Jack Badcock

Wisden obituary
Jack Badcock, who died at his birthplace, Exton, Tasmania, on December 13, 1982, aged 68, was something of an infant prodigy, making his début for Tasmania in 1929 when still under sixteen. A right-handed batsman, Badcock was sturdily built and a punishing driver. He was also a fine cutter of the ball, especially square of the wicket. He played nineteen matches for Tasmania before transferring to South Australia for whom he played until his early retirement, owing to lumbago, in 1941. He had an insatiable appetite for runs. Playing for South Australia against Victoria at Adelaide in 1936 he made 325, his highest score. He also scored 271 not out for South Australia against New South Wales in 1938-39 and 236 against Queensland in 1939-40. His highest score for Tasmania was 274 against Victoria at Launceston in 1933-34.

For such a prolific scorer in Sheffield Shield cricket Badcock had a disappointing Test record, scoring only 160 runs in twelve innings, despite making 118 against England in only his third Test, at Melbourne in 1936-37. He toured England in 1938 and enjoyed considerable success outside the Test matches, his aggregate of 1,604 runs (average 45.82) being inferior only to those of Bradman and Brown. Self-effacing and immensely popular, he scored 7,371 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 51.54 and hit 26 centuries
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack