Ron Hamence

Hamence was not to play another first-class match until December 1945 after the end of the Second World War. During the war, he served for four years with the Royal Australian Air Force.[6] Upon his return, he immediately hit form for South Australia against New South Wales where he hit 74 not out and 75 in a match starting 14 December 1945.[12] He then scored 56 against Victoria on 18 January, and then after three single figure scores he hit 76 against Queensland.[12] He then experienced a drop in form, with only one significant score, 46 against Wellington, for seven innings. He ended the 1945–46 season with 332 runs at 36.88. At the start of the 1946–47 season, however, he enjoyed his greatest success thus far, scoring consecutive centuries in three innings from 15 November 1946 until 19 December: 116 against Victoria and 132 and 101 not out against New South Wales, the latter followed up by a score of 48 in the second innings.[12] This was followed by a career-best 145 against the touring MCC team on 24 January 1947, and 63 against Queensland on 21 February. He ended the season with 675 runs at 56.25.[11]

These centuries led to his debut for Australia in the Fifth Test at Sydney on 28 February 1947.[12][13] Hamence scored 30 not out in the first innings as Australia made 253 in response to England's first innings 280. England managed 186 in response and Australia, set 213 to win, reached it in 52.2 overs. However Hamence made only one in his second innings.[14] He returned to domestic cricket, however over six innings his highest score was 27.[12]

Nevertheless, Hamence was picked to play in the Second and Third Tests against the touring Indian cricket team in Australia in 1947–48. He 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.[15] In the Third Test, which started on 1 January 1948, Australia achieved victory with centuries from Don Bradman and Arthur Morris meaning Hamence was again not needed to bat in the second innings.[16] He was then replaced by Neil Harvey for the final two Tests.[2]

Returning once again to domestic cricket, Hamence scored 85 and 66 against Queensland, and this kept him in the running for a place in the national team, as he toured with The Invincibles in England in 1948. He was not selected to play in any of the Tests,[13] however he reiterated when interviewed in 2008 that he felt no resentment over not having played.[17] 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.[2][17] His success in the warm up games was mixed, scores of 92, 46 and 49 not out against Cambridge University, Essex and Lancashire mixed with a duck, seven, one, three, two and five against other counties.[12] Against Somerset, approaching his first century of the tour, the Australian players, keen to see Hamence succeed, left their card games to applaud only to see him dismissed for 99, his highest score for the season.[2] He also faced Scotland for two matches in August 1948, scoring six and 15.[12] Overall on the tour he played 19 matches scoring 582 runs at an average of 32.33.[11][13]

His touring colleague Sid Barnes criticised the omission of Hamence from much meaningful cricket on the tour. He wrote: "For instance, against the Gentlemen at Lord's we were 532 when Hamence came to bat. Brown got 120, Bradman 150, Hassett, not out, 200 and Miller 69. Hamence was left not out with 24. This was an innings in which he could have been sent in first wicket down, where he batted with his interstate team ... Despite this, Hassett still went in before Hamence in the next game, against Somerset ... Hamence batted No. 6... but he should have been sent in No. 3."[18] Bradman, following the Invincibles tour described Hamence as "a fine batsman of the strictly orthodox type. Very sound and reliable with his game based on driving" and a "very safe fieldsman".[19]

Barnes reported that Hamence, along with the other frequent omissions Colin McCool and Doug Ring, termed themselves the "Ground Staff". He added: "In the dressing room during county games they would break out into ironic song about the few chances they got."[18] Bradman did later state that "because of the strong array of batsman ahead of him, [Hamence] seldom had an opportunity to make big scores" but "was an extremely useful reserve who could have been played in the Tests with confidence".[19]

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.[12] He then scored a career best 173 against New South Wales, and 55 the following match against Queensland. He then faced Western Australia for his 91st first-class match, scoring another century when he hit 117 against Western Australia. Hamence then suffered a loss of form, not exceeding 31 for 11 innings.[12] He scored a 53 against New South Wales, 64 not out against Queensland and 58 against Victoria, however he then scored nine, one and five in his next three innings. A 48 and 78 against New South Wales and Western Australia followed, however it was becoming clear that his form was waning. 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.[20] His final full season saw him score 418 runs at 32.15.[11]

In total, Hamence played 69 matches for South Australia, scoring 4,244 runs at an average of 38.93, with 11 centuries and 22 fifties. Aside from his 52.75 average for Bradman's XI, South Australia was to be Hamence's most successful team.[21] Of his eleven centuries, three were scored against Victoria, against whom he had an average of 41.75, however he scored the most runs, and his highest score, against New South Wales.[22] In 2001, Hamence was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to Australian society through the sport of cricket.[23]

He died in an Adelaide nursing home, aged 94, in 2010.[4]