1. What was your childhood like? 

I was born in Cootamundra Hospital, New South Wales. I spent my childhood in Bowral, and as a youth I enjoyed playing the piano, golf, tennis and especially cricket. I went to Bowral High School, with my four siblings; Victor, Islet, Elizebeth and Lilian. During school I found my interest for cricket. I would practice by hitting a golf ball against the family water tank with a cricket stump. Also to develop my fielding, I would throw a golf ball at the lowest rail of a fence.  

 

    2. What would be your biggest career achievement? 

My biggest career achievement would be getting my batting average, 99.94. That was and still is the highest ever average for a person to have in test cricket. 

 

   3. Who or what inspired you to become a cricketer? 

I was inspired by my maternal uncles, George and Richard Whatman. My mother also helped me a great deal by bowling to me in the backyard. 

 

   4.What was your part in world war 2? 

I fought with the Australian Air Force and in the army. I enlisted to be in RAAF in June 1940 and  I was given the rank of lieutenant. I was then transferred to the Australian army four months later. I was then discharged from the Army because of medical issues in 1941. 

 

   5.Why were you knighted?  

I was knighted for my service to cricket as a game. I was and still am the only Australian cricket player ever to be knighted for services to the game. Even though I am the only Australian player to be knighted, the Australian cricket community took it with pride as if they too had the title, Sir. 

 

   6.Why were you so successful? 

I mainly was successful because I went beyond the game's limits, partly because I was uncoached. One of my more famous success routes was when I invented my own game in which someone would throw a golf ball onto a congregated water tank and I had to hit it with a cricket stump whichever way it bounced of the tank. 

​

   7.How did you become famous? 

I mainly became famous through cricket, being highly regarded as the greatest cricketer of all time. Scoring an average of 99.94 over the course of a 20 year career 1928-1948. Over that time- period I gathered thousands of people together to make the Australian cricket community stronger. 

 

   8.What was the Bodyline series? 

The bodyline delivery was when the cricket ball was bowled, at pace, at the body of the batsman. The objective was that the batsman would try to protect his body, with his bat hitting the ball in the air for a fielder in slips or standing close to the pitch to catch.  

 

   9.Where did you enjoy playing the most?  

My favorite cricket ground would have to be The Melbourne Cricket Ground, that is where I scored my most runs. I scored 270 runs which secured the game for Australia and that innings has been voted as the greatest innings of all time.  

 

   10.What are some tips to become an international cricket player? 

Practice, practice, practice. That is all you need to become an excellent player. If you want to be an international cricket player never stop until you reach your goal.