1950–51 Ashes series
Encyclopedia
The 1950–51 Ashes series consisted of five cricket
Test matches
, each of six days with five hours play each day and eight ball overs
. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1950–51
and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club
. The England team
under the captaincy of the big-hearted all-rounder
Freddie Brown was regarded as the weakest sent to Australia and "without Bedser
and Hutton
, England
would have been little better than a club side
". Few gave them a chance of regaining the Ashes
and they lost the series 4–1 to Lindsay Hassett
's Australian team, which had far greater reserves of talent. Nevertheless, it was two English players who dominated the series; Len Hutton
"a Titan
among the minnows" made 533 runs (88.83) with an average double that of any other batsman, English or Australian. Alec Bedser
took 30 wickets (16.06) and began his dominance of Australian batsmen that would continue into 1953, when he and Hutton would be instrumental in regaining the Ashes for England. The forty-year-old Freddie Brown had a successful series and won considerable popularity with his jovial determination to fight on regardless of the odds. Given the close results in the First and Second Tests it is possible that England
could have won had Bill Edrich
or Jim Laker
been brought over, or Denis Compton
had been fully fit. The Middlesex
strokemaker had a chequered tour, averaging 7.57 in the Tests and 92.11 in his other First Class matches. However, there was no dispute that the powerful Australian team had greater strength in depth; the captain Lindsay Hassett
made 366 runs (40.66), Neil Harvey
362 runs (40.22), Keith Miller
350 runs (43.75) and Jim Burke
125 runs (41.66). The fast bowler Ray Lindwall
took 15 wickets (22.93), his new-ball partner Keith Miller
17 wickets (17.70), Bill Johnston
22 wickets (19.18) and the mystery spin of Jack Iverson
21 wickets (15.23) in his only Test series. This was the first Ashes series to be played since the retirement of Don Bradman and it saw the debut of Ken Archer
, Jim Burke
, Graeme Hole
and Jack Iverson
for Australia and John Warr
and Roy Tattersall
for England. In the Fifth and final Test England
beat Australia for the first time since 1938 and ended their unbeaten run of 14 Tests against England, 26 Tests against all teams and 96 games in all cricket since the Second World War. After this victory England would defeat Australia in 1953
, 1954–55 and 1956
.
Selection of the Australian team would seem to be a simple process as nine of its members were highly talented cricketers who almost picked themselves; Lindsay Hassett
, Arthur Morris
, Neil Harvey
, Don Tallon
, Keith Miller
, Ray Lindwall
, Ian Johnson
, and Bill Johnston
. Don Tallon
replaced Ron Saggers
who had kept wicket on the tour of South Africa in 1949–50, which Tallon had missed. Ray Lindwall
had being dropped for the last Test in South Africa, his form suffering from a series of ailments, but was recalled to the team to replace Geff Noblet
. Batsmen Jack Moroney
and Sam Loxton
kept their places, but leg-spinner Colin McCool
was replaced by the 35 year old debutant mystery spinner Jack Iverson
. The task for the England
tour selectors was not quite so easy. The managers Brigadier Michael Green
and John Nash
, captain Freddie Brown, vice-captain Denis Compton
and senior professional
Len Hutton
kept most of the team from the Fourth and final Test against the West Indies in 1950. This was not the best recommendation as they had lost the series 3–1 and the last Test by an innings even though Hutton carried his bat for 202 out of 344. Freddie Brown, Denis Compton
, Len Hutton
, Reg Simpson
, John Dewes
, Trevor Bailey
, Arthur McIntyre, Alec Bedser
, Doug Wright
all stayed, but the young opener David Sheppard
was replaced by veteran Cyril Washbrook
and Godfrey Evans
returned as wicket-keeper
. Apart from Hutton, Washbrook, Compton and Simpson the batsmen were not in fine form. Dewes was chosen after he had made a gritty 117 against Queensland
in the last tour match before the Test. The reserve wicket-keeper Arthur McIntyre was in the team for his batting and as Brown's Cows
were desperately short of good fielders and McIntyre had a good throwing arm. While the crowd was waiting for the captains to come out and toss a dapper little man came out and inspected the pitch and he passed by the spectators completely unnoticed. It was the Test selector Sir Donald Bradman, such is fame. Keith Miller
had recently made a slow 201 not out against Queensland
on the flat Woolloongabba pitch and predicted that the Test would be "the dullest in history". Lindsay Hassett
won the toss (as he would 9 times out of 10 in Ashes Tests) and although the Woolloongabba Ground had a reputation as "result" wicket it looked plumb and he batted without hesitation.
One of the good points about the tour so far had been the rise of Trevor Bailey
as new ball partner for Alec Bedser
. He bowled the first over, but mistimed his run up for the first ball and had to walk back and start again, swinging his fourth ball to tickle the edge of Jack Moroney
's bat and send it to Len Hutton
at fine leg
for a duck. Neil Harvey
joined Arthur Morris
and they took the score to 66/1 by lunch, though Morris constantly played and missed at Bedser's in-swingers and made only 24 runs to 38 by the more fluent Harvey. Doug Wright
(1/81) came on to bowl a typical over with two long hop
s, which Harvey cracked into the square-leg fence, but the first ball of the next had him groping at a googly
that turned so fiercely that it missed both bat and stumps, "a real pearl that morally bowled Harvey all the way". The following ball had Wright appealing for lbw
, but it was turned down as it turned so much that it would have missed the stumps. Returning after the break Bedser dismissed the labouring Morris lbw
to bring Keith Miller
on at 69/2. England's
fielding had dramatically improved over its reputation on tour – Bedser had bowled seven eight ball overs for 6 runs – but these two strokemakers increased the run rate much to the joy of the crowd. Miller hit a typical Doug Wright
over for 12 as he served up a mixture of full toss
es, long hop
s, googlies, fierce leg-breaks and cunningly flighted balls. Harvey's 50 with 6 boundaries brought a cheer from the crowd, and he hit 3 more, a cover-drive and a pull off Bedser and dancing three steps down the wicket to hit Wright to the sightscreen. The Kent
spinner returned to the wicket with his hop, skip and a jump
and bowled a googly
that Miller mishit it to a surprised Arthur McIntyre at short mid-on to have him out for 15. Lindsay Hassett
was almost out first ball to Bedser, but a difficult chance was missed by Denis Compton
and the Australian captain took a single. Bedser then bowled on of his rare out-swingers to Neil Harvey, Godfrey Evans
taking the catch and whipping off the bails to have the Victorian
left-hander caught
and stumped, but the bowler's umpire responded first and Harvey was "c. Evans b. Bedser" for 74. Hassett did not survive long, his off-stump was knocked over by a Bedser "special" and from 116/2 Australia had collapsed to 129/5. Freddie Brown came on the relieve Bedser and Evans took another great catch to remove Loxton (24), though Ray Lindwall
(41) saw Australia to tea for 166/6. Brown (2/63) continued after the break, mixing up his medium-paced seamers with leg-spin to have the out of form Australian wicket-keeper Don Tallon
caught by Reg Simpson
on the square leg boundary at 172/7. Lindwall and Ian Johnson
held things up for three-quarters of an hour while adding 47 before Bailey (3/28) took the new ball. Simpson caught Johnson off Bailey and Bedser took Lindwall to give Bailey his third wicket. Bedser was brought back on and Bill Johnston flipped him over the slips to the boundary. As he came to a halt half way down the pitch he stopped to chat with Alec
while Iverson completed two runs. Only now did Johnston realise that Reg Simpson
had stopped the ball and was throwning it in to Evans
. He ran back towards his crease running like a duck trying to take off from water alongside Iverson making his third run. Johnston got home, Iverson stopped two yards short to turn back to the bowlers end, but Evans missed the bowler's stumps and he was safe. After this comedy routine Bedser (4/45) had Bill Johnston
caught by Hutton in the slips to dismiss Australia for 228 ten minutes before stumps, the last 4 wickets falling for just 9 runs. This low score after Australia had chosen to bat on a good wicket was a coup fo the touring team, whose performance surprised everyone, it now only remained to see how well their batsmen could perform.
On the recommendation of an MCC committee member in Australia the tour selectors had decided to demote Len Hutton
– the best opener in the world – to bat at number 5 so that he could stiffen the fragile lower order. This was possible as they had two other openers in Cyril Washbrook
and Reg Simpson
and Hutton declined to object as he was outvoted and didn't want to appear obstinate. The two new openers went out to the middle on the first day, but Simpson successfully appealed for bad light and no ball was bowled. It rained on the Saturday morning and though it dried out on the rest day that followed more rain poured down overnight and play was suspended until the Monday afternoon. Keith Miller
and Denis Compton
took advantage of the situation by going to the local horse racing
track, ringing the ground to check when play was to resume and dashing back just in time. Although other First Class games had their pitches covered they were not for Test matches – a ruling that would change as a result of what was to follow. The pitch was reduced to a "mudheap", "sticky dog" or “glue-pot” so beloved by purists as only a batsman with classic technique could hope to play on it, in other words Len Hutton
. The roller reduced the effects of the rain and Simpson (12) and Washbrook (19) added 28 for the first wicket while the going was good. The wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans
(16) was brought in as a "daywatchman"
while the pitch dried out to normality. Ray Lindwall
bowled only one over before being taken off and Keith Miller
(2/29) and Bill Johnston
(5/35) were brought on by Hassett to exploit the conditions with their part-time spin as England
collapsed from 49/1 to 67/7 as good length balls leapt chest high, shot along the ground, turned and straightened. Brown declared on 68/7, 160 runs behind, a move without precedent in Test cricket, but the England captain wanted to get the Australians onto the pitch before it dried out and became inhabitable. With hindsight he should have delayed as Hutton was still 8 not out and could have added some runs. As it was England
was forced to bat again before stumps, but few captains anticipate getting Australia 32/7.
If the English batsmen had struggled the Australians completely floundered. Jack Moroney
, Arthur Morris
and Sam Loxton
were out for ducks and Australia were 0/3 in a matter of minutes as Trevor Bailey
took his new best Test figures of 4/22 and Alec Bedser
3/9. This was the worst start to a Test innings until Alec Bedser
and Fred Trueman
reduced India to 0/4 at Headingley
in 1952
. Neil Harvey
top-scored with 12, but the only runs came from the edge of the bat and after an hour Hassett gave up and declared on 32/7, leaving England
193 to win. This was a gamble as although there was still time to take quick wickets the pitch might recover the next day.
The batting captain is allowed seven minutes of rolling before his innings and Freddie Brown asked for the heavy roller to press down the wicket and take some of the demons out of it. In those days the Woolloongabba still used an old heavy roller drawn by a horse called Dobbin. As it had to be unhitched and led round after each pull of the roller over the pitch, most of the seven minutes was wasted and Brown didn't get much of the rolling he asked for. This was of great importance as if he had insisted on seven minutes actual rolling instead of messing about at either end the wicket would have been much less dangerous and England
would have had less time to bat out before stumps. Though as Bill O'Reilly
pointed out the time limits were devised when horse-drawn rollers were the norm and mechanical rollers were unheard of. Initially it made no difference as Reg Simpson
was bowled first ball by a full toss
from Ray Lindwall
(2/21). The veteran England scorer
Bill Ferguson
was using his famous Ferguson Charts to record the details of each innings; how many runs a batsman had scored, how many balls, how many minutes, how many boundaries, etc. when Simpson was out one wag called out "How long Bill, and how many fours?" which produced a roar of laughter from the press box
that astonished the crowd. Cyril Washbrook
(6) and John Dewes
(9) were determined to see out the day with dead bats and the wicket showed no signs of danger, but Sam Loxton
took a superb catch to get rid of the Lancastrian off Lindwall. Jack Iverson
was called up to bowl his first Test over 27 minutes before stumps and had Trevor Bailey
in all kinds of trouble as his poked and prodded and could have been out five or six times in the mystery spinner's maiden over. Dewes was bowled by Keith Miller
and with one over from Iverson remaining, Alec Bedser
came out and immediately appealed against the bad light, but was turned down as he had yet to face a ball. He holed out to Neil Harvey
off Iverson, Bailey gave a simple catch to Bill Johnston
and Godfrey Evans
ran out his fellow wicket-keeper Arthur McIntyre when he called for an unnecessary third run. Brown had fed in nightwatchman
after nightwatchman in order to save Hutton, Compton and himself for the next day, but the Man from Pudsey
still had to come out at 30/6 to survive the last two balls of an extraordinary day. When asked for his opinion that night Hutton said they might win "if the others will stay till lunch and it doesn't rain again". It didn't rain again, but needing 163 to win with only four wickets in hand there was no room for mistakes. In the morning Brown, the umpires and a stopwatch ensured that England
got their full 10 minutes rolling at the start of the day, which took nearly half an hour to complete. Evans (5) helped Hutton add 16 runs before he was caught by Loxton off Bill Johnston (2/30). Denis Compton
came to the crease, but lasted one ball as he departed like Evans "c Loxton, b Johnston". Brown came in at number 10 and held on grimly as Hutton peeled off 3 boundaries, though in the end the captain made 17 of their 29 runs together before he became Loxton's fourth victim when he was caught off Iverson (4/43). Doug Wright
was the last man in at 77/9 and his batting tended to be a hit and miss affair which rarely reached double figures. Hutton (62 not out) farmed the bowling ruthlessly, making 43 of the 45 runs added for the last wicket. Wright managed to hold a straight bat up to the few balls he was left to face until the last four balls from Iverson before lunch. He kept out the first three, but spooned the last to Ray Lindwall
at square leg and the match was over. The 12,000 strong crowd gave Hutton an heroic ovation and after lunch he replied to the congratulations showered on him with by admitting that "with a bit of luck I'd have won the game".
Australia won the First Test at Brisbane by 70 runs to go 1–0 up in the series, but the real winners were England
and Australian cricket. Before the match the press and public had been contemplating a one-sided contest in which a weak England team would be overwhelmed by Australia, now they had a fighting series on their hands. Few Australians fail to credit a gutsy performance and the stock of the tourists rocketed. It was also apparent that Australia
had a chink in their armour as their batting collapsed on a perfectly good wicket on the first day and had been badly shown up on the rain-affected wicket on the third, but their bowling remained strong and Jack Iverson
(4/43) had justified the selector's confidence in him.
