Family and early career Ian Chappell

chappell s maternal grandfather vic richardson

chappell grew in beachside suburb of glenelg , attended local st leonard s primary school played first competitive match @ age of seven. later selected south australian state schoolboys team. enrolled @ prince alfred college, private secondary school noted producing many test cricketers, including australian captains joe darling , clem hill. other sporting pursuits included australian football , baseball: chappell s performances south australia in claxton shield won him all-australian selection in 1964 , 1966 catcher. credits vic richardson, had represented both sa , australia in baseball during 1920s, love of sport. @ age of 18, form in grade cricket glenelg led first-class debut south australia (sa) against tasmania in 1962. chappell replaced west indian gary sobers selected test match in caribbean.

the aggressive style of sobers , south-australia captain les favell heavily influenced chappell during formative years in senior cricket. in 1962–63, chappell made initial first-class century against new south wales team led australian captain richie benaud, bemused young batsman s habit of gritting teeth faced up; benaud, looked if grinning. chappell spent northern summer of 1963 professional in england s lancashire league ramsbottom , played single first-class match lancashire against cambridge university.