'HOOKSIE' ON THE MOUND: Former Australian Test players, David Hookes (right) and Jeff Thompson (centre), listen attentively to former West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman, Jeffrey Dujon, on the Red Stripe Mound at Sabina Park during Australia's 2001 Caribbean tour. Hookes died yesterday hours after being assaulted by a bouncer outside a Melbourne pub. (Photo: Ken Ramsay)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - One of Australia's leading cricket figures, David Hookes, died yesterday hours after being assaulted by a bouncer outside a Melbourne pub.

Hookes, a former Test batsman who had been coaching the Victoria state side, suffered massive head injuries when the bouncer allegedly struck him to the ground during a dispute in the Melbourne suburb of Saint Kilda.

Hookes, 48, was in a coma and on life support following the assault late Sunday and died around 7:00 pm yesterday, his step-brother, Terry Cranagh, said.

Prime Minister, John Howard, a fervent cricket fan, said Hookes' untimely death was a tragedy for the nation.

"The tragic death of David Hookes, in such violent circumstances, will sadden not only cricket fans but all Australians," he said in a statement.

"He was an exciting and accomplished Test cricketer, a talented broadcaster and an immensely likeable person. His ability and enthusiasm gave inspiration and encouragement to many young cricketers," Howard said.

Police said Hookes had been celebrating a win by his Victoria team over South Australia at St Kilda's Beaconsfield Hotel pub at the time of the incident.

Bouncer, Zdravco Micevic, 21, was charged with assault and granted conditional bail. Police are expected to consider further charges.

"David had been celebrating Victoria's cricketing win over South Australia with friends at the Beaconsfield Hotel before the incident occured," Cranagh told reporters outside Melbourne's Alfred hospital.

"We trust that police will conduct a full investigation into the incident and the justice process will provide us with some insight into what occurred."

Hookes had been a sporting celebrity for three decades: first as a tenacious middle-order batsman, then as a coach, a cricket commentator and always as one of the characters of the game.

His death stunned the world of cricket, Australia's national pastime.

"I felt physically very sick this morning when I heard the news, and it really is terrible," said recently retired Test captain, Steve Waugh, whose first Test in 1985-86 coincided with the last of Hookes' 23-match career.

Test selector and former captain, Allan Border, described his friend as a "larger-than-life character".

"We've been very close mates going back to schoolboy cricket days so this has hit pretty hard," said Border, who appeared with Hookes on the Fox Sports programme, Inside Cricket.

Hookes played for Australia between 1977 and 1986, scoring 1,306 runs at an average of 34.36. He also played 39 one-day internationals for 826 runs.

The South Australian left-handed batsman debuted for Australia in the 1977 Centenary Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and scored a dashing half-century which included five boundaries off one over from England all-rounder, Tony Greig.

Greig described yesterday's news as an "absolute tragedy".
"One of the great tragedies about this ... is that he's having a very exciting time in his life," Greig said.

"He's broken into the media and he's quoted a lot, he's also coaching one of Australia's leading cricket teams."
Former team-mate, Ian Chappell, said Hookes was not an aggressive man.

"He was always prepared to speak his opinion and we might have got an animated discussion out of him but certainly not fighting," former Test skipper, Chappell, said.

"It sounds like a classic case of wrong place at the wrong time."

Australian Test captain, Ricky Ponting, said Hookes' untimely death was "terribly sad news".

"It's hit everyone pretty hard, all we can do as a team is say our hearts go out to David, his family and his friends and everyone involved with cricket in Victoria and South Australia, let them know we are thinking of them and that our best wishes go out to them."

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