The main story leading up to the Second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
was the health of the England
vice-captain Denis Compton
. His famously damaged knee had swollen up after making another century – 115 vs an Australian XI – and hourly bulletins were posted by the MCC manager Brigadier Michael Green
expressing optimistically that he would play in order to help draw a large crowd for the Test, though doubts where express by those who had seen him. In the end he was unfit to play and was replaced by the Welsh
amateur batsmen Gilbert Parkhouse
who had made 58 in the Australian XI game, adding 130 with the luckless Compton. The reserve wicket-keeper Arthur McIntyre was also dropped from his batting role and the teenaged Brian Close
was brought in as the best of a bad bunch, having hit 105 not out against long hop
s and full toss
es served up in a minor game. Brown thought that if nothing else as an all-rounder
he could help take some of the strain off the other bowlers and so Close became the youngest Englishman to play Australia in a Test. Australia made only one change, dropping Jack Moroney
for having made a pair in the First Test. His successor was chosen in the Australian XI game and opener Ken Archer
(12th man at Brisbane) was given his Baggy Green
ahead of the middle order batsman Jim Burke
(who was made 12th man), although he had only made 81 to Burke's 128. Lindsay Hassett
won the toss and batted first on a yellow, matted wicket made for batting.
It was too much to hope for that Alec Bedser
would dismiss Arthur Morris
cheaply for the third time in a row, but he did in his second over and the Australian vice-captain was taken by Len Hutton
in the slips for 2. Neil Harvey
(42) came in at 6/1 and Australia were 67/1 at lunch despite the bowling of Bedser (who bowled unchanged throughout the morning) and Bailey
and surprisingly good English fielding. Hassett even apologised to Brown as the ball was constantly fell just short of the slips, or flew over their heads as Harvey rode his luck. After lunch Bedser tickled Harvey's edge with a ball that Godfrey Evans
snapped up instinctively, but had he missed few would have realised was a chance. The big bowler then held onto Ken Archer
(26) in the slips by throwing himself to the ground and taking the ball in his outstretched right hand and Australia were 89/3. Keith Miller
, whose matinée idol
looks greatly affected his teenager fans, made 18, but his potential boundaries were stymied by Cyril Washbrook
in the covers and Reg Simpson
on the boundary-fence and he was trapped lbw
by Freddie Brown (1/28) to bring Australia down to 93/4 on a good pitch on a perfect sunny day. Lindsay Hassett
played a careful captain's innings of 52, adding 84 in an hour and a half with Sam Loxton
(32). Brian Close
was a short-leg to Hassett and kept on edging closer until he was almost face-to-face. He was brought on to rest Bedser and Bailey before the new ball was taken and Loxton was given "not out" when he appeared to give Hutton a straightforward catch in the gully. Soon after Loxton was out to a catch by Evans off Close when he didn't make contact and he glared at the umpire; "Tha' were lucky once, Sam" said Hutton "so don't grouse" and Australia were 177/5, which soon became 177/6 when Bedser yorked
Hassett while loosening up with the old ball. The new ball was taken and Bedser (4/37) and Bailey (4/40) promptly cleared up the tail for 17 runs and Australia were all out for 194 at stumps.
With Australians out for their third low score in a row and with no rain in sight England
had every chance of making a large total on a good wicket and equalising the series. It was an opportunity they did not take as Ian Johnson
caught Reg Simpson
(4) off Keith Miller
(2/39), who then took a magnificent driving catch to take John Dewes
(8) off Bill Johnston
(2/28). Cyril Washbrook
was joined by Len Hutton
– still batting in the middle order – to re-establish their old partnership and set about restoring the innings. Washbrook (21) made some charming cover-drives before he was given out lbw
to Ray Lindwall
(2/46), although only he and Don Tallon
appealed and the other nine fielders remained silent. Jack Iverson
was brought on and saw a ball flick off Hutton's pads as he checked a sweep (it was the over before lunch). Iverson yelled "Catch it", Tallon dived forwards to take the ball an inch off the ground and the bewildered opener was given out for 12. Only Iverson appealed and "Not even Tallon, one of the most notorious appealers of all time, asked for a catch". and Miller, standing four feet away at silly-leg "stood there with his arms folded, feet wide apart, completely uninterested" Hutton returned to the pavilion
with a face like thunder and Umpire Cooper was obviously upset that he so obviously disagreed with the decision and ended the over after only seven balls. One Yorkshireman was soon followed by another as Brian Close
swished a ball to Sam Loxton
and England
went into lunch on 54/5. Captain Freddie Brown and Gilbert Parkhouse
returned to the crease after lunch and made the best of things, but the Welshman's stilt-like footwork was his undoing and he was caught by Hassett off Miller. He was replaced by Trevor Bailey
who steadfastly defended at one end while his captain brought the crowd to its feet hitting Johnson straight down the ground for six and through the covers for four. He hit three more boundaries in his 62 and they added 65 for the seventh wicket. Bailey was out first, bowled by Lindwall and Brown was caught by Johnson off Iverson. Godfrey Evans
hit Lindwall straight to the boundary and took 8 runs off Miller, which resulted in a bouncer, which the keeper dodged like a boxer
, and the bowler being booed. Evans cracked another four past point off Miller, who was removed from the attack, and passed 1,000 runs in Tests, but was "c Johnson, b Iverson" for 49 and was cheered by the crowd when he left. Alec Bedser
(5 not out) had batted for nearly an hour helping Evans, but Doug Wright
(2) only lasted five minutes and England
were out for 197, exceeding Australia's First Innings by only 3 runs. This was both a failure and a relief, given how the innings had progressed.
Ken Archer
(15 not out) and Arthur Morris
(10 not out) saw Australia safely to Christmas Eve
with 25/0 and a 22 run lead. They returned on Boxing Day
and took their partnership to 43 when Morris (18) was lbw
to Doug Wright
and Ron Wright
with the leg-spinner giving him a straight ball and the umpire raising his finger. Neil Harvey
made another profitable second wicket stand before Archer (46) was taken in the gully by Trevor Bailey
off Bedser
(2/43) on 99/2. Harvey soon went, run out by Cyril Washbrook
who made a splendid pick up in the covers and threw down his stumps when backing up to Miller. Miller himself was bowled by Bailey (2/47), then Brown (4/26) broke the back of the Australian innings with the wickets of Loxton
, Lindwall
, Tallon
and Hassett
in spell of 4/5. The Australian wicket-keeper was snatched by a diving Trevor Bailey
at second slip
, which Bill O'Reilly
called "truly sensational" and Jack Fingleton
"unforgettable". Ian Johnson (23) decided to hit out on the advice of Keith Miller
and added a vital 30 runs with Bill Johnston (6) before Bedser and Bailey got them out on 181 and closed the innings.
England
needed 179 runs to win, not an impossible task even though John Dewes
had been struck with a throat inflection and had been absent from the field. Brown continued with his opening partnership of Reg Simpson
and Cyril Washbrook
and kept Len Hutton
in the middle order. To be fair they had made 212 for the first wicket against the West Indies at Trent Bridge earlier in the year. On this occasion they added 21 against Lindwall and Miller when the spinners were brought on. Washbrook always found "Wrong Grip Jake"
difficult to play and was bowled by his googly
. The nightwatchman
Trevor Bailey
by bowled by Ian Johnson
(1/24) for a duck and England
were 28/2 at stumps. Simpson and Hutton "opened" the innings again in the morning, Hutton was inclined to fancy England's chances if he stayed in past lunch, and he did, but Simpson was bowled by Lindwall (3/29) for 28. John Dewes
, coming in to bat from his sick bed like Eddie Paynter
in the Fourth Test of 1932–33, stayed in for 46 minutes making a gutsy 5 before falling to Iverson (2/36) at 82/4. In the lunch break England
needed less than a hundred runs to win and there was an earnest discussion as to whether Hutton should bat in his usual careful way or should try and make the runs before he ran out of partners, as had happened at Brisbane. He decided on the latter and by forcing the pace struck out at Bill Johnston (4/26) and was caught at square leg for 40, which caused a deathly silence across the 50,000 strong crowd. As in the first innings Brian Close
was soon out (lbw
to Johnston for 1), Brown was bowled by Lindwall, who then removed Evans "with a ball which pitched outside the off stump, came in at a crazy angle and knocked back the off stump without leaving the turf by a centimetre". Gilbert Parkhouse
, who batted manfully for 102 minutes and when he was out for 28 England
were 134/9 and still needed 45 to win. Alec Bedser
(14 not out) had nothing to lose and struck out with the bat before Doug Wright
(2) succumbed to Johnston and England
were out for 150.
Australia won the Second Test at Melbourne
by 28 runs to take a 2–0 lead in the series. It was the closest result in an Ashes Test
since England's 12 run win at Adelaide
in 1928–29
. Once again the dismal performance of the Australian batsmen and the tight finish rebounded to England's
credit. The all-round performance of Freddie Brown, who top-scored with 62 and took his best Test return of 4/26, proved that he wasn't a passenger in the England team
. The Australians had the more consistent batting and a strong bowling attack, but it was Len Hutton
's dismissal in the first innings that most saw as the deciding point of the Test.
England
now had to win the final three Tests if they wanted to regain the Ashes
, for which the only precedent was when Don Bradman made three big centuries in the 1936–37 Ashes series to win 3–2 after being 2–0 down to Gubby Allen
's England side. Sydney
is a famous spinning wicket, though the three tour matches the MCC
had seen lots of runs for few wickets. In the New South Wales game immediately before the Third Test they had made 553/8 with Len Hutton
making 150 and Reg Simpson
259 and the fast-medium bowler John Warr
took 4/67. As a result the unhappy Brian Close
was dropped in favour of Warr, making his debut, and England
went into the Test with Doug Wright
as the only specialist spinner, supported by the part-time spin of Freddie Brown and Denis Compton
. The leg-spinner Eric Hollies
had taken 5 wickets (78.60) in his three games at the Sydney Cricket Ground
and off-spinner Bob Berry
was going for 4 runs an over in his containment role and were not chosen. Denis Compton
was fit again and replaced the ailing John Dewes
, but Gilbert Parkhouse
stayed in the team thanks to his fighting 28 at Melbourne and 92 against New South Wales. Australia kept the same team from the Second Test, though if they had lost the performances of a few of them would have resulted in their being dropped. For the only time in Lindsay Hassett
's career as captain he lost the toss in an Ashes Test and Freddie Brown was able to bat first on another flat batting track.
Brown dispensed with the experiment of having Hutton bat down the order and the old Roses
opening partnership of Len Hutton
and Cyril Washbrook
went to the crease. Hutton was full of confidence, 19 runs came off the first three overs and Keith Miller
asked for a new ball in the fourth. Umpire Elphinstone
examined the ball and changed it for a new one, which he ground into the dust to take the shine off. Hutton insisted on a look and bounced on the grass a few times so that it would lose its shape. It made no difference as another 8 runs came of the next two overs and Miller was taken off, only to take a diving catch off Ian Johnson
(3/94) to dismiss Washbrook. Miller said this was the finest catch of his career; "He played the perfect cut, but, fielding in the gully, I had anticipated the shot. I ran across before he played it, flung out my hand and held the ball. I was just as astonished as Cyril". Hutton (62) and Simpson (49) took the score to 128/1 when Miller was brought back on to bowl one of his most famous overs. He bowled a "super ball" to dismiss Hutton lbw
and bowled Denis Compton
for a duck when the ball clipped the edge of the bat and ricocheted into the stumps. Gilbert Parkhouse
survived until tea, but Reg Simpson
guided another ball from Miller to Sam Loxton
at short-fine-leg and England
were 137/4. The popular Freddie Brown strode out to the applause of the crowd hoping for some more Melbourne-style big-hitting and they were not disappointed. Hassett took the new ball, but Brown hit Bill Johnston
to the fence, lofted Lindwall
into the deep and cracked a straight-drive onto Umpire Barlow's
foot. He added 50 with Parkhouse (25) before the Welshman pulled Ian Johnson
to Arthur Morris
at mid-on at 187/5. He was replaced by Trevor Bailey
who held up one end while Brown scattered the in-field and clouted the Australian bowling round the ground. When he was finally out the next day, playing over a yorker
from Ray Lindwall
for 79, he had made his highest Test score, the highest for England
so far in the series, and received a royal reception from the crowd. England
was now 258/6, their highest innings of a low scoring series, but without their fiery captain they collapsed to 290 all out. Bailey had his thumb broken by a Lindwall bouncer
at 263/6 and was taken to St Vincent's Hospital
. Godfrey Evans
struck 3 fours in his 23 not out, but Alec Bedser
was bowled by Lindwall (2/60) and John Warr
by Miller (4/37). Bailey returned at 281/8 and tried to bat one-handed before he was caught by Don Tallon
of Ian Johnson. Doug Wright
joined Evans, but was run out for a duck by his Kent
team-mate, tripping over his bat and pulling a muscle
as he rushed home and England
were all out for 290.
