Clem Hill

Clem Hill, who shared a famous name but was not related to the great batsman, was a schoolteacher from Gulgong who enjoyed a brief but very successful first-class career as an orthodox slow left-armer. When his family moved to Sydney, he joined the North Sydney Club and worked his way up through the grades before his career as a teacher interrupted his progress when in 1926 he was posted to the Hunter Valley. He returned to Sydney in 1930 and resumed where he left off, and was joined by another schoolteacher, Bill O'Reilly. Both bowled at virtual medium pace and both had the same hatred of batsmen. They formed a devastating partnership, and in 1931-32 North Sudney won their first premiership since 1912-13, O'Reilly taking 54 wickets (7.88) and Hill 38 (17.28).

Hill started 1932-33 in equally good form and he was selected for New South Wales where he went wicketless in his debut and followed with two wickets in his next game. He was then dropped, but recalled for the New Year game against Queensland where he took 7 for 18, including a spell of 5 for 5, and 5 for 49, giving him match figures of 12 for 67. He also scored a career-best 91 batting at No. 9 (using an undersized Harrow bat). He finished his debut season with 22 wickets at 15.27, topping the first-class bowling averages.

At the start of 1933-34 there were those who talked of him as a possibility for the England tour the following summer, but he struggled and there were suggestions that he was overbowled. Nevertheless, he was picked for a tour of New Zealand that season but the trip was cancelled when the two boards clashed over arrangements. His best performance was against Victoria where he took 8 for 71 in the match. All this time, Hill was juggling his cricket with his work. While he was paid £1 a day for playing, his teaching pay was suspended, so it was costing him money to represent his state.

In 1934-35 he took 6 for 41 in the second match against Victoria, but followed with only two wickets in two subsequent games. On his return he was transferred to Canberra, so bringing an end to his NSW career. While there, he continued to play club cricket in the Federal Capital Territories competition. Hill was also a good rugby league player, representing Kurri Kurri.
Martin Williamson