Bert Hopkins was a gentle, slow-medium swing bowler. His first Test wickets were a distinguished pair: CB Fry and Ranjitsinhji, when Hopkins surprisingly opened the bowling at Lord's in 1902 and reduced England to 0 for 2. He didn't take another wicket in the series, though. Hopkins could bat too, and often opened for his state, New South Wales. It's a good thing he did, as in a quarter of his 20 Tests, Hopkins did not get a bowl at all.
Martin Williamson

Wisden obituary
Albert Hopkins, born at Sydney on May 3, 1874, and died there on April 25, 1931. A right-hand slow-medium bowler with a pronounced swerve and break from the off, a brilliant field and a forceful batsman, he was one of several good allround cricketers who came to England in 1902 under the captaincy of Joseph Darling. During that tour he scored 1192 runs (average 25.91) and took 38 wickets (average 17.60). He made two other visits -- in 1905 and 1909 -- but in the latter tour did not show anything like such good ability in batting as when previously in England, his aggregate runs amounting to only 432. Altogether he took part in seventeen Test Matches, scoring 434 runs and taking twenty-one wickets. On one occasion he earned great distinction. In the second Test match at Lord's in 1902, when play was restricted to an hour and three-quarters on the opening day, Darling, to everyone's surprise chose Hopkins to open the bowling from the Pavilion end, although such capable men as Saunders, Armstrong and Noble were there to share the attack with E Jones. As it happened, CB Fry made a wretched stroke to short-leg and Ranjitsinhji was bowled off his pad, both these famous batsmen failing to get a run. AC Maclaren and FS Jackson took the score to 102, and that was the extent of the cricket in that game.

As it happened Hopkins did not get another wicket in Test matches during that tour. His highest innings in this country was 154 against Northamptonshire in August, 1905, when the Australians ran up the great total of 609. He usually went in first for New South Wales, and against South Australia at Adelaide in December 1908 he played a great innings of 218, his partnership with Noble yielding 283 runs for the second wicket in two hours and fifty minutes. This brilliant display was characteristic of his forcing game. His record in Sheffield Shield cricket was 1594 runs at an average of 30.65 and 96 wickets, average 22.57.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

Mar 5, 1904 Len Braund bowling to Bert Hopkins during the 5th Test © Cricinfo Ltd

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