batsman preferring attack over defence, however he suffered a weakness throughout his career against fast bowling.

Ron Hamence did not play another cricket match until 16 December 1938 at the start of the next season, however he returned with a score of 90 against New South Wales, and followed that up two matches later with 84 against Victoria.

Ron Hamence narrowly missed out on his third century in November 1939 when he was caught by Morris Sievers for 99 against Victoria.

Ron Hamence began the following season with 41 in the following match against New South Wales.

Ron Hamence then enjoyed great success against Victoria, where he scored 130 and 103 not out in one inter-state match, and then 85 and 62 in the next.

Ron Hamence returned to play for South Australia for a match against New South Wales, where he scored 31 and five.

Ron Hamence was not to play another first-class match until December 1945 after the end of the Second World War.

Ron Hamence then experienced a drop in form, with only one significant score, 46 against Wellington, for seven innings.

Ron Hamence ended the season with 675 runs at 56.25.

Ron Hamence returned to domestic cricket, however over six innings his highest score was 27.

Ron Hamence made 25 in the first innings of both matches, with the first, starting 12 December 1947, ended in a draw before Hamence could bat again.

Ron Hamence was then replaced by Neil Harvey for the final two Tests.

Ron Hamence was not selected to play in any of the Tests, however he reiterated when interviewed in 2008 that he felt no resentment over not having played.

Ron Hamence was a popular member of the touring squad and his cheerful nature and splendid tenor voice added to the good spirits of the team.

Against Somerset, approaching his first century of the tour, the Australian players, keen to see Ron Hamence succeed, left their card games to applaud only to see him dismissed for 99, his highest score for the season.

Ron Hamence faced Scotland for two matches in August 1948, scoring six and 15.

Ron Hamence's touring colleague Sid Barnes criticised the omission of Hamence from much meaningful cricket on the tour.

Ron Hamence scored 58 and 45 in his first match upon return to Australia, playing for Bradman's XI against a team captained by Lindsay Hassett on 3 December 1948.

Ron Hamence then scored a career best 173 against New South Wales, and 55 the following match against Queensland.

Ron Hamence then faced Western Australia for his 91st first-class match, scoring another century when he hit 117 against Western Australia.

Ron Hamence played his final match against Freddie Brown's MCC team on 27 October 1950, scoring 114 in the first innings as South Australia reached 350, and then seven in his final innings before being run out by Bob Berry.

In 2001, Ron Hamence was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to Australian society through the sport of cricket.

Ron Hamence died in an Adelaide nursing home, aged 94, in 2010.