The England
bowling attack was badly depleted, Trevor Bailey
was unfit to play and did not field and the leg-spinner Doug Wright
, who might have been a real handful on the turning Sydney
wicket, played for only a few overs before retiring. The bowling thus fell heavily on the shoulders of Alec Bedser
, the 40 year old captain Freddie Brown and debutant John Warr
. They had no regular spinner and would have to rely on Brown's part-time leg-spin, the left-arm unorthodox spin
of the injured Denis Compton
and the comedy leg-breaks of Len Hutton
. In the end Compton only bowled 6 overs and Hutton none; the bowling was completed by Bedser (43–4–107–4), Warr (36–4–142–0) and Brown (44–4–153–4), bowling eight-ball overs
. The innings began with John Warr
bowling to Ken Archer
as Arthur Morris
always batted second and his nemesis
Alec Bedser
bowled him with the first ball of the second over. Although Neil Harvey
had made 74, 12, 42 and 31 batting at number 3 Lindsay Hassett
finally saw that the left-handed strokemaker would fare better further down the order and came in himself. With rain expected over the weekend Brown set defensive fields and with the England
fielding on top form Archer (44 not out) and Hassett (62 not out) slowly batted out the day for 110/1 despite the constant barracking of the crowd, who shouted "Get on with it!". There was rain on the rest day, but most of it avoided the ground and it rolled out well. When play resumed the wicket took a lot of pace and bounce from the ball and England
were doomed to a long day in the field. Even so Godfrey Evans
took a brilliant catch off a leg-glance by Archer (48) off Bedser, who was involved in the first 6 wickets to fall. Brown bowled a leg-spinner that fizzed off the pitch and beat Hassett (70) and missed the stumps, but his next ball the Australian captain hit a catch to Bedser at mid-on and his team was 122/3. The presence of Neil Harvey
and Keith Miller
at the crease against a depleted bowling attack would usually ensure a flow of runs, but while Harvey hit 39 in 79 minutes before being bowled by Bedser, Miller nudged his way at the funeral rate of 24 runs an hour. Sam Loxton
survived a close run out
when Cyril Washbrook
brilliantly threw down his stumps, but was out for 17 when he hoisted a long hop
from Brown into the hands of Bedser, who then caught Don Tallon
lbw
for 18. At 252/6 Australia were still 38 runs behind when Ian Johnson
came to the crease and stated to hit the ball around in his top Test score of 77, he added 150 with Miller in the highest seventh wicket stand for Australia since Clem Hill
and Hugh Trumble
made 165 at Melbourne
in 1897–98. They took Australia past 300 and 400 for the first time in the series and Miller reached his century after 274 minutes. Brown bowled Johnson, had Lindwall lbw
and had Australia 406/8. With the tail now in Miller lifted Warr for six, but ran out Bill Johnston
and Jack Iverson
to end the innings with his then highest Test score of 145 not out. He had taken Australia to 426 and gave them a lead of 136.
Len Hutton
and Cyril Washbrook
started the innings in fine form against the fast bowlers, who struggled to make the ball lift on the unresponsive wicket. Lindsay Hassett
soon took the off and brought on the spinners. Jack Iverson
had not bowled in the first innings and with his negligible ability with the bat and in the field some thought he was due to be dropped. It was soon apparent that he was in complete control of the situation, his line and length were flawless and he was turning the ball from outside the off-stump past the leg-stump. He had Hutton out for 9, the ball was snicked behind, where the wicket-keeper Don Tallon
knocked it to Ian Johnson
in the slips who juggled the ball and dropped it, upon which Tallon dived across and took the catch. Reg Simpson
showed his usual bad form against spinners and was caught behind for a duck (even though Tallon didn't appeal) and Washbrook was bowled for 34 after hitting two boundaries off Johnson. England
were now 45/3 and Iverson had taken 3/2. Denis Compton
avoided his pair and held out for 104 minutes making 23, his highest score of a terrible series, before running out Gilbert Parkhouse
for 18 and popping a catch to the hungry Ian Johnson
off Bill Johnston
(1/31). Evans
whacked 14 runs with 3 fours before Johnson (1/32) bowled him. Trevor Bailey
bravely came out to bat with one hand in plaster, much to the surprise of his captain who asked "What are the devil are you doing here, Trevor?", Bailey replied "I thought I would hold them up for a bit Skipper" and held up one end with his 0 not out. Iverson bowled Brown, Bedser
and Warr
to finish with 6/27 and as Doug Wright
was absent hurt and England were out for 123.
Australia won the Third Test at Sydney
by an innings and 13 runs to win the series 3–0 and retain the Ashes
. The victory was marred by the injuries that had crippled the England
bowling attack and their depressingly slow run-rate. The England
bowlers received great praise for their sterling efforts, but the hero was a "35-year-old flip-bowler, Jack Iverson
, who, until he had played in the Brisbane Test, had never seen a Test played" Brown sent a telegram to Lords requested two new bowlers to replace Bailey and Wright and the fast-medium seamer Brian Statham
and off-spinner Roy Tattersall
of Lancashire
were flown out. Unfortunately, he didn't ask for a fresh batsman as the England
batting could well have used the presence of Bill Edrich
. As it was he went to Adelaide
with too many bowlers that he couldn't use and few batsmen he could trust.
Although Australia had wrapped up the Ashes
there was still considerable interest in the series as many felt that Freddie Brown's team deserved a win for all their efforts. Since the Third Test they had won four games on the trot by 9 wickets, 10 wickets, an innings and 25 runs and 152 runs and morale was as high as it had ever been. After his dismal showing at Sydney
the Australian vice-captain Arthur Morris
asked to be dropped, he had been dismissed four times out of five by Alec Bedser
(for 25, 0, 2 and 0) and was nicknamed "Bedser's Bunny". The selectors declined and instead dropped Sam Loxton
after 11 consecutive Tests and brought in Jim Burke
of New South Wales
to strengthen the lower order batting. Loxton was an outstanding fielder and was still brought to Adelaide
as 12th man. Roy Tattersall
of Lancashire
had been flown out as a replacement for the injured Doug Wright
and was picked for his debut. This young off-spinner had topped the tables in 1950 with 193 wickets (13.59), including twenty 5-wicket and six 10-wicket hauls. The England
players had been singing his praises since they arrived in Australia, so there was much curiosity about him down under. Doug Wright
's pulled leg-muscle has recovered and he would also play and Tattersall replaced Trevor Bailey
, whose broken thumb had not yet mended. Gilbert Parkhouse
was dropped and replaced by his fellow amateur David Sheppard
and despite taking 0/142 at Sydney
John Warr
was kept in the team. The Adelaide Oval
was notorious for being the flattest wicket in Australia, but had taken spin from the first morning in the tour match when the MCC
(211 & 220) beat South Australia
(126 & 153) by 152 runs. Even so when Lindsay Hassett
won the toss he made the easy decision to bat first.
The first Australian wicket fell before a run was on the board for the third time in the series, but it was Ken Archer
who succumbed to Alec Bedser
when he glanced the third ball of the day to Denis Compton
at short fine-leg, though he hung about the wicket even after he was given out by Umpire Barlow
. Having livened up the crowd the bowlers had a tough day as the Adelaide Oval
was up to its usual standards. Arthur Morris
batted a very careful and composed innings, the highest of his Test career as he laid his reputation as "Bedser's Bunny" to rest. He made 206 out of Australia's 371 before he was the last man out, spending 7 hours and 42 minutes at the crease and striking 23 boundaries in the process. He passed 2,000 runs in Tests and made his seventh Ashes
century in four years, overtaking Victor Trumper
and Bill Woodfull
placing him behind only Sir Donald Bradman on the list of Australian century-makers against England
. No other Australian batsman made 50, but he added 95 runs for the second wicket with Lindsay Hassett
(43), 110 for the third wicket with Neil Harvey
(44) and 76 for the fourth wicket with Keith Miller
(44). Thereafter wickets fell sharply, the last five falling for 14 runs, and the innings ended when he was bowled by Roy Tattersall
(3/95). The young Lancashire
off-spinner had an impressive debut which justified his selection even though he had to borrow E.W. Swanton's boots because his feet had swollen on the flight. He began by conceding only 5 runs from his first 6 overs and spinned the ball so much that it floated across the wicket before turning on the unhelpful wicket. He dismissed fellow debutant Jim Burke
with a ball that he bowled at the leg stump so that Burke went down on one knee to sweep it, but it floated over the wicket and knocked over the off-stump. He also bowled Don Tallon
, getting his three wickets without any help from the fielders. Alec Bedser
returned figures of 3/74, but Hassett protected Morris early in his innings and Miller hit his first over of the second day for 15. Doug Wright
took 4/99 and only Morris, a noted player of spinners, was able to master him, but John Warr
(0/63) could still not take a wicket.
England's
innings – like Australia's – revolved around their opener, in this case Len Hutton
, who became the second Englishman to carry his bat through an innings against Australia, the other being Bobby Abel
's 132 not out at Sydney
in 1891–92. Hutton made 156 not out in England's
272, hit 11 fours and nobody else made 30. Ray Lindwall
(3/51) dismissed Cyril Washbrook
for 2 when the pedestrian Jack Iverson
took a high, leaping catch when the batsmen heaved the ball to the leg-side. The spinners were soon on and Hutton hit Ian Johnson
for two boundaries. He went two yards down the wicket and was almost stumped by Don Tallon
for 34, but he nicked the ball and the deflection made Tallon miss both the catch and the stumping. Reg Simpson
was the second highest scorer with 29 and together they added 83 for the second wicket before Simpson was bowled by the left-arm bowler Bill Johnston
and England
finished the day 96/2. The following morning Lindwall and Miller argued with Tallon that he ought to stand three yards closer to the stumps as the pitch was so slow. He refused and Lindwall bowled at a reduced pace, so nudged by Miller Tallon moved up for the third ball, which nicked Denis Compton
's bat and the keeper took the catch low off the ground. Had be remained back Tallon could not have made the catch. The other England
batsmen made a steady procession to and from the wicket as Bill Johnston (3/68) and Iverson (3/58) worked their way through the order as Hutton batted serenely on, now untouchable by any of the bowlers. David Sheppard
almost ran Hutton out when he rushed down the wicket to get off the mark, Godfrey Evans
tried to do the same, but Hutton wisely ignored him and the keeper scrambled back before his wicket was wrecked by Lindwall. Freddie Brown was caught leg before
by Miller (1/30), who immediately appealed and Umpire Cocks
gave him out, then the ball rolled back onto his stumps and knocked off a bail, so he ended up being bowled. Debutant Roy Tattersall
was crowded by the Australian fielders and was caught by Neil Harvey
off Iverson for a duck. John Warr
was bowled for another duck by Bill Johnston. Doug Wright
came in at 219/9 and held off the Australian attack for over an hour as he and Hutton added 53 for the last wicket, resembling their last stand at Brisbane. Lindwall wasn't recalled to the attack until after 5 o'clock and promptly caught the Kent
spinner leg before wicket
for 14. England
were out for 272, 99 runs behind Australia and Hutton was applauded off the field by the Australian team.
Australia now had three and a half days to set England
an unreachable target and bowl them out. Ken Archer
ran a four off Alec Bedser
in the first over and Arthur Morris
struck two boundaries off Doug Wright
when he replaced John Warr
in the sixth over. Archer called Morris for a run off Bedser, but they both hesitated in the middle and Morris was run out for 16 by a left-handed throw from David Sheppard
. Lindsay Hassett
was almost bowled first ball, but survived and Australia were 34/1 at stumps. Archer (32) and Hassett (31) returned in the morning to take the score along to 95/3, but it was Neil Harvey
(68), Keith Miller
(99) and debutant Jim Burke
(101 not out) who put the match beyond doubt. Harvey and Miller ran the bowling ragged and added 99 for the fourth wicket until Harvey was bowled by Brown (1/14) and Miller chopped a ball from Wright onto his stumps. Doug Wright
(2/109) and Roy Tattersall
(1/116) were heavily punished and Bedser (0/62) was wicketless. Australia ended the fourth day 384 runs ahead and that evening Freddie Brown and Brigadier Green
were hospitalised after a car crash returning from dinner with Sir Willoughby Norrie, the Governor of South Australia. A car had pulled out suddenly from a side street and Brown swerved into a post for holding electric tram lines. Brown left the hospital early in the morning, but was unfit to play and vice-captain Denis Compton
became the first professional captain to lead England since Jack Hobbs
when Arthur Carr was injured in 1924–25. He was unable to prevent Jim Burke from making a Test century on debut, the ninth Australian to do so (compared to 10 Englishmen at the time). John Warr
took his first and only Test wicket when Ian Johnson
cut the ball to Evans
, who knocked it up on the first attempt then ran forward to catch it on the rebound. Umpire Cocks
took so long to make a decision that Johnson walked (almost unheard in Australia) to give the long-suffering Warr his first Test wicket and a bowling average of 281.00, the highest by an England
bowler. The 12th man Sam Loxton
was sent out by Hassett to tell Burke that he could take all the time he wanted over his hundred and the dour stock clerk reached his target after 245 minutes at the crease. Hassett then declared at 403/8 to give England
a day and a half to make 503 to win.
No team has ever made 500 runs to win a Test, though Len Hutton
and Doug Wright
had played in the Timeless Test
when England made 654/5 chasing 696 to win, but drew the match because they had to catch their boat home. Realistically England
could only hope to draw and Len Hutton
(45) and Cyril Washbrook
(31) added 74 for the first wicket, the highest opening stand of the series. Bill Johnston
(4/73) removed them both, Hutton taken by Sam Loxton
at short-leg (subsistuting for Iverson, who twisted his ankle on the ball), who also caught Denis Compton
for a duck. In between he had Washbrook lbw
and England
entered the last day on 114/3. Reg Simpson
(61) and David Sheppard
(41) batted out the morning in a stand of 91 that lasted 157 minutes. He was also out to Johnston, caught Burke and Miller (3/27) snapped up Godfrey Evans
, Alec Bedser
and Sheppard for 7 runs to leave them 228/7. Ian Johnson
(2/63) had Roy Tattersall
caught by Arthur Morris
then bowled John Warr
without a run being added and as Freddie Brown was absent injured England
were out one hour and forty minutes from stumps on the sixth and last day.
Australia beat England
in the Fourth Test at Adelaide
by 274 runs to take a 4–0 lead in the series. It was Australia's 26 consecutive Test without defeat, its 14 without defeat against England and it was England's seventh Test defeat in succession. After the tightly contested First and Second Tests and the crippling injuries in the Third Test this was Australia's most conclusive victory in the series.
Going into the final Test England
dropped the luckless John Warr
in favour of Trevor Bailey
and Freddie Brown has recovered enough for him to retain his place as captain. The Australian selectors declined to use the game to test some new players and kept their team except to drop Ken Archer
in favour of debutant Graeme Hole
. Jim Burke
was promoted to open the innings with Arthur Morris
, even though he had failed as Morris' opening partner for New South Wales
and had found success only as a middle order batsman. The players returned to Melbourne
– scene of the Second Test – as in those days Sydney
and Melbourne
alternated having two Tests in the Ashes
series. Ian Johnson
played even though he had a foot infection, and was spared from bowling too much by Hassett. There had been thunderstorms in the week before the Test, and the outfield and bowler's run ups were soft. Lindsay Hassett
won the toss as a matter of course and Australia batted first.
