Jim Ditchburn (born Albert James Ditchburn, 24 August 1908 – 7 March 1964) was an Australian sportsman who represented Western Australia in both Australian rules football and first-class cricket. He played and coached in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) during the 1930s.
Early life and football career
Ditchburn was born in Boulder, Western Australia, in the state's goldfields region. He began his league football career in 1929 with Subiaco. He transferred to South Fremantle in 1932, where he played 93 games for the club. During this period, he made the first of his ten interstate football appearances for Western Australia. He was used by his state both in the ruck and as a half-forward flanker, and he twice captained Western Australia to wins over South Australia in 1938.
By that time, Ditchburn was at his third WANFL club, Swan Districts, which had secured his services as captain-coach prior to the 1937 season. Having played his early football in Midland, he was the first local to coach Swan Districts. In the three years he was in charge of the club, Ditchburn twice steered them to finals, with third-place finishes in 1937 and 1938. He briefly coached South Fremantle in 1946, following the sudden resignation of Neil Lewington.
Cricket career
A right-arm medium-pace bowler, Ditchburn played nine first-class matches for the Western Australian cricket team, all in 1934 and 1935. He took 22 wickets at an average of 30.63. His best innings and match figures came in his final appearance, against the Marylebone Cricket Club at the WACA Ground. His first-innings figures of 4 for 46 consisted entirely of present and future England Test cricketers: James Langridge, Joe Hardstaff, Jim Parks, and Wilf Barber.
Career statistics
In Australian rules football, Ditchburn played for Subiaco (1929–1931), South Fremantle (1932–1936, 93 games), and Swan Districts (1937–1939, 52 games, 65 goals). In first-class cricket, he scored 127 runs at a batting average of 12.70, with a top score of 27 not out, and took 22 wickets at a bowling average of 30.63, with best bowling figures of 4/46.
Ditchburn died on 7 March 1964 in Perth, Western Australia, at the age of 55.
