Rick Darling
Encyclopedia
Warwick Maxwell "Rick" Darling (born 1 May 1957) is a former Australian
Test
cricket
er.
Darling is the great-nephew of Joe Darling
, and learnt to play cricket at his family's home at Ramco on the Murray River
. He played for the Salisbury district club in 1970–71, and started his first-class
career in 1975–76 with South Australia, winning the Sheffield Shield that season. Darling was given his chance in the Australian
Test
team through the defection of several players to World Series Cricket
, and made his debut as an opener
against India
in the summer of 1977–78 at Adelaide
. Darling made 65 and 56 in his first Test, impressing fans with his fearless style. This performance was enough to earn him a spot on the following tour of the West Indies, where he was also a member of the one-day team. In the overall tour he performed well, making two centuries against spin
-based attacks. However, the pace bowling of the West Indies national team found his technical weakness quickly, and he scored just 43 runs in his 6 Test innings on the tour. His tendency to play the cut and hook shots provided much entertainment, but also meant that he was inconsistent and error-prone. It has been said that the introduction of the batting helmet saved Darling's life several times, but also gave him extra confidence to play his favoured shots. Darling's early Test career was also characterised by his opening partnerships with Graeme Wood
, the pair christened the "Kamikaze Kids" due to their often disastrous running between the wickets, which saw one of the pair dismissed run out
in one innings of each of their four Tests together.
A series of low scores in both forms of the game saw Darling pushed in and out of the team, before his finest Test innings of 91 against England
at Sydney
in the 4th Test of the 1978–79 series. It was the next match for which he is perhaps most famous though, as he was struck on the chest by a delivery that lifted viciously from fast bowler
Bob Willis
. The blow caused Darling's chewing gum
to become lodged in his throat, and he collapsed on the pitch, not breathing. English spinner John Emburey
was first on the scene, and thumped Darling on the chest, allowing him to breathe again. Umpire
Max O'Connell
then provided mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
, and Darling was taken off the field. He returned to the crease the following day, but could only make 15 runs as Australia fell to a crushing 205-run loss, which allowed England to retain The Ashes
.
Darling was described as one of the most nervous first-class cricketers, often biting his fingernails before he went out to bat. He was selected for Australia's tour of Pakistan
in 1979, and despite making 75 and 79 in the second Test as an opener, he expressed his aversion to starting the innings to captain Kim Hughes
, who agreed to drop him down the order during the following tour in India. Darling made his best scores of that series in the lower positions, but was still plagued by inconsistencies which gave him of an average of 19.75 for the tour. In the final Test, Darling was hit on the head attempting a hook shot from a Kapil Dev
bouncer
, and was carried off the field and forced to retire hurt with no score to his name. His head split open, Darling was taken to hospital, where, according to Bob Merriman, the doctors refused to stitch him up until he signed an autograph
for them. The poor performances throughout the tour and the return of the World Series Cricket players meant that this would be his final Test series, although he continued playing in ODIs until 1981–82.
Darling continued to play for South Australia until 1985–86, helping his state to the Sheffield Shield in 1981–82 with 726 runs - the season's top score for SA, and his omission from the Australian team to tour Pakistan in 1982 surprised several observers. Overall, he played 98 first-class games, finishing with a batting average of 35.83. Darling was renowned for being one of the country's best cover fieldsmen
of his time.
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er.
Darling is the great-nephew of Joe Darling
Joe Darling
Joseph "Joe" Darling CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 34 Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1894 and 1905. As captain, he led Australia in a total of 21 Tests, winning seven and losing four. In Test cricket, he scored 1657 runs at an average of 28.56 per innings, including...
, and learnt to play cricket at his family's home at Ramco on the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
. He played for the Salisbury district club in 1970–71, and started his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
career in 1975–76 with South Australia, winning the Sheffield Shield that season. Darling was given his chance in the Australian
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
team through the defection of several players to World Series Cricket
World Series Cricket
World Series Cricket was a break away professional cricket competition staged between 1977 and 1979 and organised by Kerry Packer for his Australian television network, Nine Network. The matches ran in opposition to established international cricket...
, and made his debut as an opener
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
against India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
in the summer of 1977–78 at Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
. Darling made 65 and 56 in his first Test, impressing fans with his fearless style. This performance was enough to earn him a spot on the following tour of the West Indies, where he was also a member of the one-day team. In the overall tour he performed well, making two centuries against spin
Spin bowling
Spin bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as spinners or spin bowlers.-Purpose:The main aim of spin bowling is to bowl the cricket ball with rapid rotation so that when it bounces on the pitch it will deviate, thus making it difficult for the...
