DEATH OF CLEM HILL

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 59, 7 September 1945, Page 8

DEATH OF CLEM HILL

MELBOURNE, September 6. Clem Hill, the famous Australian Test captain and former Victorian Amateur Turf Club Handicapper, died last night in hospital, aged 68. He was admitted to hospital in July 17 after a fall from a tram. He received head injuries, but a serious heart condition developed. Hill was one of Australia's greatest cricketers, and many authorities regarded him as the most brilliant left-hander to play cricket. One of the greatest cricketers of all time, Clem Hill was no stranger to New Zealand cricket fields, on which he thrilled thousands some forty years ago by his brilliant aggressiveness and stylish play .with the bat, as he had thrilled the great cricket crowds in Australia and England.' It was during a match at the Basin Reserve that Clem Hill, as a member of a visiting Australian team, made one of the biggest hits on record at that ground, the ball sailing high out of the area and being recovered quite a distance down.

Cambridge Terrace. His partnerships with Victor Trumper on the tour 01 New Zealand in the 1905-6 season were a revelation, despite the fact that Clem Hill had been seen in New Zealand previously-some eight y_ear* previously as a member of G. H. o. Trott's team. A picturesque innings ot 95 against a Wellington fifteen, and an equally-attractive century (129) against New Zealand were his efforts at trie Basin Reserve on the 1905-6 tour, Hill and Trumper putting on 269 runs; ioi the sixth wicket in the Test at Wellington. Clem Hill played in big cricket from 1893 to 1925, and in his time set up many records, with l/,^i runs as. his first-class aggregate and 43.48 as his average.