Lindsay Hassett holds a special place in the hearts of cricket fans around the world. With his particular brand of humour, his ease with people from all walks of life, and, not least, his skill as a batsman, Hassett arguably made more friends for Australian cricket than any other Test captain before or since.
Following his captaincy of the Australian Services team during the Victory Tests following World War II - among the happiest matches in which Australia has ever played - Hassett took over the captaincy of the Test team from Bradman, a role he ably fulfilled form 1949-1953. He captained Australian 24 times, for 14 wins, four losses and six draws. His superb batting technique led to 59 first-class centuries, a score which, up until that time, had been exceeded only by Bradman.
Hassett's popularity on and off the field continued into his retirement, when he joined the ABC as a commentator, working alongside Alan McGilvray for some 18 years. His perceptive comments on the game he loved attracted a new legion of fans.
