Jim Ditchburn

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jim Ditchburn

| birth_name= Albert James Ditchburn

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1908|8|24}}

| birth_place = Boulder, Western Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1964|3|7|1908|8|24}}

| death_place = Perth, Western Australia

| module= {{Infobox AFL biography

| embed=yes

| originalteam = Midland "B" Grade

| height =

| weight =

| position =

| statsend = 1939

| years1 = 1929–1931

| club1 = Subiaco

| games_goals1 =

| years2 = 1932–1936

| club2 = South Fremantle

| games_goals2 = 93

| years3 = 1937–1939

| club3 = Swan Districts

| games_goals3 = 52 (65)

| careerhighlights =

}}

|module2=

{{Infobox cricketer| embed = yes

| country = Australia

| nickname =

| batting =

| bowling =

| role =

| club1 = Western Australia

| year1 = 1933–1934

| type1 = FC

| debutdate1 = 10 February

| debutyear1 = 1933

| debutfor1 = Western Australia

| debutagainst1 = South Australia

| lastdate1 = 31 October

| lastyear1 = 1934

| lastfor1 = Western Australia

| lastagainst1 = MCC

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 9

| runs1 = 127

| bat avg1 = 12.70

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 27*

| deliveries1 = 1,839

| wickets1 = 22

| bowl avg1 = 30.63

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 4/46

| catches/stumpings1 = 9/–

| date = 16 September

| year = 2017

| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/8/8215/8215.html CricketArchive {{subscription required}}

}}

}}

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

Ditchburn, who was born in the Western Australian goldfields, started his league career in 1929 with Subiaco. He crossed to South Fremantle in 1932 and put together 93 games for the club, during which time made the first of his ten interstate football appearances with Western Australia. Used by his state both in the ruck and as a half forward flanker, Ditchburn twice captained Western Australia to wins over South Australia in 1938. By then he was at his third WANFL club, Swan Districts, who had secured his services as captain-coach prior to the 1937 season.{{cite news|work=Western Mail|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38903503|title=Among the Various Clubs|date=18 March 1937|page=27|via=National Library of Australia}} He had played his early football in Midland and was thus 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.{{cite news|work=Western Mail|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38406260|title=Swan's Many Coaches|date=18 April 1940|page=20|via=National Library of Australia}} He briefly coached South Fremantle in 1946, after the sudden resignation of Neil Lewington.{{cite news|work=The West Australian|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50345641|title=Two Resignations|date=10 June 1946|page=4|via=National Library}}

A right-arm medium pace bowler, Ditchburn played nine first-class matches for the Western Australian cricket team, all in 1934 and 1935.{{cricketarchive|id=15948|name=James Ditchburn}} He took 22 wickets at 30.63, with his best innings and match figures coming 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.{{cricketarchive|ref=/Archive/Scorecards/15/15627.html| name=Western Australia v Marylebone Cricket Club}}