Rick Darling

In 2014 he recalled that he was injured several times:

In 2014 Darling was working as a gardener at a retirement home.

Later innings included 5 against the West Indies, 35 against Pakistan (where Darling was run out again) and 74 against Pakistan (Australia's top score, Darling run out again, Pakistan won). He had a run of low scores – 7 against the West Indies, 5 (run out) against Pakistan and 20 against the West Indies. He made 132 and 58 not out for South Australia against Pakistan. However he was dropped from the one day team.

Probably the ones that hit me in the head later on in my career were a lot more detrimental than the one that hit me in the chest. The fact that it has caused long-term effects – I was probably hit badly in the head three or four times in my career. To the point where it has now caused what they call post-traumatic epilepsy. It's not a full-blown epilepsy attack, but more of a dizzy spell, sort of a blackout type. Only in the last 12 months has this been identified. Medication has fixed it up.

Darling's finest Test innings was 91 against England at Sydney in the 4th Test. He helped Australia to a first innings lead but they collapsed in the second innings (Darling made 13; it was Wood's turn to be run out) and lost badly.

In 1985–86 Darling scored a century against the touring Indians. It was his best innings of the season, in which Darling made 350 runs at an average of 31. Another highlight was 97 against NSW and 60 against NSW.

Darling returned for the 1984/85 season, claiming the dispute had been settled. He scored 100 in a state trial game but was omitted from the initial state squad. He managed to force his way back into the side for several games that summer, making 113 runs at 37 with a highest score of 58.

During the 1983–84 summer he returned to the South Australian side, batting down the order. He scored 58 against Pakistan but in his next game he clashed with South Australian captain David Hookes who wanted Darling to open in the absence of Wayne Phillips, but Darling wanted to bat down the order. Hookes responded by making Darling come in at number eight. Darling withdrew for the rest of the season as a result.

Other notable innings that year included 88 and 52 against Tasmania, and 121 against West Australia. He also made a half century in the McDonald's Cup semi final. South Australia won the Sheffield Shield at the end of the season. Darling's batting was a crucial part of the state's success. His omission from the 1982 tour of Pakistan surprised several observers.

Darling took some time to get going form-wise at the start of the 1982–83 season. He was beginning to find form with 98 against NSW. His next match was against Queensland; Darling was 17 when he was hit on the face by a delivery from John Maguire. He suffered bleeding in the eye and lacerations and had to spend several days in hospital. He returned to the team two months later. He played one game, making 15 and 4, then declared himself unavailable due to personal commitments. Darling later recalled:

Darling had an excellent season in 1981–82. He made 72 against NSW and 88 against the West Indies. When Graham Yallop fell injured, Darling was recalled to the Australian one day team. He made 41 against Pakistan, featuring in another run out with Graeme Wood, but being Australia's second top scorer.

It was reported that World Series Cricket officials had offered Darling a contract for the upcoming 1979/80 WSC season (which did not eventuate). Darling had been unemployed for six months but went to work for Hindmarsh Building Society, sponsors of the South Australian side.

Darling was selected to play for Australia in the 1979 World Cup. He made 60 in a warm up game against New Zealand but failed to impress in the official games, with scores of 25 (against England), 13 (against Pakistan) and 13 (against Canada).

Darling was selected for Australia's tour of India in 1979. He fell ill with a stomach ailment early in the tour. Then later he was hit in the face while fielding, meaning he only batted once in the lead up games, making 34 against North Zone. Eventually Darling was ruled unfit and Wood took his place.

Darling began the 1979–80 season superbly with 88 against the West Indies for South Australia.

Darling began the 1978–79 season failing twice for South Australia against the touring English team, making 17 and 1. He then made 39 against Tasmania.

Darling was given his chance in the Australian Test team through the defection of several players to World Series Cricket in 1977.

At the beginning of the 1977–78 season he was 12th man for South Australia against the Indian team. He got back into the team and scored runs, playing particularly well against Western Australia, making 45 and 100.

Darling's Sheffield Shield scores for the 1976–77 season were 2 and 14, 0 and 25, 3 and 64. He made his initial first class century with 107 against Victoria. Then made 1 and 39, 22 and 4 and 7.

Darling started his first-class career in 1975–76 with South Australia. He made his debut against Queensland, batting at number 6, being run out for 5. (Darling would later become notorious for being involved in run outs throughout his career.) He then made 26 and 48 against Victoria, helping South Australia win the game. He scored 2 against the touring West Indians. A second innings of 29 helped guide South Australia to victory against Western Australia. He also made 2 and 32 against WA, 1 and 41 against Victoria and 12 against NSW. South Australia won the Sheffield Shield that year.

He was picked for South Australia Colts in 1974–75, scoring 67 against Victoria, 105 against Victoria, 48 against the West Indies and 45 against WA.

Darling is the great-nephew of Joe Darling, and learnt to play cricket at his family's home at Ramco on the Murray River. He started playing for the Salisbury Cricket Club in the Adelaide district competition in 1970–71.

Warrick Maxwell Darling (born 1 May 1957), known as Rick Darling, is a former Australian Test cricketer.

Darling made 27 and 3 against West Zone and was dismissed cheaply twice in the fourth test, 19 and 7. He was dropped down the order for the fifth and sixth tests. In the fifth he made 39 and 7; in the 6th it was 16 and 0.