-based attacks. However, the pace bowling of the West Indies national team found his technical weakness quickly, and he scored just 43 runs in his 6 Test innings on the tour. His tendency to play the cut and hook shots provided much entertainment, but also meant that he was inconsistent and error-prone. It has been said that the introduction of the batting helmet saved Darling's life several times, but also gave him extra confidence to play his favoured shots. Darling's early Test career was also characterised by his opening partnerships with Graeme Wood
Graeme Wood
Graeme Malcolm Wood is a former Australian cricketer who played in 59 Tests and 83 ODIs from 1978 to 1989. He scored nine Test centuries in his career and it was a West Australian record until 2001-02 when it was passed by Justin Langer....
, the pair christened the "Kamikaze Kids" due to their often disastrous running between the wickets, which saw one of the pair dismissed run out
Run out
Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is governed by Law 38 of the Laws of cricket.-The rules:A batsman is out Run out if at any time while the ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the opposing...
in one innings of each of their four Tests together.
A series of low scores in both forms of the game saw Darling pushed in and out of the team, before his finest Test innings of 91 against England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
in the 4th Test of the 1978–79 series. It was the next match for which he is perhaps most famous though, as he was struck on the chest by a delivery that lifted viciously from fast bowler
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
Bob Willis
Bob Willis
Robert George Dylan Willis MBE , known as Bob Willis, is a former English cricketer who played for Surrey, Warwickshire, Northern Transvaal and England...
. The blow caused Darling's chewing gum
Chewing gum
Chewing gum is a type of gum traditionally made of chicle, a natural latex product, or synthetic rubber known as polyisobutylene. For economical and quality reasons, many modern chewing gums use rubber instead of chicle...
to become lodged in his throat, and he collapsed on the pitch, not breathing. English spinner John Emburey
John Emburey
John Ernest Emburey is a former English cricketer, who played for Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Western Province, Berkshire and England....
was first on the scene, and thumped Darling on the chest, allowing him to breathe again. Umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
Max O'Connell
Max O'Connell
Maxwell George O'Connell was an Australian Test cricket match umpire.He umpired 19 Test matches between 1971 and 1980. His first match, was the Fifth Test in the 1970–71 Ashes series at Melbourne on 21 January to 26 January 1971...
then provided mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
, and Darling was taken off the field. He returned to the crease the following day, but could only make 15 runs as Australia fell to a crushing 205-run loss, which allowed England to retain The Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
.
Pakistani cricket team
The Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board , is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and thus participates in , and cricket matches....
in 1979, and despite making 75 and 79 in the second Test as an opener, he expressed his aversion to starting the innings to captain Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes
Kimberley John Hughes is a former cricketer who played for Western Australia, Natal and Australia. He captained Australia in 28 Tests between 1979 and 1984 before captaining a "rebel" Australian team in a tour of South Africa, who at the time were subject to a sporting boycott.A right-handed...
, who agreed to drop him down the order during the following tour in India. Darling made his best scores of that series in the lower positions, but was still plagued by inconsistencies which gave him of an average of 19.75 for the tour. In the final Test, Darling was hit on the head attempting a hook shot from a Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj , better known as Kapil Dev, is a former Indian cricketer. He captained the Indian cricket team which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup...
bouncer
Bouncer (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a bouncer is a type of delivery, usually bowled by a fast bowler. It is pitched short so that it bounces on the pitch well short of the batsman and rears up to chest or head height as it reaches the batsman.Bouncers are used tactically to drive the batsman back on to his...
, and was carried off the field and forced to retire hurt with no score to his name. His head split open, Darling was taken to hospital, where, according to Bob Merriman, the doctors refused to stitch him up until he signed an autograph
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...
for them. The poor performances throughout the tour and the return of the World Series Cricket players meant that this would be his final Test series, although he continued playing in ODIs until 1981–82.
Darling continued to play for South Australia until 1985–86, helping his state to the Sheffield Shield in 1981–82 with 726 runs - the season's top score for SA, and his omission from the Australian team to tour Pakistan in 1982 surprised several observers. Overall, he played 98 first-class games, finishing with a batting average of 35.83. Darling was renowned for being one of the country's best cover fieldsmen
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
of his time.
Trivia
- Darling holds the record of eight consecutive scores over 50 in the Ribblesdale League, obtained whilst playing for the Cricket Club in England.
Footnotes
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