(Photo by Robert Cianflone / Getty Images)
By Chris Stocks
Graeme Hick may have played 65 Tests for England, but as Australia’s batting coach there is no danger of mixed loyalties when it comes to the upcoming Ashes series.
The Zimbabwean-born batsman was one of the most gifted players of his generation but will always be regarded as one of the most unfulfilled of talents.
Given his prolific county record, where he churned out century after century for Worcestershire over 24 years, Hick’s international record was underwhelming to say the least.
Having made his Test debut in the home series against West Indies in 1991, he went on to average just 31.32 over a decade-long England career that was punctuated by several years in and out of the team before he was eventually dropped for good during the tour of Sri Lanka in 2001.
The contrast with Hick’s record at Worcestershire could not have been starker. His overall first-class average – Hick also played for Northern Districts in New Zealand and Queensland – reads 52.23. He is also one of few men to have scored 100 first-class hundreds, his overall number standing at 136.
The most memorable of those came at Taunton in 1988, when Hick struck a majestic unbeaten 405 for Worcestershire against Somerset. He was the first man to pass the 400-mark in English first-class cricket since 1895. Only Brian Lara, the West Indies great smashing that majestic 501 not out for Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1994, has done it since.
Those days in England are a distant memory for Hick now, though, given he has been happy and settled in Australia for six years. Originally employed by Cricket Australia as a development coach, the 51-year-old has risen through the ranks and is now the national team’s batting coach.
“I’ve been here for six years now and I really enjoy it,” says Hick. “I’ve been really lucky to land the role I had here with Cricket Australia working through the development side, I really enjoyed that, and now working with the quality of these players in this environment is a very different challenge and one I’m enjoying. I feel I’m growing into it and getting better at it all the time.”
Hick is using his own experiences of international cricket – spanning over 100 games across all formats and including a World Cup final – to help the current generation of Australian batsmen.
Asked if his England career was now a distant memory, Hick says: “Fortunately yes! I can sleep at night these days! I’ve never been one to reflect and look back and feel sorry for myself or whatever.
“I had great opportunities and loved what I did. I reflect on it now in terms of some of the things I did and decisions I made to try to help people in what they go through, particularly the younger players.
“Quite often during those moments I think ‘yes, that’s what I went through and this is what helped me’.
“It doesn’t mean it necessarily helps someone else but it’s one of the challenges I’ve enjoyed in coaching. You have to understand how important your relationship with each player is and how each one is different.”
Hick has been coaching the Cricket Australia XI taking on England in their final Ashes warm-up match in Townsville this week.
Despite spending more than 30 years in the UK, he is, unsurprisingly, backing his current employers in the coming series.
“In recent history both sides have had strengths and weaknesses and there will be moments in Tests where whoever grabs it or makes the best decisions will come out on top. There are world-class performers on each side and I just hope it’s an exciting series and obviously we come out on top!”
An intriguing sub-plot to this winter’s Ashes is that Hick’s opposition batting coach is Mark Ramprakash, his former England team-mate, another man who has 100 first-class hundreds and who also never fulfilled his vast talent on the international stage.
“We don’t have to go back on all that, do we?” Hick says when asked about the comparisons. “I thought we’d gone past that. We’ve got an Ashes series to look forward to.
“No, it will be interesting to catch up with Ramps and chat to him about what his ideas on batting are now and what he’s preaching. We’ve got some common ground.”
Asked if he felt his England career would have been different if he was playing now, Hick says: “I don’t know. Central contracts came in as I was going out and there’s so much cricket now it’s great to have them to control it.
“As I said, I’m not someone who looks back and says ‘if only’. Why would I have regrets? It’s for me to deal with and I’ve dealt with that myself. I know I tried hard and worked hard but I don’t dwell on it. I count myself as very fortunate to have had the chances I had.”
Ryan Harris, who coached the CA XI that faced England in Adelaide last week, felt Australia had the edge as the tourists’ batting is vulnerable. Yet Hick is more even handed. “He’s a bowler, isn’t he?” he joked.
“I think both sides might feel the same. There are some younger players on each side looking to stamp their authority on Test cricket. I’m sure England supporters feel the same about Australia. The series starts evenly pitched and there are opportunities for both sides.”