Jim Burke
provided the customary early wicket to fall, caught by Roy Tattersall
at forward short-leg off Alec Bedser
after he swopped ends with Trevor Bailey
. Regardless of his recent double-century at Adelaide
Morris (50) "mistimed, misjudged and mishit", but managed to stay in as he and captain Lindsay Hassett
(92) slowly increased the Australian innings. They were barracked heavily by the small crowd of 7,000 (in a stadium capable of holding 80,000) who wanted them to make way for the strokemakers Neil Harvey
and Keith Miller
. Their quality only became apparent when Morris was lbw
to Brown at 111/2, closely followed by Harvey caught behind on 114/3 and Miller caught-and-bowled on 123/4 to give the England
captain a spell of 3/0. The crowd increased to 20,000 as news of the England
success traveled during the day and people came into see the fun. Hassett continued to hold the innings together, but Bedser worked his way through the line-up, bowling Graeme Hole
and catching Ian Johnson
lbw
. Len Hutton
took an excellent catch off Brown to dismiss the Australian captain 8 runs short of his century and another off Bedser to dispose of Don Tallon
. Ray Lindwall
(21) and Bill Johnston
(12 not out) led a small fight back to get Australia from 187/8 to 206/8 at stumps and not for the first time England
had the advantage on the first day. The injury-prone Trevor Bailey
had fallen heavily when bowling and an X-ray over the weekend found that he had chipped a bone in his foot, but he came back to play. The second day was lost to heavy rain and fears of another Brisbane-like sticky rose, but the pitch dried out on the Sunday and flattened out nicely when pressed by the big electric roller on the Monday. Bedser (5/46) had Lindwall caught by Compton in second slip and Brown (5/49) had Iverson caught by Washbrook in the covers and the Australian innings closed on 217. It was Brown's best bowling and his only five-wicket haul in Tests.
The old firm of Hutton
and Washbrook
opened for England
and added 40 runs in 32 minutes for the first wicket before Washbrook tickled a ball from Keith Miller
into the gloves of Don Tallon
. Brown thought that if the Australian bowling was attacked they would buckle under and England
would get more runs, in any case Hutton hit 8 boundaries in his 79 and added 131 runs with Reg Simpson
in 142 minutes, the only century stand of the series for England
. With Hutton in fine form the Notts
opener was able to play himself in and at 171/1 the English batsmen were in finally in control. In desperation Hassett brought on debutant Graeme Hole
to try out his off-spinners and to everyone's surprise his fourth ball clean bowled the England opener and the Australian bowling attack took an interest in affairs again. Lindwall (3/77) and Miller (4/76) bowled with greater speed and hostility than at any time in the series and by stumps England
were 218/6 with Compton
, Sheppard
, Brown and Evans
all gone and Simpson (80 not out) left with Alec Bedser
(3 not out). Lindwall bowled Bedser for 11 and Jack Iverson
(2/40) disposed of Trevor Bailey
and Doug Wright
to bring last man Roy Tattersall
in at 246/9 with England
just 18 runs ahead. With Simpson on 92 the main concern was whether he would reach 100 on this his 31st birthday, but this was soon resolved when he hit 11 runs off his next over from Miller. Hassett spread out the field to allow Simpson to take singles so they could concentrate on Tattersall, who was surrounded with close fielders. The young Lancastrian kept a straight bat and Simpson cracked 6 fours as they hit 50 runs in the 34 minutes before lunch. Miller bowled Tattersall for 10 after the break and Simpson was left on 156 not out, his highest score in Tests and his greatest Test innings. Their stand added 74 runs in 55 minutes and took England
to 320, their only score of the series over 300, and a lead of 103 runs.
Australian hopes that they could set England
a good target received an immediate double blow as Alec Bedser
sent Morris and Burke straight back to the pavilion
. Lindsay Hassett
and Neil Harvey
salvaged a stand of 81 from the wreckage of 6/2, with Harvey swashbuckling his way to 52 in what Bill O'Reilly
thought was his best innings of the series. He was torpedoed by a shooter from Doug Wright
(3/56) and Freddie Brown (1/32) caught and bowled Keith Miller
for a duck to leave them 89/4. Hassett found another partner in Graeme Hole
and saw out the day at 129/4, but was skittled in the morning for 48 – Doug Wright
's 100th test wicket – when a leg-spinner zipped one past his bat and toppled his off-stump. Wright finally showed why he was so feared on the county circuit when Ian Johnson
lofted a googly to Brown at mid-off. Australia were now 142/6, a mere 39 runs ahead, but Hole stood steady for three hours making 63 until he was bowled by Trevor Bailey
(1/32). Brown figured that if anybody deserved some easy wickets it was Bedser and the big Surrey
bowler removed Lindwall, Johnston and Iverson for five runs and ending his superb tour with 5/59, 10/106 in the match. His 30 wickets (16.06) was the most by an English bowler in Australia since Harold Larwood
's 33 wickets (19.51) in 1932–33.
England
needed 95 runs to win and "an earthquake
would not have shaken Hutton's
determination not to be out when until victory was gained". he made 60 not out, his fifth innings over 50 and fourth unbeaten innings of the series and hit the winning runs. Washbrook (7) and Simpson (15) did not last the pace, but Denis Compton
finally had some luck as he made 11 not out. Lindsay Hassett
bowled the last over with the fielders crowded round the batsman, not in the hope of a catch, but so they could fight Don Tallon
and the umpire for souvenir
stumps and bails. They jumped the gun twice, once when Hassett bowled a rank full toss
down the leg side, expecting Denis Compton
to sweep it to the boundary, so did the umpire who called no ball and grabbed two stumps, Hassett the other and Tallon three, but the Compton missed, Tallon dropped his stumps as he jumped on the ball and they had to start again. The next ball was a single, then with one run to win Hutton
amused himself by smothering a full toss amidst the chaos. Play was held up until Ian Johnson
returned a bail he had hidden in his pocket. Finally, Compton pulled a stump out the ground and ran down the wicket as Hutton pushed the ball wide of square-leg and trotted over the crease to be congratulated by Hassett while Tallon fought off the close fielders for the stumps. The English batsmen were cheered off the pitch and they shouted for Brown to give them a speech, which he did, giving particular thanks to Len Hutton
and Alec Bedser
. The team repaired to their hotel for toasts of Champagne "To England
– and to Freddie Brown" and to read the congratulatory telegrams that poured in from all over the world.
beat Australia by 8 wickets, but still lost the series 4–1. It was the first Test England
had won since the First Test vs the West Indies at Old Trafford in 1950
, having lost the 7 intervening Tests. It was their first victory over Australia since the Fifth Test at the Oval
in 1938, 15 Tests previously. The only survivors were Len Hutton
and Denis Compton
, the batsmen at the wicket when the winning runs were scored, and Lindsay Hassett
, who bowled the final over. It was the first Test Australia had lost since the Oval
in 1938
and ended their run of 26 Tests and 96 games in all cricket without defeat.
, even though they played like professionals. Jack Iverson
in his only Test series took 21 wickets (15.23), giving him the 10th lowest bowling average of those who have taken 10 or more Test wickets. Len Hutton
's batting average (88.83) was double that of every other batsmen in the series. Keith Miller
(43.75) topped the Australian batting averages, the lowest average to do so by an Australian since the 1911–12 Ashes series when Sidney Barnes and Frank Foster had run riot. Only 5 centuries were made in the series, the lowest in an Ashes series since the 1920–21. England's
10th wicket stands produced 195 runs (32.50), better than for any other England wicket, except the 2nd, which made 412 runs (45.78).
, John Kay
, Jack Fingleton
, Vivian Jenkins
, Arthur Mailey
, Harold Larwood
, Evelyn Wellings
, Bert Oldfield
, Bill Bowes
, Bill O'Reilly
and Clarrie Grimmett
. They played several games on the tour against minor teams and schools, including a Christmas Eve
charity match agasint Bill Ponford's XI
which presented £1,000 to a nursing charity and games against schoolboy teams in Perth
, Brisbane
, Sydney
, Melbourne
and Adelaide
. The radio commentators included the Australian captain Vic Richardson
and Arthur Gilligan
the popular England captain of the 1924–25 Ashes series. Gilligan's "What do you think, Vic?" was inevitably followed by Richardson's "I dunno, what do you think, Arthur?", which became an Australian catchphrase.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
, each of six days with five hours play each day and eight ball overs
Over (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. An over is normally bowled by a single bowler. However, in the event of injury preventing a bowler from completing an over, it is completed by a teammate....
. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1950–51
MCC tour of Australia in 1950–51
The Marylebone Cricket Club tour of Australia in 1950-51 under the captaincy of Freddie Brown was its ninth since it took official control of overseas tours in 1907-1908. The touring team played as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against Australia, but as the MCC in all other games...
and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
. The England team
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
under the captaincy of the big-hearted all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
Freddie Brown was regarded as the weakest sent to Australia and "without Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
and Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
, England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
would have been little better than a club side
Club cricket
Club cricket is a mainly amateur, but still formal, form of the sport of cricket, usually involving teams playing in competitions at weekends or in the evening. There is a great deal of variation in game format although the Laws of Cricket are always observed...
". Few gave them a chance of regaining the Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
and they lost the series 4–1 to Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
's Australian team, which had far greater reserves of talent. Nevertheless, it was two English players who dominated the series; Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
"a Titan
Titan (mythology)
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....
among the minnows" made 533 runs (88.83) with an average double that of any other batsman, English or Australian. Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
took 30 wickets (16.06) and began his dominance of Australian batsmen that would continue into 1953, when he and Hutton would be instrumental in regaining the Ashes for England. The forty-year-old Freddie Brown had a successful series and won considerable popularity with his jovial determination to fight on regardless of the odds. Given the close results in the First and Second Tests it is possible that England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
could have won had Bill Edrich
Bill Edrich
William John "Bill" Edrich DFC was a distinguished cricketer who played for Middlesex, MCC, Norfolk and England.Edrich's three brothers, Brian, Eric and Geoff, and also his cousin, John, all played first-class cricket...
or Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
been brought over, or Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
had been fully fit. The Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
strokemaker had a chequered tour, averaging 7.57 in the Tests and 92.11 in his other First Class matches. However, there was no dispute that the powerful Australian team had greater strength in depth; the captain Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
made 366 runs (40.66), Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
362 runs (40.22), Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
350 runs (43.75) and Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
125 runs (41.66). The fast bowler Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
took 15 wickets (22.93), his new-ball partner Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
17 wickets (17.70), Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
22 wickets (19.18) and the mystery spin of Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
21 wickets (15.23) in his only Test series. This was the first Ashes series to be played since the retirement of Don Bradman and it saw the debut of Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
, Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
, Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
and Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
for Australia and John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
and Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
for England. In the Fifth and final Test England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
beat Australia for the first time since 1938 and ended their unbeaten run of 14 Tests against England, 26 Tests against all teams and 96 games in all cricket since the Second World War. After this victory England would defeat Australia in 1953
Australian cricket team in England in 1953
The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1953 season to play a five-match Test series against England for The Ashes.England won the final Test to take the series 1-0 after the first four Tests were all drawn. England therefore recovered the Ashes for the first time since losing them in...
, 1954–55 and 1956
Australian cricket team in England in 1956
The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1956 season to play a five-match Test series against England for The Ashes.England won the series 2-1 with 2 matches drawn and therefore retained The Ashes....
.
First Test – Brisbane
Preliminaries
The First Test between Australia and EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1950-51Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
is played nowadays a BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Nobody seems to know why, and all sorts of arguments are ventilated for and against more cricket Tests on the Woolloongabba ground. I am all in favour of robbing Queensland of its greatest cricketing occasion, for the ground depresses. It is not a cricket ground at all. It is a concentration camp! Wire fences abound. Spectators are herded and sorted out into lots as though for all the world this was a slave market and not a game of cricket. The stands are of wood and filthy to sit on. The dining rooms are barns, without a touch of colour or a picture on the wall. Everywhere there is dust and dirt...The field is rough, although the wicket is usually a good one until it rains. Then it is a strip of turf with thousands of demons prancing up and down...at BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
only a HuttonLen HuttonSir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
could stay, let alone score runs.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
, Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
, Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
, Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
, Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
, Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
, Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
, and Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
. Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
replaced Ron Saggers
Ron Saggers
Ronald Arthur Saggers was an Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales. He played briefly for the Australian team, playing six Tests between 1948 and 1950...
who had kept wicket on the tour of South Africa in 1949–50, which Tallon had missed. Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
had being dropped for the last Test in South Africa, his form suffering from a series of ailments, but was recalled to the team to replace Geff Noblet
Geff Noblet
Geffery Noblet was an Australian cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1950 to 1953....
. Batsmen Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney was a slow-scoring Australian batsman who toured South Africa with success in 1949-50, making his maiden Test century. He failed in the First Test of the 1950-51 Ashes series, making a pair when Australia were reduced to 228 on a good batting wicket in the first innings and 32/7 on a...
and Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
kept their places, but leg-spinner Colin McCool
Colin McCool
Colin Leslie McCool was an Australian cricketer who played in 14 Tests from 1946 to 1950. McCool, born in Paddington, New South Wales, was an all-rounder who bowled leg spin and googlies with a round arm action and as a lower order batsman was regarded as effective square of the wicket and against...
was replaced by the 35 year old debutant mystery spinner Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
. The task for the England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
tour selectors was not quite so easy. The managers Brigadier Michael Green
Michael Green (cricketer)
Michael Arthur Green, born at Bristol on 3 October 1891 and died at Kensington, London on 28 December 1971, was an all-round sportsman primarily known as a first-class cricketer for Gloucestershire and Essex, and as a cricket administrator who managed England tours to South Africa and Australia and...
and John Nash
John Nash (cricket administrator)
John Henry Nash was an English cricket administrator.John Nash was Secretary of Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1931 until his retirement in 1971, when he was succeeded by Joe Lister. He became one of the most respected figures in cricket, making a host of friends throughout the world...
, captain Freddie Brown, vice-captain Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
and senior professional
History of English amateur cricket
The history of English amateur cricket describes the concept and importance of amateur players in English cricket.-Co-development of amateur and professional cricket to 1800:...
Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
kept most of the team from the Fourth and final Test against the West Indies in 1950. This was not the best recommendation as they had lost the series 3–1 and the last Test by an innings even though Hutton carried his bat for 202 out of 344. Freddie Brown, Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
, Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
, Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
, John Dewes
John Dewes
John Dewes is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University and Middlesex, and was chosen for five Tests between 1948 and 1950.-Life and career:...
, Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
, Arthur McIntyre, Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
, Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
all stayed, but the young opener David Sheppard
David Sheppard
David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth...
was replaced by veteran Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
and Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
returned as wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
. Apart from Hutton, Washbrook, Compton and Simpson the batsmen were not in fine form. Dewes was chosen after he had made a gritty 117 against Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
in the last tour match before the Test. The reserve wicket-keeper Arthur McIntyre was in the team for his batting and as Brown's Cows
How now brown cow
"How now brown cow" is a phrase used in elocution teaching to demonstrate rounded vowel sounds. Each "ow" sound in the phrase represents an individual diphthong. The phrase does not have an explicit meaning per se but can be used as a light-hearted greeting...
were desperately short of good fielders and McIntyre had a good throwing arm. While the crowd was waiting for the captains to come out and toss a dapper little man came out and inspected the pitch and he passed by the spectators completely unnoticed. It was the Test selector Sir Donald Bradman, such is fame. Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
had recently made a slow 201 not out against Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
on the flat Woolloongabba pitch and predicted that the Test would be "the dullest in history". Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
won the toss (as he would 9 times out of 10 in Ashes Tests) and although the Woolloongabba Ground had a reputation as "result" wicket it looked plumb and he batted without hesitation.
Australia – First Innings
Seldom has an England cricket teamEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1950-51Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
gone into the field with the odds greater against them than did the side under Freddie Brown's command at Brisbane on the first day of December 1950. The tour had up to that date been one long succession of inglorious displays that had riled the critics without exception...it was no exaggeration to state that before the game began not one man in the crowd of 13,000 was prepared for the shocks that followed.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
Brown called his team together the night before the Test began. His first words were "Chaps, you have got to get stuck into this with me. I have not lost faith. We can win if we go out there to-morrow and get stuck right into it." He told them that he knew they had not produced their English form. He told them that their batting, bowling, fielding and catching were too often just too bad to be true. Chosen, as they were, to represent their country, they obviously could do better. Brown's told them just what he thought of everything. He finished by saying that if they went on to the field on the morrow with confidence in themselves, they could do the job.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
One of the good points about the tour so far had been the rise of Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
as new ball partner for Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
. He bowled the first over, but mistimed his run up for the first ball and had to walk back and start again, swinging his fourth ball to tickle the edge of Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney was a slow-scoring Australian batsman who toured South Africa with success in 1949-50, making his maiden Test century. He failed in the First Test of the 1950-51 Ashes series, making a pair when Australia were reduced to 228 on a good batting wicket in the first innings and 32/7 on a...
's bat and send it to Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
at fine leg
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
for a duck. Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
joined Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
and they took the score to 66/1 by lunch, though Morris constantly played and missed at Bedser's in-swingers and made only 24 runs to 38 by the more fluent Harvey. Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
(1/81) came on to bowl a typical over with two long hop
Long hop
A long hop is a type of inadvertent delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes a short delivery which is not especially fast, which is thus easy for the batsman to hit because he has plenty of time to observe the speed and direction of the ball after the bounce and choose his shot accordingly...
s, which Harvey cracked into the square-leg fence, but the first ball of the next had him groping at a googly
Googly
In cricket, a googly is a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is occasionally referred to as a Bosie , an eponym in honour of its inventor Bernard Bosanquet.- Explanation :...
that turned so fiercely that it missed both bat and stumps, "a real pearl that morally bowled Harvey all the way". The following ball had Wright appealing for lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
, but it was turned down as it turned so much that it would have missed the stumps. Returning after the break Bedser dismissed the labouring Morris lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
to bring Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
on at 69/2. England's
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
fielding had dramatically improved over its reputation on tour – Bedser had bowled seven eight ball overs for 6 runs – but these two strokemakers increased the run rate much to the joy of the crowd. Miller hit a typical Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
over for 12 as he served up a mixture of full toss
Full toss
A full toss is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes any delivery that reaches the batsman without bouncing on the pitch first....
es, long hop
Long hop
A long hop is a type of inadvertent delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes a short delivery which is not especially fast, which is thus easy for the batsman to hit because he has plenty of time to observe the speed and direction of the ball after the bounce and choose his shot accordingly...
s, googlies, fierce leg-breaks and cunningly flighted balls. Harvey's 50 with 6 boundaries brought a cheer from the crowd, and he hit 3 more, a cover-drive and a pull off Bedser and dancing three steps down the wicket to hit Wright to the sightscreen. The Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
spinner returned to the wicket with his hop, skip and a jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
and bowled a googly
Googly
In cricket, a googly is a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is occasionally referred to as a Bosie , an eponym in honour of its inventor Bernard Bosanquet.- Explanation :...
that Miller mishit it to a surprised Arthur McIntyre at short mid-on to have him out for 15. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
was almost out first ball to Bedser, but a difficult chance was missed by Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
and the Australian captain took a single. Bedser then bowled on of his rare out-swingers to Neil Harvey, Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
taking the catch and whipping off the bails to have the Victorian
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
left-hander caught
Caught
Caught is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. Being caught out is the most common method of dismissal at higher levels of competition...
and stumped, but the bowler's umpire responded first and Harvey was "c. Evans b. Bedser" for 74. Hassett did not survive long, his off-stump was knocked over by a Bedser "special" and from 116/2 Australia had collapsed to 129/5. Freddie Brown came on the relieve Bedser and Evans took another great catch to remove Loxton (24), though Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
(41) saw Australia to tea for 166/6. Brown (2/63) continued after the break, mixing up his medium-paced seamers with leg-spin to have the out of form Australian wicket-keeper Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
caught by Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
on the square leg boundary at 172/7. Lindwall and Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
held things up for three-quarters of an hour while adding 47 before Bailey (3/28) took the new ball. Simpson caught Johnson off Bailey and Bedser took Lindwall to give Bailey his third wicket. Bedser was brought back on and Bill Johnston flipped him over the slips to the boundary. As he came to a halt half way down the pitch he stopped to chat with Alec
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
while Iverson completed two runs. Only now did Johnston realise that Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
had stopped the ball and was throwning it in to Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
. He ran back towards his crease running like a duck trying to take off from water alongside Iverson making his third run. Johnston got home, Iverson stopped two yards short to turn back to the bowlers end, but Evans missed the bowler's stumps and he was safe. After this comedy routine Bedser (4/45) had Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
caught by Hutton in the slips to dismiss Australia for 228 ten minutes before stumps, the last 4 wickets falling for just 9 runs. This low score after Australia had chosen to bat on a good wicket was a coup fo the touring team, whose performance surprised everyone, it now only remained to see how well their batsmen could perform.
England – First Innings
...the ball proceeded to perform capers all against the laws of gravitationGravitationGravitation, or gravity, is a natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass. Gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when dropped...
, and their came the craziest day's cricket imaginable, with twenty wickets falling for 130 runs and two declarationsDeclaration and forfeitureIn the sport of cricket a declaration occurs when a captain declares his team's innings closed and a forfeiture is when a captain chooses to forfeit an innings. Declaration and forfeiture are covered in Law 14 of the Laws of cricket...
that must surely be unique in the annuals of Test cricket.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
On the recommendation of an MCC committee member in Australia the tour selectors had decided to demote Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
– the best opener in the world – to bat at number 5 so that he could stiffen the fragile lower order. This was possible as they had two other openers in Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
and Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
and Hutton declined to object as he was outvoted and didn't want to appear obstinate. The two new openers went out to the middle on the first day, but Simpson successfully appealed for bad light and no ball was bowled. It rained on the Saturday morning and though it dried out on the rest day that followed more rain poured down overnight and play was suspended until the Monday afternoon. Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
and Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
took advantage of the situation by going to the local horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track, ringing the ground to check when play was to resume and dashing back just in time. Although other First Class games had their pitches covered they were not for Test matches – a ruling that would change as a result of what was to follow. The pitch was reduced to a "mudheap", "sticky dog" or “glue-pot” so beloved by purists as only a batsman with classic technique could hope to play on it, in other words Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
. The roller reduced the effects of the rain and Simpson (12) and Washbrook (19) added 28 for the first wicket while the going was good. The wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
(16) was brought in as a "daywatchman"
Nightwatchman (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman who comes in to bat higher up the order than usual near the end of the day's play...
while the pitch dried out to normality. Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
bowled only one over before being taken off and Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
(2/29) and Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
(5/35) were brought on by Hassett to exploit the conditions with their part-time spin as England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
collapsed from 49/1 to 67/7 as good length balls leapt chest high, shot along the ground, turned and straightened. Brown declared on 68/7, 160 runs behind, a move without precedent in Test cricket, but the England captain wanted to get the Australians onto the pitch before it dried out and became inhabitable. With hindsight he should have delayed as Hutton was still 8 not out and could have added some runs. As it was England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
was forced to bat again before stumps, but few captains anticipate getting Australia 32/7.
Australia – Second Innings
...the ball hit first a thigh, then a chest. Sometimes it would go over the batsman’s head, and whenever it came through at a playable height one of the many pairs of snatching hands in the leg trap took a catch that spelled doom first to MorrisArthur MorrisArthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
, then LoxtonSam LoxtonSamuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
and finally HarveyNeil HarveyRobert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
. MillerKeith MillerKeith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
, MoroneyJack MoroneyJack Moroney was a slow-scoring Australian batsman who toured South Africa with success in 1949-50, making his maiden Test century. He failed in the First Test of the 1950-51 Ashes series, making a pair when Australia were reduced to 228 on a good batting wicket in the first innings and 32/7 on a...
, Ian JohnsonIan Johnson (cricketer)Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
and HassettLindsay HassettArthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
preferred to thrust their legs in the way and found the umpire in league with the opposition on this afternoon of “crazy” cricket.’’
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
If the English batsmen had struggled the Australians completely floundered. Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney was a slow-scoring Australian batsman who toured South Africa with success in 1949-50, making his maiden Test century. He failed in the First Test of the 1950-51 Ashes series, making a pair when Australia were reduced to 228 on a good batting wicket in the first innings and 32/7 on a...
, Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
and Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
were out for ducks and Australia were 0/3 in a matter of minutes as Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
took his new best Test figures of 4/22 and Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
3/9. This was the worst start to a Test innings until Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
and Fred Trueman
Fred Trueman
Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968...
reduced India to 0/4 at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
in 1952
Indian cricket team in England in 1952
The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1952 season. The team played four Test matches, losing three of them and drawing the other one. In all first-class matches, they played 29, winning four and losing five, with the rest drawn.-The Indian team:...
. Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
top-scored with 12, but the only runs came from the edge of the bat and after an hour Hassett gave up and declared on 32/7, leaving England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
193 to win. This was a gamble as although there was still time to take quick wickets the pitch might recover the next day.
England – Second Innings
At Brisbane, on a wicket that was the worst that I have ever seen, the Yorkshireman was superb. The head-high bouncer was safely ignored. The chest-high deliveries of both the pace men and the spinners were played safely to the ground, out of the way of the many grasping hands in the leg-trap, and Hutton'sLen HuttonSir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
display was a perfect lesson in the art of batsmanship...that will long remain in my memory, being by far the best innings I have ever seen played.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
would have had less time to bat out before stumps. Though as Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)
William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
pointed out the time limits were devised when horse-drawn rollers were the norm and mechanical rollers were unheard of. Initially it made no difference as Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
was bowled first ball by a full toss
Full toss
A full toss is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes any delivery that reaches the batsman without bouncing on the pitch first....
from Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
(2/21). The veteran England scorer
Scorer
A scorer in the sport of cricket is someone appointed to record all runs scored, all wickets taken and, where appropriate, number of overs bowled. In professional games, in compliance with the Laws of Cricket, two scorers are appointed, most often one provided by each team.The scorers have no say...
Bill Ferguson
Bill Ferguson
William Henry Ferguson BEM is one of the best known cricket scorers. For 52 years from 1905 until his death, Ferguson acted as the scorer and baggageman for Australia, England, West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand in 43 tours and 208 Test matches.He is often credited with two of the most...
was using his famous Ferguson Charts to record the details of each innings; how many runs a batsman had scored, how many balls, how many minutes, how many boundaries, etc. when Simpson was out one wag called out "How long Bill, and how many fours?" which produced a roar of laughter from the press box
Press box
The press box is a special section of a sports stadium or arena that is set up for the media to report about a given event. It is typically located in the section of the stadium holding the luxury box. In general, newspaper writers sit in this box and write about the on-field event as it unfolds...
that astonished the crowd. Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
(6) and John Dewes
John Dewes
John Dewes is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University and Middlesex, and was chosen for five Tests between 1948 and 1950.-Life and career:...
(9) were determined to see out the day with dead bats and the wicket showed no signs of danger, but Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
took a superb catch to get rid of the Lancastrian off Lindwall. Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
was called up to bowl his first Test over 27 minutes before stumps and had Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
in all kinds of trouble as his poked and prodded and could have been out five or six times in the mystery spinner's maiden over. Dewes was bowled by Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
and with one over from Iverson remaining, Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
came out and immediately appealed against the bad light, but was turned down as he had yet to face a ball. He holed out to Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
off Iverson, Bailey gave a simple catch to Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
and Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
ran out his fellow wicket-keeper Arthur McIntyre when he called for an unnecessary third run. Brown had fed in nightwatchman
Nightwatchman (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman who comes in to bat higher up the order than usual near the end of the day's play...
after nightwatchman in order to save Hutton, Compton and himself for the next day, but the Man from Pudsey
Pudsey
Pudsey is a market town in West Yorkshire, England. Once an independent town, it was incorporated into the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds in 1974, and is located midway between Bradford and Leeds city centres. It has a population of 32,391....
still had to come out at 30/6 to survive the last two balls of an extraordinary day. When asked for his opinion that night Hutton said they might win "if the others will stay till lunch and it doesn't rain again". It didn't rain again, but needing 163 to win with only four wickets in hand there was no room for mistakes. In the morning Brown, the umpires and a stopwatch ensured that England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
got their full 10 minutes rolling at the start of the day, which took nearly half an hour to complete. Evans (5) helped Hutton add 16 runs before he was caught by Loxton off Bill Johnston (2/30). Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
came to the crease, but lasted one ball as he departed like Evans "c Loxton, b Johnston". Brown came in at number 10 and held on grimly as Hutton peeled off 3 boundaries, though in the end the captain made 17 of their 29 runs together before he became Loxton's fourth victim when he was caught off Iverson (4/43). Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
was the last man in at 77/9 and his batting tended to be a hit and miss affair which rarely reached double figures. Hutton (62 not out) farmed the bowling ruthlessly, making 43 of the 45 runs added for the last wicket. Wright managed to hold a straight bat up to the few balls he was left to face until the last four balls from Iverson before lunch. He kept out the first three, but spooned the last to Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
at square leg and the match was over. The 12,000 strong crowd gave Hutton an heroic ovation and after lunch he replied to the congratulations showered on him with by admitting that "with a bit of luck I'd have won the game".
