Lindsay Kline

Australian Test Cricketer (Spin Bowler)

Born 27 September 1934

Attended CHS, 1949 - 1950

Lindsay Kline, cricketer and businessman, was born in Melbourne and came to Camberwell High School from Camberwell Central School.

In 1950, Lindsay was Captain of the School Cricket XI and the Football XVII and joined the Melbourne Cricket Club. He played his first game for Victoria in 1956 and for Australia in 1957.

Kline was a left-arm off-break wrist spinner and googly bowler. His bowling action was described by Jack Pollard in his book Australian Cricket as 'acrobatic', because of the unusual kangaroo-like hop 'that carried him about 18 inches off the ground' at the point of delivery.

In The Slow Men, author David Frith is emphatic that 'Australia's best spin discovery of the late 'fifties was Lindsay Kline', but that he was 'one of a dying breed' of spin bowlers. In a career spanning 13 Test matches, Kline took 34 wickets at the very respectable average of 22.82 and 276 wickets in all First-Class matches at an average of 27. He played in Tests against South Africa (1957-8), England (1958-9), Pakistan (1959-60), India (1959-60) and the West Indies (1960-61). He also toured New Zealand in 1957 and England in 1961.

Kline's best Test bowling performance was in the 2nd Test at Lahore (Pakistan) when he took 7 for 75, but he will always be remembered for his batting in his last appearance for Australia, the 4th Test against the West Indies at Adelaide in January 1961. With Australia still nearly 200 runs behind, Kline and Queenslander, Ken Mackay, defied the West Indian attack for nearly two hours to force a draw. In a magnificent unbroken last wicket partnership of 66, Kline was 15 not out. Pollard calls it 'one of cricket's notable match-saving stands'. One of the Australian players, batsman Norman O'Neill, recalled that before Kline went out to bat, as last man in, he and spinner Johnny Martin bowled to Kline in the nets.

We must have bowled to him for 20 minutes. We had him out in every possible way. I am no ace bowler and have never considered myself above grade standard. But after that session I felt I must be reasonable for I couldn't imagine the worst batsman in the world being in so much trouble against me. As for Martin, he beat Lindsay an almost embarrassing number of times.

In the end, Kline hung on:

Worrell (West Indian Captain) tried everything to dismiss Kline. He changed his bowlers with great frequency and they got through their overs at a fantastic rate. Still Kline was unruffled.

On both the South African and Pakistan tours, Lindsay Kline headed the Australian Test Bowling averages and in the 2nd Test at Newlands, Cape Town, in January 1960, he took a hat-trick after lunch on the fourth day and ended the match. His figures were 3 for 18 off 10.4 overs and he was only the fourth Australian bowler to take a hat-trick. Lindsay Kline retired from First-Class cricket in 1962. He is proprietor of Lindsay Kline Sales Pty. Ltd. in Burwood, Melbourne.