A battling allrounder, Eric Freeman's rise to the top was rapid, although once there he was never quite able to reproduce his domestic form. A right-arm fast-medium bowler, bludgeoning middle-order batsman, and excellent fielder, Freeman was an ever-present in the Australian squad in the latter years of the 1960s. His bowling was not quite penetrative enough - although he took four four-fors - and his batting technique not up to Test level, despite him twice scoring fifty. His international career came to an end on the ill-fated tour of South Africa in 1969-70 when his bowling was savaged, and after three more seasons he drifted out of the game. A banker by profession, he retained links with the game as a coach and broadcaster.
Martin Williamson