Neil Dansie

Hampton Neil Dansie (2 July 1928 – 23 May 2023) was an Australian first-class cricketer and long-term administrator for South Australia. He is the seventh leading run-scorer for South Australia in Sheffield Shield.

Early life Nicknamed "Nodder" due to his habit of nodding in agreement when in conversation, Dansie moved to Adelaide with his family as a child and excelled in a wide range of sports, including cricket, Australian rules football and baseball. He made his first grade cricket debut for Kensington Cricket Club aged 15, one of the youngest ever debutants in the South Australian Grade Cricket League. His football career also developed, making his senior debut for Norwood Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in 1946. Dansie played 39 games for Norwood before retiring in 1949, aged just 21, in order to concentrate on his cricket career. Dansie quickly gained a reputation as a hard-hitting batsman with a liking for the pull, sweep and cut shots and a steady off-spin and leg-spin bowler, Dansie's best batting performance was 185 against Queensland at the Gabba in January 1951 and took five wickets for 61 against Queensland in December 1960. During his final Sheffield Shield season, he showed his all-round prowess once again with the bat and ball taking 26 scalps and scoring 405 runs which also included a century against Queensland during Boxing Day match in 1966.

He became only the second player to reach milestone of 100 Sheffield Shield appearances after Ken Mackay and he achieved the feat in 1966. He had a prolific run for South Australia in first-class cricket scoring 6692 runs which accounted for more than 3/4th of his total first-class runs. His total tally of 6692 runs in 107 first-class matches puts him only behind Darren Lehmann, Greg Blewett, David Hookes, Callum Ferguson, Les Favell and Ian Chappell in the list of all-time top runscorers for South Australia in Sheffield Shield history.

Despite being touted as one of the brightest prospects in Australian domestic setup, he never received a Baggy Green Cap. He was touted by many as a potential test match prospect throughout the 1950s. In his first season Dansie made 800 runs and took 44 wickets. He and his former teammate Les Favell are honoured in the Favell-Dansie Indoor Centre at the southern end of Adelaide Oval, behind the Sir Donald Bradman Stand.

Dansie died in Adelaide on 23 May 2023, at the age of 94.