Result
Australia's cricket ego was in no way deflated by what happened at BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. All teams have their bad days, and that generally was considered sufficient excuse for Australia's collapse for 228 on a plumb pitch: as for the other collapse – Australian cricket thought does not believe in pondering long over national deficiencies on a sticky pitch. The possibility of a wet pitch in Brisbane was suggested by other Tests there and the weather preceding the game. There was too many clouds about in Brisbane for the city to miss rain for a whole week. Old women of both sexes [sic] were blaming our weather upsets on the atomic bomb experiment carried out by the Americans on Bikini AtollBikini AtollBikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
, to our north... and so there was no national caterwauling over Australia's loss of face at BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Few stopped to think that had Australia lost the toss, they would have certainly have lost the Test.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
Australia won the First Test at Brisbane by 70 runs to go 1–0 up in the series, but the real winners were England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
and Australian cricket. Before the match the press and public had been contemplating a one-sided contest in which a weak England team would be overwhelmed by Australia, now they had a fighting series on their hands. Few Australians fail to credit a gutsy performance and the stock of the tourists rocketed. It was also apparent that Australia
Australian cricket team in Australia in 1950–51
The 1950-51 Australians defeated the touring England team 4-1 in the 1950-51 Ashes series, Australia's last Ashes success until 1959-59. The series was tilted the balance from the powerful Australian teams of the 1940s to the strong England teams of the 1950s...
had a chink in their armour as their batting collapsed on a perfectly good wicket on the first day and had been badly shown up on the rain-affected wicket on the third, but their bowling remained strong and Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
(4/43) had justified the selector's confidence in him.
Second Test – Melbourne
Preliminaries
It was apparent that Brown could just string together a Test Eleven, and that was all. Nothing had been more disappointing that the continued poor showings by the young men of the side. BaileyTrevor BaileyTrevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
was the only new-comer to lend an accomplished hand. So badly had the others shaped that CloseBrian CloseDennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
...was to be given a Test berth in MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on the strength of a second innings century against a country team at CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
The main story leading up to the Second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
was the health of the England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
vice-captain Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
. His famously damaged knee had swollen up after making another century – 115 vs an Australian XI – and hourly bulletins were posted by the MCC manager Brigadier Michael Green
Michael Green (cricketer)
Michael Arthur Green, born at Bristol on 3 October 1891 and died at Kensington, London on 28 December 1971, was an all-round sportsman primarily known as a first-class cricketer for Gloucestershire and Essex, and as a cricket administrator who managed England tours to South Africa and Australia and...
expressing optimistically that he would play in order to help draw a large crowd for the Test, though doubts where express by those who had seen him. In the end he was unfit to play and was replaced by the Welsh
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
amateur batsmen Gilbert Parkhouse
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
who had made 58 in the Australian XI game, adding 130 with the luckless Compton. The reserve wicket-keeper Arthur McIntyre was also dropped from his batting role and the teenaged Brian Close
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
was brought in as the best of a bad bunch, having hit 105 not out against long hop
Long hop
A long hop is a type of inadvertent delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes a short delivery which is not especially fast, which is thus easy for the batsman to hit because he has plenty of time to observe the speed and direction of the ball after the bounce and choose his shot accordingly...
s and full toss
Full toss
A full toss is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes any delivery that reaches the batsman without bouncing on the pitch first....
es served up in a minor game. Brown thought that if nothing else as an all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
he could help take some of the strain off the other bowlers and so Close became the youngest Englishman to play Australia in a Test. Australia made only one change, dropping Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney
Jack Moroney was a slow-scoring Australian batsman who toured South Africa with success in 1949-50, making his maiden Test century. He failed in the First Test of the 1950-51 Ashes series, making a pair when Australia were reduced to 228 on a good batting wicket in the first innings and 32/7 on a...
for having made a pair in the First Test. His successor was chosen in the Australian XI game and opener Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
(12th man at Brisbane) was given his Baggy Green
Baggy green
The baggy green is the evolution of a cricket cap of green colour, which has been worn by Australian Test cricketers since around the turn of the twentieth century. The cap was not originally baggy as evidenced by photographs of early players...
ahead of the middle order batsman Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
(who was made 12th man), although he had only made 81 to Burke's 128. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
won the toss and batted first on a yellow, matted wicket made for batting.
Australia – First Innings
...at MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
the young boys and girls go almost hysterical...I know several English cricketers who used to breath a sigh of relief whenever they reached the security of their quarters without the loss of a tie, a button, or even a cap...no film stars ever had more adulation that did the cricketers of England and Australia – especially the young ones – for the few brief days around Christmas at Melbourne in the year 1950.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
would dismiss Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
cheaply for the third time in a row, but he did in his second over and the Australian vice-captain was taken by Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
in the slips for 2. Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
(42) came in at 6/1 and Australia were 67/1 at lunch despite the bowling of Bedser (who bowled unchanged throughout the morning) and Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
and surprisingly good English fielding. Hassett even apologised to Brown as the ball was constantly fell just short of the slips, or flew over their heads as Harvey rode his luck. After lunch Bedser tickled Harvey's edge with a ball that Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
snapped up instinctively, but had he missed few would have realised was a chance. The big bowler then held onto Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
(26) in the slips by throwing himself to the ground and taking the ball in his outstretched right hand and Australia were 89/3. Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
, whose matinée idol
Matinee idol
Matinée idol is a term used mainly to describe film or theatre stars who are adored to the point of adulation by their fans.The term almost exclusively refers to male actors. Invariably the adulation was fixated on the actor's looks rather than performance...
looks greatly affected his teenager fans, made 18, but his potential boundaries were stymied by Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
in the covers and Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
on the boundary-fence and he was trapped lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
by Freddie Brown (1/28) to bring Australia down to 93/4 on a good pitch on a perfect sunny day. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
played a careful captain's innings of 52, adding 84 in an hour and a half with Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
(32). Brian Close
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
was a short-leg to Hassett and kept on edging closer until he was almost face-to-face. He was brought on to rest Bedser and Bailey before the new ball was taken and Loxton was given "not out" when he appeared to give Hutton a straightforward catch in the gully. Soon after Loxton was out to a catch by Evans off Close when he didn't make contact and he glared at the umpire; "Tha' were lucky once, Sam" said Hutton "so don't grouse" and Australia were 177/5, which soon became 177/6 when Bedser yorked
Yorker
Yorker is a term used in cricket that describes a ball bowled which hits the cricket pitch around the batsman's feet. When a batsman assumes a normal stance this generally means that the cricket ball bounces on the cricket pitch on or near the batsman's popping crease...
Hassett while loosening up with the old ball. The new ball was taken and Bedser (4/37) and Bailey (4/40) promptly cleared up the tail for 17 runs and Australia were all out for 194 at stumps.
England – First Innings
...the Yorkshireman's bewildered look, as he walked slowly away, set all tongues wagging, and the fact that CloseBrian CloseDennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
came and went passed almost unnoticed. Many were the theories advanced in support of Umpire Cooper, an AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
man, during the interval, but the dressing-rooms on both sides seethed with indignation, and HuttonLen HuttonSir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
had the consolation of knowing that several of the Australians nearer to the ball than IversonJack IversonJohn Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
, considered a mistake had been made.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
With Australians out for their third low score in a row and with no rain in sight England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
had every chance of making a large total on a good wicket and equalising the series. It was an opportunity they did not take as Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
caught Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
(4) off Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
(2/39), who then took a magnificent driving catch to take John Dewes
John Dewes
John Dewes is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University and Middlesex, and was chosen for five Tests between 1948 and 1950.-Life and career:...
(8) off Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
(2/28). Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
was joined by Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
– still batting in the middle order – to re-establish their old partnership and set about restoring the innings. Washbrook (21) made some charming cover-drives before he was given out lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
to Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
(2/46), although only he and Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
appealed and the other nine fielders remained silent. Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
was brought on and saw a ball flick off Hutton's pads as he checked a sweep (it was the over before lunch). Iverson yelled "Catch it", Tallon dived forwards to take the ball an inch off the ground and the bewildered opener was given out for 12. Only Iverson appealed and "Not even Tallon, one of the most notorious appealers of all time, asked for a catch". and Miller, standing four feet away at silly-leg "stood there with his arms folded, feet wide apart, completely uninterested" Hutton returned to the pavilion
Pavilion
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
with a face like thunder and Umpire Cooper was obviously upset that he so obviously disagreed with the decision and ended the over after only seven balls. One Yorkshireman was soon followed by another as Brian Close
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
swished a ball to Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
went into lunch on 54/5. Captain Freddie Brown and Gilbert Parkhouse
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
returned to the crease after lunch and made the best of things, but the Welshman's stilt-like footwork was his undoing and he was caught by Hassett off Miller. He was replaced by Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
who steadfastly defended at one end while his captain brought the crowd to its feet hitting Johnson straight down the ground for six and through the covers for four. He hit three more boundaries in his 62 and they added 65 for the seventh wicket. Bailey was out first, bowled by Lindwall and Brown was caught by Johnson off Iverson. Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
hit Lindwall straight to the boundary and took 8 runs off Miller, which resulted in a bouncer, which the keeper dodged like a boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, and the bowler being booed. Evans cracked another four past point off Miller, who was removed from the attack, and passed 1,000 runs in Tests, but was "c Johnson, b Iverson" for 49 and was cheered by the crowd when he left. Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
(5 not out) had batted for nearly an hour helping Evans, but Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
(2) only lasted five minutes and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were out for 197, exceeding Australia's First Innings by only 3 runs. This was both a failure and a relief, given how the innings had progressed.
Australia – Second Innings
Australia was 151 for seven – and the man wreaking the havoc was F. R. Brown! That was the remarkable part of this afternoon of sensations...one would not expect him to run through a first-class side of batsman, yet here was his name on the board with three Test batsman to his credit at a very small cost and at a very vital stage of the game. With his sun-hat on, a 'kerchiefHandkerchiefA handkerchief , also called a handkercher or hanky, is a form of a kerchief, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric that can be carried in the pocket or purse, and which is intended for personal hygiene purposes such as wiping one's hands or face, or blowing one's nose...
tied round his neck, and an ambling jovially in the field, Freddie Brown lacked only a wisp of straw in his mouth to make him look like the original Farmer BrownMerry England"Merry England", or in more jocular, archaic spelling "Merrie England", refers to an English autostereotype, a utopian conception of English society and culture based on an idyllic pastoral way of life that was allegedly prevalent at some time between the Middle Ages and the onset of the Industrial...
.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
(15 not out) and Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
(10 not out) saw Australia safely to Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
with 25/0 and a 22 run lead. They returned on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
and took their partnership to 43 when Morris (18) was lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
to Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
and Ron Wright
Ron Wright
Ronald James John Wright was an Australian cricket test match umpire.He umpired 13 Test matches between 1948 and 1959...
with the leg-spinner giving him a straight ball and the umpire raising his finger. Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
made another profitable second wicket stand before Archer (46) was taken in the gully by Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
off Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
(2/43) on 99/2. Harvey soon went, run out by Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
who made a splendid pick up in the covers and threw down his stumps when backing up to Miller. Miller himself was bowled by Bailey (2/47), then Brown (4/26) broke the back of the Australian innings with the wickets of Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
, Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
, Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
and Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
in spell of 4/5. The Australian wicket-keeper was snatched by a diving Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
at second slip
Slip (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a slip fielder is placed behind the batsman on the off side of the field. They are placed with the aim of catching an edged ball which is beyond the wicket-keeper's reach. Many teams employ two or three slips...
, which Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)
William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
called "truly sensational" and Jack Fingleton
Jack Fingleton
John "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
"unforgettable". Ian Johnson (23) decided to hit out on the advice of Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
and added a vital 30 runs with Bill Johnston (6) before Bedser and Bailey got them out on 181 and closed the innings.
England – Second Innings
The fliesFließFließ is a municipality in the Landeck district and is located5 km south of Landeck on the upper course of the Inn River. It has 9 hamlets and was already populated at the roman age; the village itself was founded around the 6th century. After a conflagration in 1933 Fließ was restored more...
were bad. Little black ones. They pestered the batsmen and fieldsmen incessantly. Ranjitsinhji once explained that his dismissal in SydneySydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
by saying that a fly got into his eye as the vital moment, which could well be true. They are an intense annoyance to a batsman, who must time his last quick flip of his face as the bowler is a few yards off delivery.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
needed 179 runs to win, not an impossible task even though John Dewes
John Dewes
John Dewes is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University and Middlesex, and was chosen for five Tests between 1948 and 1950.-Life and career:...
had been struck with a throat inflection and had been absent from the field. Brown continued with his opening partnership of Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
and Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
and kept Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
in the middle order. To be fair they had made 212 for the first wicket against the West Indies at Trent Bridge earlier in the year. On this occasion they added 21 against Lindwall and Miller when the spinners were brought on. Washbrook always found "Wrong Grip Jake"
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
difficult to play and was bowled by his googly
Googly
In cricket, a googly is a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is occasionally referred to as a Bosie , an eponym in honour of its inventor Bernard Bosanquet.- Explanation :...
. The nightwatchman
Nightwatchman (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman who comes in to bat higher up the order than usual near the end of the day's play...
