{{Infobox Historic Cricketer | flag = Flag of Australia.svg | nationality = Australian | country = Australia | country abbrev = AUS | name = Jim Burke | picture = Cricket_no_pic.png | batting style = Right-hand bat | bowling style = Right-arm offbreak | tests = 24 | test runs = 1280 | test bat avg = 34.59 | test 100s/50s = 3/5 | test top score = 189 | test balls = 814 | test wickets = 8 | test bowl avg = 28.75 | test 5s = 0 | test 10s = 0 | test best bowling = 4/37 | test catches/stumpings = 18/0 | FCs = 130 | FC runs = 7563 | FC bat avg = 45.01 | FC 100s/50s = 21/35 | FC top score = 220 | FC balls = 8540 | FC wickets = 101 | FC bowl avg = 29.11 | FC 5s = 3 | FC 10s = 0 | FC best bowling = 6/40 | FC catches/stumpings = 58/0 | debut date = 2 February | debut year = 1951 | last date = 13 February | last year = 1959 | source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/4242.html}} '''James Wallace Burke''' (born June_12, 1930, Mosman,_New_South_Wales, died February_2, 1979, Manly,_New_South_Wales) was an Australian Cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959. A right-handed opening batsman, Burke was in the Australian Test team at the age of 20, and scored a century in the second innings of his first match against England at Adelaide in 1950-51. He looked set for a long Test career, but within two years he had lost his place in both Test and state sides, and went to the Lancashire_League in England to rebuild his confidence and his career. The rebuilding worked. Burke was chosen for the 1956 Australian tour of England and became the regular opening partner to Colin_McDonald. In a low-scoring series in a wet summer dominated by England's Jim_Laker, Burke topped the Test match averages and was a Wisden_Cricketer_of_the_Year in 1957. He then toured South Africa, India and Pakistan successfully, though his batting became increasingly dour. His century at Mumbai (then Bombay) remains the slowest by an Australian Test player and his 189 against South Africa at Cape Town, his highest Test score, took more than nine hours. Against the England team at Brisbane in 1958-59, he took 250 minutes to score 28 not out. Burke was also an Off_break bowler and took more than 100 wickets in First-class_cricket. But his bowling action was doubtfully legal and at the height of the "throwing" controversy in 1958-59 he was not risked in Test matches. Criticised for slow scoring and for his bowling, and declaring himself unwilling to face fast bowling of increasing fierceness, Burke retired rather suddenly after the 1958-59 series against MCC. He later became a well-known commentator on cricket for the Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation. A popular and humorous figure and a great golfer, Burke hid personal and financial worries. In February 1979, while a member of the regular ABC commentary team for The_Ashes Tests, he bought a shotgun from a Sydney store and killed himself with it. ==External links== *Cricinfo article on Jim Burke Burke, Jim Burke, Jim Burke, Jim Burke, Jim Burke, Jim Burke, Jim Burke, Jim Burke Jim