Ian Chappell: the sum of South Australia cricket lineage of aggressive allrounders unafraid to fight administrators
Ian Chappell as Australian cricket captain and aggressive batsman developed the team's confronting style. Other South Australians pictured with Chappell are his brother Greg, Jeff Hammond and Ashley Mallett.
Ian Chappell, one of two grandsons (with brother Greg) of Victor Richardson to captain Australia, is a sum of his South Australian cricket predecessors: from his aggressive approach, to also playing baseball and football, and taking on the cricket establishment.
He was the first of three sons born in Adelaide suburb Unley to Martin Chappell, a noted Adelaide grade cricketer, and Jeanne, daughter of famous all-round sportsman Vic Richardson, who captained Australia 19 times.
Selected for the South Australian state schoolboys team, Ian Chappell went to Prince Alfred College that produced many Test cricketers, including captains Joe Darling and Clem Hill. His other sports – following his grandfather – included Australian football and baseball. Chappell’s Claxton Shield baseball for South Australia won him All-Australian selection in 1964 and 1966 as a catcher.
At 18, his form in grade cricket for Glenelg led to his first-class debut for South Australia against Tasmania in 1962. The aggressive style of South Australian captain Les Favell and import Gary Sobers heavily influenced Chappell, who favoured the hook shot. In 1963-64, Chappell was the youngest in the South Australia team that won the Sheffield Shield.
Chappell's aggressive batting with brilliant slips fielding and leg spin bowling didn’t cement his Australian Test team place until the 1968 tour of England. Chappell, who moved from all rounder to No.3 batsman, had his first clash with cricket authorities on the 1970 South Africa tour over a match being added without asking players.
Chappell took over as South Australian captain in 1970-71, developing a technique at Adelaide Oval of going straight from quick bowlers (Jeff Hammond, Kevin McCarthy) to spinners (Ashley Mallett, Terry Jenner).
He became Australian captain when selectors sacked Bill Lawry. Chappell was more attacking but lost his first game in charge, although leading South Australia to a Sheffield Shield. As Australian captain 1971-75, Chappell's blunt manner and his teams’ sledging confronted opposition players and administrators.
Chappell spoke with Don Bradman before bringing back his risky but aggressive hook shot. But Chappell and Bradman (whose relationship with Vic Richardson was strained), as Australia Cricket Board chairman, clashed over Chappell’s role as driving force behind the professionalising Australian cricket in the 1970s. The result was Kerry Packer’s breakaway World Series Cricket.
After retiring in 1980, Chappell had a high profile as a sports journalist and commentator, mainly with Channel Nine. He also entered the halls of fame of Sport Australia, the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, Australian cricket and International Cricket Council.