John Lill (cricketer)

John Lill
Personal information
Full name
John Charles Lill
Born (1933-12-07) 7 December 1933 (age 90)
Maylands, South Australia
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
RoleBatsman
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1955/56–1965/66South Australia
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 64
Runs scored 4,109
Batting average 36.36
100s/50s 8/20
Top score 176
Balls bowled 75
Wickets 1
Bowling average 47.00
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 1/3
Catches/stumpings 55/0
Source: CricketArchive, 8 October 2022

Dr John Charles Lill (born 7 December 1933) is a former Australian first-class cricketer who represented South Australia. He was a member of the South Australian team which won the Sheffield Shield in 1963/64.[1]

A right-handed top order batsman, Lill was good enough to tour New Zealand in 1959/60 with the Australian team. He played two matches against New Zealand but they weren't given Test status. This was because it was in effect a 'Second XI', with the first choice players given a rest after back to back tours of India and Pakistan. Lill fared poorly in his four innings, scoring 1, 15, 6 and 0.[2]

Back home, Lill had his most prolific season in 1960/61 when he amassed 809 runs in all first-class fixtures, at an average of 42.57.[3] His only first-class wicket was Victorian batsman Jack Potter, whom he dismissed for 156, caught by Barry Jarman in 1962.[4]

Lill was also a talented footballer and played in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) with Norwood. A centre half forward, Lill was Norwood's top goal-kicker in 1961 and 1962, with 40 and 52 goals respectively. He participated in the famous 1961 'Bloodbath' Grand Final against West Adelaide.[5] His father Alick Lill won a Magarey Medal during his time at Norwood.

In 1983 he was appointed as Secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club and also served as CEO. He remained in this role until 2000. Lill holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from the University of Adelaide.

  1. ^ "1963-64 Sheffield Shield winning team reunites". Cricinfo.
  2. ^ "Australia in New Zealand 1959/60". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  3. ^ "First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by John Lill". CricketArchive.
  4. ^ "South Australia v Victoria 1961/62". CricketArchive.
  5. ^ "1961 SANFL Grand Final: West Adelaide vs. Norwood". Australian Football.