After attending the Australian Cricket Academy in 1989, Dene Hills made his debut for Tasmania against Western Australia at Hobart in the summer of 1991–92.
The pair formed one of the most consistent domestic partnerships of the 1990s, and Hills defensive strength was the perfect foil for Cox's more attacking flair.
Hills had quickly settled into his role as the mainstay at the top order, and as he matured as a player, he learned to build ever larger innings.
In the 1995–96 season he scored his first double-century against a Queensland bowling attack that featured the international veterans, Carl Rackemann, Michael Kasprowicz and Craig McDermott, all of whom he seemed at ease when facing during that epic innings.
in the 2000–01 season, he was dropped after just four matches, and after an illustrious decade leading the Tigers from the front, Dene Hills bowed out of First-class cricket with scores of 5 and 3 in his final two innings.
As his playing career wound up, Hills also found time to represent Australia in 2001 in the Hong Kong Sixes competition in Kowloon, scoring the most runs in that year's tournament.