Neil Hawke's story is timeless and for some, a really incredible tale to listen to. During a time when gaining fame in a sport was considered legendary, Hawke managed to crack the code in cricket, football and golf. He was superbly multi-talented and worked doubly hard to ensure that his talent didn't go in vain. As a cricketer, Hawke was a swing bowler who delivered the ball with a unorthodox action. He wasn't extremely quick for a fast bowler but his ability to move the ball made him a handful, especially in helpful conditions. Hawke was also a dogged lower order batsman who wouldn't throw his wicket away and also fielded like a dream in any position assigned to him. As a bowler, Hawke's biggest quality was his workhorse mentality. He would relentlessly bowl tireless spells and was an extremely fit athlete.

Over his five-year international career, Hawke picked up six five-wicket hauls with his best performances coming against arch-rivals England and the formidable West Indian outfit. While his cricketing career was surging, Hawke was already an established football player in Australian Rules Football, having made his name as an incredible goal-scorer. The times that he lived in enabled him to shuttle between the two sports without much issues but it was this versatility that eventually crippled him. A shoulder dislocation during a football game severely dented his career in the sport and it also meant that his bowling would be affected as well. Hawke crawled along till 1968 after which he decided to quit from international cricket.

After retirement, Hawke played a bit of club cricket in England and also in Australia. After his playing days, he worked as a cricket journalist as well as commentator. For an extremely talented person like Hawke, there was a lot of tragedy in the latter part of his life. He had a bowel issue and multiple heart attacks while also suffering from Hepatitis B and C. A brain failure later rendered him vocally impaired. After a decade of pain, he passed away in Adelaide in 2000 at the age of 61. At his best, Hawke was one of the most impactful swing bowlers going around, a fact testified by the great Richie Benaud who also captained the seamer at one point of time. At the time of his death, cricketers all over the country paid him rich tributes, as did footballers and golfers in the country. Hawke was truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of persona.

By Hariprasad Sadanandan