Vic Richardson

Wisden Obituary
Vic Richardson was a noted all-round Australian sportsman for, besides taking part in 19 Test matches between 1924 and 1935, he represented his county at baseball and played for South Australia at cricket, baseball and golf. He also won a State tennis title, was prominent at lacrosse and basketball and was a first-rate swimmer.

As a cricketer, he attracted most attention by his remarkable fielding, his speed, agility and eminently safe hands making him prominent in any position. In batting, he was noted for forceful methods and during his career he scored 10,714 runs, average 37.59. He hit 27 centuries. He was at his best in driving and hooking. His highest innings was 231 for South Australia, whom he captained for some years, against Percy Chapman's MCC team at Adelaide in 1928; he reached three figures twice in the Sheffield Shield game with New South Wales at Sydney in 1924 and failed by only four runs to repeat the feat off the Queensland bowling at Brisbane in 1930. His biggest Test score was a spectacular 138 against AER Gilligan's 1924-25 England side at Melbourne, during which he achieved the rare feat of hooking Harold Larwood, the Nottinghamshire fast bowler, for six.

Richardson played in all five Test matches of the body-line tour of Douglas Jardine's England team in 1932-33, he (83) and Bill Woodfull (67) sharing an opening stand of 133 in the fourth Test at Brisbane. He was vice-captain to Woodfull in England in 1930 and led the unbeaten Australian team in South Africa in 1935-36. In both these tours his batting proved something of a disappointment, though he made centuries against Leicestershire and Northamptonshire in 1930.

After retiring from active participation in cricket, Vic became a radio commentator on the game. His partnership on the air with Arthur Gilligan on the occasions of England visits proved immensely popular in Australia.