00:00Dirk Wellam's story in Australian cricket reads like a classic tale of early promise
00:05and quiet substance, thrust into the national side at just 22 after only five first-class
00:11matches for New South Wales.
00:13Dirk Wellam was fast-tracked on temperament as much as talent, a natural leader and a
00:18sharp pair of hands in the field. He earned selection on two Ashes Tour and by the six
00:23tests of his Median Tour in 1981. Wisdom summed him up neatly as sturdy, pugnacious
00:29and well-organized, words that perfectly matched his batting character.
00:33His test career was brief. Across six test matches, Dirk Wellam scored 257 runs
00:39at an average of 23.36, highlighted by a fine century and five safe catches in the field.
00:45He also featured in 17 One Day International, scoring 379 runs at 25.26, with a top score of 97,
00:54one half century and eight catches.
00:56At domestic level, Dirk Wellam's numbers tell a much fuller story.
01:00He was one of the rare four-player to score centuries on both his first-class and test debut,
01:06a mark of his ability to rise the occasion. In 148 first-class matches, he amassed 8,662 runs
01:14from 240 innings at a strong average of 42.25, with a higher score of 167, including 16 hundreds and
01:2353.50s, along with 68 catches and even a solitary wicket. In Leicester cricket, he added 1624 runs from
01:3268 matches at 30.07, with 13.50s and 25 catches, underlining his all-round value as a best man and
01:40a fielder. Leadership was another defining chapter of Dirk Wellam's career. Remarkably, he became the
01:46first player to captain three Australian states, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland. His tenure
01:53with New South Wales was particularly important, guiding them to back-to-back Sheffield Shields'
01:59title in 1984-85 and 1985-86, and lifting the MacDonald's Cup in 1984-85. Cricket also ran in the family,
02:08with Wellam being the nephew of New South Wales first-class cricketer, Walter Wellam.
02:14Now, let's rewind the tape to a small but telling knock. Dirk Wellam, 30-36 of 63 balls,
02:20spanning 73 minutes, start with three fours against Pakistan in the first inning of the second test
02:26at Brisbane. Played from November 27 to December 1, 1981, it was not a headline-grabbing score,
02:33but it was a pure Wellam, organised, determined and quietly competitive. Tell us in the comments
02:39below, how do you look back on Dirk Wellam's career.
03:09And his first shot over a single for Dirk Wellam. Nicely hit straight drive. He's had several on-drives
03:19today, but there is one who's out there, thinking his 12th man, diving across and not able to cut it off.
03:25It's going to be a relief for you, wellam to get one through.
03:38Easy two there. That's one for 17.
03:45End of the over. And it's four for 3-7-9.
03:55Good, solid hit that.
04:03A good sweep shot, picked up the line, it was pitched outside the leg stump,
04:08and just helping it on its way over square leg. It's amazing, once you get that first boundary
04:12through, the next one seems to come a lot easier, and that's been a lot easier for Dirk Wellam.
04:18And now he's walking off the field. It's over 4-4-3-9-9.
04:37Dirk Wellam faces Chavad Miendad.
04:39It's well played.
04:42Nasty time back by Wellam. Square away on the next side.
04:45Sikander coming around quite fast, but he won't make it.
04:48That's a well-timed shot. The ball pitched up and around about next dump, and Wellam turning his
04:54wrists on that and playing it away very nicely to the square for 4.
05:00Very well-timed shot and well-placed shot there by Dirk Wellam.
05:03Just moving his feet enough to make that into a half-volley, but he's just started to show a
05:09bit more confidence before lunch, and he's continuing on in that vein now.
05:16That time, Dan Jarajer at middle.
05:27I think the jab has been a little bit light on this man in the picture at the moment. Dirk Wellam,
05:32I think he's given him a few too many easy runs for a man who was struggling early in his innings.
05:40Wellam beginning to find the gaps now.
05:43It was a little short, and he played that right into the gap, that single.
05:47So Dirk Wellam keeps the strike, and the score 4-4, 480.
05:53South-Rose bowls, and Dirk Wellam's taking strike.
05:55One outside off Stampton, well played by Wellam.
06:04And they go down towards the point boundary.
06:06Zahir, the fieldsman down there, and it's a good throw.
06:09So, two to Wellam, the score now to 32.
06:19Wellam hammering that one off the back foot.
06:22Very good placement, wide of Zahir here.
06:26Safras bowls, and Dirk Wellam's taking strike.
06:29Wellam going away on the onside.
06:33And they're going through the gap too.
06:34He's beginning to find the gaps a little more regularly now.
06:39Two there to Wellam.
06:43I feel the Pakistanis get the distinct feeling that they have more chance of getting Dirk Wellam out
06:49when he's on the back foot rather than the front foot.
06:52That one's thrown way over the top of Wasimbari.
07:07Well, that's the over, 4-4-2-8.
07:22It's been a long day for the Pakistan bowlers, but it's a sign of Imran's courage and skill
07:30that he's able to deliver one ball such as this.
07:35Oh, well bowled.
07:37Now, that's that same ball that kept low, but even before it kept low,
07:43it was the one that came back in the air very, very sharply, and then kept on after the pitch.
07:48And what a great fire Imran Khan is.
07:52As you saw, it went between the gate.
07:53As Richie Beno said, Wellam was beaten by the movement of that ball,
07:56but certainly also by the fact that it kept exceptionally low after pitching very, very short indeed.
08:03So Wellam has been torpedoed.
08:05The total 5 for 429.
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08:13Thank you very much.
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