Michael Smith: England bowled over by the boys from Ballarat (27 May 1997)

Tuesday 27 May 1997

England bowled over by the boys from Ballarat

By Michael Smith

BEN and Adam Hollioake, the new stars of English cricket, left the adulation of thousands of fans behind yesterday to return to a suburban ground to play in a charity game for a former teammate.

After helping England beat the Australians 3-0 in the one-day Texaco Trophy series, the brothers turned out in a six-aside tournament at Bexley, south-east London.

In a more restrained atmosphere than that which greeted their efforts against the tourists, Ben, 19, who scored 63 runs off 48 balls at Lord`s, acknowledged that his innings had turned him into an overnight hero.

"Well, it`s maybe only for a little while. I`ve just tried to keep my head down and think about playing for Surrey," he said.

It had come as no surprise to him that he had been so successful on his debut. "I know other people think I`m a bit of a wild card," he said. "But I wasn`t surprised because I knew I could do it."

Ben was the youngest player to represent England since Brian Close in 1949, while he and Adam, voted England`s man-of-theseries, were the first brothers to play for the national team since Peter and Dick Richardson in 1957.

Adam won the man-of-the-match in the opening game at Headingley with an unbeaten 66. He scored another unbeaten 53 in the second match at The Oval on Saturday and hit the winning runs for the third consecutive match at Lord`s.

The brothers were born in the small Australian mining town of Ballarat. Their father is Australian and their mother half Indonesian.

Their father played cricket for Victoria and the family came to England in 1983 because of his work as an off-shore engineer.

Adam, who has played all his cricket since the age of 12 in Britain, qualified for England automatically. Ben, although he arrived in Britain at the age of six, had to re-qualify after spending another spell abroad. Adam joined Surrey in 1989 as a promising allrounder and, a year later, Ben was selected for the England under-14 side.

But in 1993, their father`s job took the family back to Australia, and Ben, then 15, returned with his parents while Adam stayed. A year later, the county offered Ben a contract and he rejoined his brother.

Yesterday`s tournament was held in memory of Graham Kersey, the Surrey wicketkeeper who died on New Year`s Day from injuries suffered in a car crash in Australia.

Kersey had been playing in Brisbane for Western Suburbs District Cricket Club. The Hollioakes were also in Australia playing for North Perth at the time. The tournament was hosted by Bexley Cricket Club, the team with which Kersey began his career.

"Today is to remember Graham and it definitely means as much to me to be here as yesterday did. He was a great mate and a great asset to Surrey," said Ben.

Despite his success at international level, Ben still has to establish himself in the Surrey side and Adam, the county captain, was not making any promises that the Lord`s match would change matters. "A county cap is something you have to earn. He hasn`t done that much for Surrey yet," he said.

Mr and Mrs Hollioake and Adam`s girlfriend, Judy Lee, 26, have been enthusiastic in their support. "They were magnificent," Miss Lee said after Sunday`s match, hugging Adam. "I am delighted for both of them."

Ben has a girlfriend in Australia, Janaya, an 18-year-old student in Perth, who will be flying to England next month. Asked about suggestions in the press that he was "tall, dark and handsome", Ben joked: "Well at least one newspaper got it right."

Back in Ballarat, members of the Hollioake family were jubilant at the brothers` success. Their uncle Rex, 67, who once bowled Len Hutton in a country tour match, said: "You have to admit it`s bloody ironic that they grew up in Australia and they`re now playing for England, but I`m still very proud of them."

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/)