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
by bowled by Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
(1/24) for a duck and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were 28/2 at stumps. Simpson and Hutton "opened" the innings again in the morning, Hutton was inclined to fancy England's chances if he stayed in past lunch, and he did, but Simpson was bowled by Lindwall (3/29) for 28. John Dewes
John Dewes
John Dewes is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University and Middlesex, and was chosen for five Tests between 1948 and 1950.-Life and career:...
, coming in to bat from his sick bed like Eddie Paynter
Eddie Paynter
Edward "Eddie" Paynter was an English cricketer: an attacking batsman and excellent fielder. His Test batting average of 59.23 is the fifth highest of all time, and second only to Herbert Sutcliffe amongst Englishmen; against Australia alone Paynter averaged an extraordinary 84.42.Born in...
in the Fourth Test of 1932–33, stayed in for 46 minutes making a gutsy 5 before falling to Iverson (2/36) at 82/4. In the lunch break England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
needed less than a hundred runs to win and there was an earnest discussion as to whether Hutton should bat in his usual careful way or should try and make the runs before he ran out of partners, as had happened at Brisbane. He decided on the latter and by forcing the pace struck out at Bill Johnston (4/26) and was caught at square leg for 40, which caused a deathly silence across the 50,000 strong crowd. As in the first innings Brian Close
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
was soon out (lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
to Johnston for 1), Brown was bowled by Lindwall, who then removed Evans "with a ball which pitched outside the off stump, came in at a crazy angle and knocked back the off stump without leaving the turf by a centimetre". Gilbert Parkhouse
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
, who batted manfully for 102 minutes and when he was out for 28 England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were 134/9 and still needed 45 to win. Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
(14 not out) had nothing to lose and struck out with the bat before Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
(2) succumbed to Johnston and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were out for 150.
Result
The remarkable part about the finish of this game was that HassettLindsay HassettArthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
and his fellow-Australians left the ground in complete silence. There was not the slightest evidence of jubilation at Australia's second victory of the rubber. Everybody, it seemed, wanted EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1950-51Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
to win.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
Australia won the Second Test at Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
by 28 runs to take a 2–0 lead in the series. It was the closest result in an Ashes Test
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
since England's 12 run win at Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
in 1928–29
English cricket team in Australia in 1928–29
-Second Test :-Third Test :-Fourth Test :-Fifth Test :-Further reading:* Ralph Barker & Irving Rosenwater, England v Australia: A compendium of Test cricket between the countries 1877-1968, Batsford, 1969, ISBN 0-7134-0317-9.* Percy Fender, The Turn of the Wheel: MCC Team in Australia 1928-29,...
. Once again the dismal performance of the Australian batsmen and the tight finish rebounded to England's
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
credit. The all-round performance of Freddie Brown, who top-scored with 62 and took his best Test return of 4/26, proved that he wasn't a passenger in the England team
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
. The Australians had the more consistent batting and a strong bowling attack, but it was Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
's dismissal in the first innings that most saw as the deciding point of the Test.
Third Test – Sydney
Preliminaries
Because of a traffic jam I was outside the groundSydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
on the first day of the Test when the captains tossed. There was a terrific roar. "I take it," said the traffic policeman as I passed him, "that Brown has won the toss. Good on him. He deserves it."
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
now had to win the final three Tests if they wanted to regain the Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
, for which the only precedent was when Don Bradman made three big centuries in the 1936–37 Ashes series to win 3–2 after being 2–0 down to Gubby Allen
Gubby Allen
Sir George Oswald Browning "Gubby" Allen, CBE was a cricketer who played for Middlesex, Cambridge University, MCC and England. Australian-born, Allen was a fast bowler and hard-hitting lower-order batsman, who captained England in eleven Test matches...
's England side. Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
is a famous spinning wicket, though the three tour matches the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
had seen lots of runs for few wickets. In the New South Wales game immediately before the Third Test they had made 553/8 with Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
making 150 and Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
259 and the fast-medium bowler John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
took 4/67. As a result the unhappy Brian Close
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
was dropped in favour of Warr, making his debut, and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
went into the Test with Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
as the only specialist spinner, supported by the part-time spin of Freddie Brown and Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
. The leg-spinner Eric Hollies
Eric Hollies
William Eric Hollies was an English cricketer, who is mainly remembered for taking the wicket of Donald Bradman for a duck in Bradman's final Test match innings, in which only four was needed for a Test average of 100...
had taken 5 wickets (78.60) in his three games at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
and off-spinner Bob Berry
Bob Berry (cricketer)
Robert Berry was an English cricketer. He played in two Tests in 1950. He played county cricket for Lancashire from 1948 to 1954, for Worcestershire from 1955 to 1958, and for Derbyshire from 1959 to 1962...
was going for 4 runs an over in his containment role and were not chosen. Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
was fit again and replaced the ailing John Dewes
John Dewes
John Dewes is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University and Middlesex, and was chosen for five Tests between 1948 and 1950.-Life and career:...
, but Gilbert Parkhouse
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
stayed in the team thanks to his fighting 28 at Melbourne and 92 against New South Wales. Australia kept the same team from the Second Test, though if they had lost the performances of a few of them would have resulted in their being dropped. For the only time in Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
's career as captain he lost the toss in an Ashes Test and Freddie Brown was able to bat first on another flat batting track.
England – First Innings
Miller, in one spirited over, altered the whole course of the game. With the third ball of that eventful over he trapped HuttonLen HuttonSir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
with his legs in front of the wicket trying to defend against an inswinger which moved in late. The value of Miller's bowling lies wholly and solely in its surprise element. Just when he appears to be well under the control of the batsman he comes to light with a ball that can upset anyone...with the sixth ball of the over ComptonDenis ComptonDenis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
played-on before he had opened his score. The seventh and eighth balls did everything else but put paid to Parkhouse'sGilbert ParkhouseWilliam Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
account. Miller deserved every bit of the thunderous applause which the big crowd handed him when the over was completed.
- Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
Brown dispensed with the experiment of having Hutton bat down the order and the old Roses
Roses Match
The Roses Match refers to any game of cricket played between Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club. Yorkshire's emblem is the white rose, while Lancashire's is the red rose. The associations go back to the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century...
opening partnership of Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
and Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
went to the crease. Hutton was full of confidence, 19 runs came off the first three overs and Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
asked for a new ball in the fourth. Umpire Elphinstone
Herbert Elphinstone
Herbert Alfred Rhys Elphinston Herbert Alfred Rhys (Herb) Elphinston Herbert Alfred Rhys (Herb) Elphinston (25 February 1905 at Sydney, New South Wales – 8 July 1966 at Sydney, New South Wales, was an Australian Test Cricket Umpires. Wife: Miriam. Daughters Joan, Rhonda and Lynne.He umpired ten...
examined the ball and changed it for a new one, which he ground into the dust to take the shine off. Hutton insisted on a look and bounced on the grass a few times so that it would lose its shape. It made no difference as another 8 runs came of the next two overs and Miller was taken off, only to take a diving catch off Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
(3/94) to dismiss Washbrook. Miller said this was the finest catch of his career; "He played the perfect cut, but, fielding in the gully, I had anticipated the shot. I ran across before he played it, flung out my hand and held the ball. I was just as astonished as Cyril". Hutton (62) and Simpson (49) took the score to 128/1 when Miller was brought back on to bowl one of his most famous overs. He bowled a "super ball" to dismiss Hutton lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
and bowled Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
for a duck when the ball clipped the edge of the bat and ricocheted into the stumps. Gilbert Parkhouse
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
survived until tea, but Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
guided another ball from Miller to Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
at short-fine-leg and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were 137/4. The popular Freddie Brown strode out to the applause of the crowd hoping for some more Melbourne-style big-hitting and they were not disappointed. Hassett took the new ball, but Brown hit Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
to the fence, lofted Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
into the deep and cracked a straight-drive onto Umpire Barlow's
Andrew Barlow
Andrew Nicholas Barlow was a cricket Test match umpire.Barlow was born at Newport, Victoria. He umpired eleven Test matches between 1931 and 1951...
foot. He added 50 with Parkhouse (25) before the Welshman pulled Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
to Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
at mid-on at 187/5. He was replaced by Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
who held up one end while Brown scattered the in-field and clouted the Australian bowling round the ground. When he was finally out the next day, playing over a yorker
Yorker
Yorker is a term used in cricket that describes a ball bowled which hits the cricket pitch around the batsman's feet. When a batsman assumes a normal stance this generally means that the cricket ball bounces on the cricket pitch on or near the batsman's popping crease...
from Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
for 79, he had made his highest Test score, the highest for England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
so far in the series, and received a royal reception from the crowd. England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
was now 258/6, their highest innings of a low scoring series, but without their fiery captain they collapsed to 290 all out. Bailey had his thumb broken by a Lindwall bouncer
Bouncer (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a bouncer is a type of delivery, usually bowled by a fast bowler. It is pitched short so that it bounces on the pitch well short of the batsman and rears up to chest or head height as it reaches the batsman.Bouncers are used tactically to drive the batsman back on to his...
at 263/6 and was taken to St Vincent's Hospital
St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne
St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne is the major hospital in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia.It is operated by the St Vincent's Health service, previously known as the Sisters of Charity Health Service, Melbourne...
. Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
struck 3 fours in his 23 not out, but Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
was bowled by Lindwall (2/60) and John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
by Miller (4/37). Bailey returned at 281/8 and tried to bat one-handed before he was caught by Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
of Ian Johnson. Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
joined Evans, but was run out for a duck by his Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
team-mate, tripping over his bat and pulling a muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
as he rushed home and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were all out for 290.
Australia – First Innings
Brown had only himself and John WarrJohn WarrJohn James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
to bowl along with BedserAlec BedserSir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
, and there began a performance that for sheer determination and willingness to work must stand unrivalled in Test history, for it was essential that runs should be kept down as well as wickets taken...
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
bowling attack was badly depleted, Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
was unfit to play and did not field and the leg-spinner Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
, who might have been a real handful on the turning Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
wicket, played for only a few overs before retiring. The bowling thus fell heavily on the shoulders of Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
, the 40 year old captain Freddie Brown and debutant John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
. They had no regular spinner and would have to rely on Brown's part-time leg-spin, the left-arm unorthodox spin
Left-arm unorthodox spin
Left-arm unorthodox spin, or chinaman, is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket using the hand wrist. Left-arm unorthodox spin bowlers use a wrist hand action to spin the ball which turns from off to leg side of the cricket pitch...
of the injured Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
and the comedy leg-breaks of Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
. In the end Compton only bowled 6 overs and Hutton none; the bowling was completed by Bedser (43–4–107–4), Warr (36–4–142–0) and Brown (44–4–153–4), bowling eight-ball overs
Over (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. An over is normally bowled by a single bowler. However, in the event of injury preventing a bowler from completing an over, it is completed by a teammate....
. The innings began with John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
bowling to Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
as Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
always batted second and his nemesis
Archenemy
An archenemy, archfoe, archvillain or archnemesis is the principal enemy of a character in a work of fiction, often described as the hero's worst enemy .- Etymology :The word archenemy or arch-enemy originated...
Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
bowled him with the first ball of the second over. Although Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
had made 74, 12, 42 and 31 batting at number 3 Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
finally saw that the left-handed strokemaker would fare better further down the order and came in himself. With rain expected over the weekend Brown set defensive fields and with the England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
fielding on top form Archer (44 not out) and Hassett (62 not out) slowly batted out the day for 110/1 despite the constant barracking of the crowd, who shouted "Get on with it!". There was rain on the rest day, but most of it avoided the ground and it rolled out well. When play resumed the wicket took a lot of pace and bounce from the ball and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were doomed to a long day in the field. Even so Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
took a brilliant catch off a leg-glance by Archer (48) off Bedser, who was involved in the first 6 wickets to fall. Brown bowled a leg-spinner that fizzed off the pitch and beat Hassett (70) and missed the stumps, but his next ball the Australian captain hit a catch to Bedser at mid-on and his team was 122/3. The presence of Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
and Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
at the crease against a depleted bowling attack would usually ensure a flow of runs, but while Harvey hit 39 in 79 minutes before being bowled by Bedser, Miller nudged his way at the funeral rate of 24 runs an hour. Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
survived a close run out
Run out
Run out is a method of dismissal in the sport of cricket. It is governed by Law 38 of the Laws of cricket.-The rules:A batsman is out Run out if at any time while the ball is in play no part of his bat or person is grounded behind the popping crease and his wicket is fairly put down by the opposing...
when Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
brilliantly threw down his stumps, but was out for 17 when he hoisted a long hop
Long hop
A long hop is a type of inadvertent delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes a short delivery which is not especially fast, which is thus easy for the batsman to hit because he has plenty of time to observe the speed and direction of the ball after the bounce and choose his shot accordingly...
from Brown into the hands of Bedser, who then caught Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
for 18. At 252/6 Australia were still 38 runs behind when Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
came to the crease and stated to hit the ball around in his top Test score of 77, he added 150 with Miller in the highest seventh wicket stand for Australia since Clem Hill
Clem Hill
Clement "Clem" Hill was an Australian cricketer who played 49 Test matches as a specialist batsman between 1896 and 1912. He captained the Australian team in ten Tests, winning five and losing five...
and Hugh Trumble
Hugh Trumble
Hugh Trumble was an Australian cricketer who played 32 Test matches as a bowling all-rounder between 1890 and 1904. He captained the Australian team in two Tests, winning both. Trumble took 141 wickets in Test cricket—a world record at the time of his retirement—at an average of...
made 165 at Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in 1897–98. They took Australia past 300 and 400 for the first time in the series and Miller reached his century after 274 minutes. Brown bowled Johnson, had Lindwall lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
and had Australia 406/8. With the tail now in Miller lifted Warr for six, but ran out Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
and Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
to end the innings with his then highest Test score of 145 not out. He had taken Australia to 426 and gave them a lead of 136.
England – Second Innings
When a bowler of Jack IversonJack IversonJohn Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
's ability to control direction and length can spin the ball so far as that, no batsman is likely to give him trouble. I am certain that no batsman of my time, English or Australian, could have held the fort on this pitch against accurate spin-bowling.
- Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
and Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
started the innings in fine form against the fast bowlers, who struggled to make the ball lift on the unresponsive wicket. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
soon took the off and brought on the spinners. Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
had not bowled in the first innings and with his negligible ability with the bat and in the field some thought he was due to be dropped. It was soon apparent that he was in complete control of the situation, his line and length were flawless and he was turning the ball from outside the off-stump past the leg-stump. He had Hutton out for 9, the ball was snicked behind, where the wicket-keeper Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
knocked it to Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
in the slips who juggled the ball and dropped it, upon which Tallon dived across and took the catch. Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
showed his usual bad form against spinners and was caught behind for a duck (even though Tallon didn't appeal) and Washbrook was bowled for 34 after hitting two boundaries off Johnson. England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were now 45/3 and Iverson had taken 3/2. Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
avoided his pair and held out for 104 minutes making 23, his highest score of a terrible series, before running out Gilbert Parkhouse
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
for 18 and popping a catch to the hungry Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
off Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
(1/31). Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
whacked 14 runs with 3 fours before Johnson (1/32) bowled him. Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
bravely came out to bat with one hand in plaster, much to the surprise of his captain who asked "What are the devil are you doing here, Trevor?", Bailey replied "I thought I would hold them up for a bit Skipper" and held up one end with his 0 not out. Iverson bowled Brown, Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
and Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
to finish with 6/27 and as Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
was absent hurt and England were out for 123.
Result
Brown and BedserAlec BedserSir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
deserved at least two day's rest – but the whole English side was in and out while the sun was still shining. One of the saddest sights I have seen on a cricket field was the weary Bedser trudging out to bat less than two hours after his marathon bowling effort...BaileyTrevor BaileyTrevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
batted one handed and WrightDoug Wright (cricketer)Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
did not bat. It was a sickening blow for the Englishmen, to lose by an innings after such heroic efforts by the bowlers, but Iverson was just too good.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
Australia won the Third Test at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
by an innings and 13 runs to win the series 3–0 and retain the Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
. The victory was marred by the injuries that had crippled the England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
bowling attack and their depressingly slow run-rate. The England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
bowlers received great praise for their sterling efforts, but the hero was a "35-year-old flip-bowler, Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
, who, until he had played in the Brisbane Test, had never seen a Test played" Brown sent a telegram to Lords requested two new bowlers to replace Bailey and Wright and the fast-medium seamer Brian Statham
Brian Statham
John Brian "George" Statham, CBE was one of the leading English fast bowlers in 20th-century English cricket. Initially a bowler of a brisk fast-medium pace, Statham was able to remodel his action to generate enough speed to become genuinely fast...
and off-spinner Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
of Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
were flown out. Unfortunately, he didn't ask for a fresh batsman as the England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
batting could well have used the presence of Bill Edrich
Bill Edrich
William John "Bill" Edrich DFC was a distinguished cricketer who played for Middlesex, MCC, Norfolk and England.Edrich's three brothers, Brian, Eric and Geoff, and also his cousin, John, all played first-class cricket...
. As it was he went to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
with too many bowlers that he couldn't use and few batsmen he could trust.
Fourth Test – Adelaide
Preliminaries
It was one of the poorest Test matches in technique and spirit that I have witnessed. It lacked virility from birth. The Australians came to it with no great spirit of adventure or relish after the AshesThe AshesThe Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
had been won. The policy was, after winning the toss, to hold tight and let the pitch and the Englishmen go to pieces. What went to pieces, of course, was the game itself.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
Although Australia had wrapped up the Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
there was still considerable interest in the series as many felt that Freddie Brown's team deserved a win for all their efforts. Since the Third Test they had won four games on the trot by 9 wickets, 10 wickets, an innings and 25 runs and 152 runs and morale was as high as it had ever been. After his dismal showing at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
the Australian vice-captain Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
asked to be dropped, he had been dismissed four times out of five by Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
(for 25, 0, 2 and 0) and was nicknamed "Bedser's Bunny". The selectors declined and instead dropped Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
after 11 consecutive Tests and brought in Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
of New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
to strengthen the lower order batting. Loxton was an outstanding fielder and was still brought to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
as 12th man. Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
of Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
had been flown out as a replacement for the injured Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
and was picked for his debut. This young off-spinner had topped the tables in 1950 with 193 wickets (13.59), including twenty 5-wicket and six 10-wicket hauls. The England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
players had been singing his praises since they arrived in Australia, so there was much curiosity about him down under. Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
's pulled leg-muscle has recovered and he would also play and Tattersall replaced Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
, whose broken thumb had not yet mended. Gilbert Parkhouse
Gilbert Parkhouse
William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959....
was dropped and replaced by his fellow amateur David Sheppard
David Sheppard
David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth...
and despite taking 0/142 at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
was kept in the team. The Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
was notorious for being the flattest wicket in Australia, but had taken spin from the first morning in the tour match when the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
(211 & 220) beat South Australia
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
(126 & 153) by 152 runs. Even so when Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
won the toss he made the easy decision to bat first.
Australia – First Innings
MorrisArthur MorrisArthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
had become very fed up of hearing Bedser'sAlec BedserSir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
name. He sat that morning at No. 13 table in the hotel dining-room and gave a shudder when he saw it – but decided to sit tight. This, then, was a happy day for him. he had come back to the ranks of Test batsmen again.
- Jack Fingleton
Jack FingletonJohn "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
The first Australian wicket fell before a run was on the board for the third time in the series, but it was Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
who succumbed to Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
when he glanced the third ball of the day to Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
at short fine-leg, though he hung about the wicket even after he was given out by Umpire Barlow
Andrew Barlow
Andrew Nicholas Barlow was a cricket Test match umpire.Barlow was born at Newport, Victoria. He umpired eleven Test matches between 1931 and 1951...
. Having livened up the crowd the bowlers had a tough day as the Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
was up to its usual standards. Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
batted a very careful and composed innings, the highest of his Test career as he laid his reputation as "Bedser's Bunny" to rest. He made 206 out of Australia's 371 before he was the last man out, spending 7 hours and 42 minutes at the crease and striking 23 boundaries in the process. He passed 2,000 runs in Tests and made his seventh Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
century in four years, overtaking Victor Trumper
Victor Trumper
Victor Thomas Trumper was an Australian cricketer known as the most stylish and versatile batsman of the Golden Age of cricket, capable of playing match-winning innings on wet wickets his contemporaries found unplayable. Archie MacLaren said of him, "Compared to Victor I was a cab-horse to a Derby...
and Bill Woodfull
Bill Woodfull
William Maldon "Bill" Woodfull OBE was an Australian cricketer of the 1920s and 1930s. He captained both Victoria and Australia, and was best known for his dignified and moral conduct during the tumultuous bodyline series in 1932–33 that almost saw the end of Anglo-Australian cricketing ties...
placing him behind only Sir Donald Bradman on the list of Australian century-makers against England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
. No other Australian batsman made 50, but he added 95 runs for the second wicket with Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
(43), 110 for the third wicket with Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
(44) and 76 for the fourth wicket with Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
(44). Thereafter wickets fell sharply, the last five falling for 14 runs, and the innings ended when he was bowled by Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
(3/95). The young Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
off-spinner had an impressive debut which justified his selection even though he had to borrow E.W. Swanton's boots because his feet had swollen on the flight. He began by conceding only 5 runs from his first 6 overs and spinned the ball so much that it floated across the wicket before turning on the unhelpful wicket. He dismissed fellow debutant Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
with a ball that he bowled at the leg stump so that Burke went down on one knee to sweep it, but it floated over the wicket and knocked over the off-stump. He also bowled Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
, getting his three wickets without any help from the fielders. Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
returned figures of 3/74, but Hassett protected Morris early in his innings and Miller hit his first over of the second day for 15. Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
took 4/99 and only Morris, a noted player of spinners, was able to master him, but John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
(0/63) could still not take a wicket.
England – First Innings
The Yorkshireman was magnificent. This was not perhaps an innings to be compared with his Brisbane classic, but it was, nevertheless, batsmanship sublime, worth first a hundred and then 150, with off drives, late cuts, hooks and leg glances, all performed with that easy composure so completely the Yorkshireman's own.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
innings – like Australia's – revolved around their opener, in this case Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
, who became the second Englishman to carry his bat through an innings against Australia, the other being Bobby Abel
Bobby Abel
Robert Abel , nicknamed "The Guv'nor", was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship...
's 132 not out at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
in 1891–92. Hutton made 156 not out in England's
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
272, hit 11 fours and nobody else made 30. Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
(3/51) dismissed Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
for 2 when the pedestrian Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
took a high, leaping catch when the batsmen heaved the ball to the leg-side. The spinners were soon on and Hutton hit Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
for two boundaries. He went two yards down the wicket and was almost stumped by Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
for 34, but he nicked the ball and the deflection made Tallon miss both the catch and the stumping. Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
was the second highest scorer with 29 and together they added 83 for the second wicket before Simpson was bowled by the left-arm bowler Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
finished the day 96/2. The following morning Lindwall and Miller argued with Tallon that he ought to stand three yards closer to the stumps as the pitch was so slow. He refused and Lindwall bowled at a reduced pace, so nudged by Miller Tallon moved up for the third ball, which nicked Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
's bat and the keeper took the catch low off the ground. Had be remained back Tallon could not have made the catch. The other England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
batsmen made a steady procession to and from the wicket as Bill Johnston (3/68) and Iverson (3/58) worked their way through the order as Hutton batted serenely on, now untouchable by any of the bowlers. David Sheppard
David Sheppard
David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth...
almost ran Hutton out when he rushed down the wicket to get off the mark, Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
tried to do the same, but Hutton wisely ignored him and the keeper scrambled back before his wicket was wrecked by Lindwall. Freddie Brown was caught leg before
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
by Miller (1/30), who immediately appealed and Umpire Cocks
Arthur Cocks
Arthur F. Cocks was an Australian cricket Test match umpire.He umpired one Test match between Australia and England at Adelaide on 2–8 February 1951. Australia won comfortably with Arthur Morris scoring 206, Jim Burke scoring a century in his first Test, and Bill Johnston taking 7 wickets. Cocks'...
gave him out, then the ball rolled back onto his stumps and knocked off a bail, so he ended up being bowled. Debutant Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
was crowded by the Australian fielders and was caught by Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
off Iverson for a duck. John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
was bowled for another duck by Bill Johnston. Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
came in at 219/9 and held off the Australian attack for over an hour as he and Hutton added 53 for the last wicket, resembling their last stand at Brisbane. Lindwall wasn't recalled to the attack until after 5 o'clock and promptly caught the Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
spinner leg before wicket
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
for 14. England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were out for 272, 99 runs behind Australia and Hutton was applauded off the field by the Australian team.
Australia – Second Innings
M.M.C.Marylebone Cricket ClubMarylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
captain Freddie Brown, and a joint manager of the team, Brigadier M. A. GreenMichael Green (cricketer)Michael Arthur Green, born at Bristol on 3 October 1891 and died at Kensington, London on 28 December 1971, was an all-round sportsman primarily known as a first-class cricketer for Gloucestershire and Essex, and as a cricket administrator who managed England tours to South Africa and Australia and...
, were injured in a car accidentCar accidentA traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
on North TerraceNorth Terrace, AdelaideNorth Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of the city of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east-west, along the northern edge of the CBD.-North Side of North Terrace:...
, city, last night. Brigadier Green was admitted to the Royal Adelaide HospitalRoyal Adelaide HospitalThe Royal Adelaide Hospital is Adelaide's largest hospital, with 680 beds. Founded in 1840, the Royal Adelaide provides tertiary health care services for South Australia and provides secondary care clinical services to residents of Adelaide's city centre and inner suburbs.The hospital is situated...
in a semi-conscious condition, suffering from a probable fractured nose, and Brown was treated for cuts to the head and left knee. Brown, who had four stitches inserted in his left knee and two in his head, is reported to have said soon after the accident that he would play today. Doctors at the hospital, however, think it is doubtful, because he will be suffering from stiffness. Brown told the police that he was driving along North Terrace when he swerved to avoid another car. In doing so he crashed head-on into a tram standard in the middle of the road.
- Adelaide Advertiser, Wednesday, 7 February 1951
Australia now had three and a half days to set England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
an unreachable target and bowl them out. Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
ran a four off Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
in the first over and Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
struck two boundaries off Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
when he replaced John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
in the sixth over. Archer called Morris for a run off Bedser, but they both hesitated in the middle and Morris was run out for 16 by a left-handed throw from David Sheppard
David Sheppard
David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth...
. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
was almost bowled first ball, but survived and Australia were 34/1 at stumps. Archer (32) and Hassett (31) returned in the morning to take the score along to 95/3, but it was Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
(68), Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
(99) and debutant Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
(101 not out) who put the match beyond doubt. Harvey and Miller ran the bowling ragged and added 99 for the fourth wicket until Harvey was bowled by Brown (1/14) and Miller chopped a ball from Wright onto his stumps. Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
(2/109) and Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
(1/116) were heavily punished and Bedser (0/62) was wicketless. Australia ended the fourth day 384 runs ahead and that evening Freddie Brown and Brigadier Green
Michael Green (cricketer)
Michael Arthur Green, born at Bristol on 3 October 1891 and died at Kensington, London on 28 December 1971, was an all-round sportsman primarily known as a first-class cricketer for Gloucestershire and Essex, and as a cricket administrator who managed England tours to South Africa and Australia and...
were hospitalised after a car crash returning from dinner with Sir Willoughby Norrie, the Governor of South Australia. A car had pulled out suddenly from a side street and Brown swerved into a post for holding electric tram lines. Brown left the hospital early in the morning, but was unfit to play and vice-captain Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
became the first professional captain to lead England since Jack Hobbs
Jack Hobbs
Sir John Berry "Jack" Hobbs was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934 and for England in 61 Test matches from 1908 to 1930....
when Arthur Carr was injured in 1924–25. He was unable to prevent Jim Burke from making a Test century on debut, the ninth Australian to do so (compared to 10 Englishmen at the time). John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
took his first and only Test wicket when Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
cut the ball to Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
, who knocked it up on the first attempt then ran forward to catch it on the rebound. Umpire Cocks
Arthur Cocks
Arthur F. Cocks was an Australian cricket Test match umpire.He umpired one Test match between Australia and England at Adelaide on 2–8 February 1951. Australia won comfortably with Arthur Morris scoring 206, Jim Burke scoring a century in his first Test, and Bill Johnston taking 7 wickets. Cocks'...
took so long to make a decision that Johnson walked (almost unheard in Australia) to give the long-suffering Warr his first Test wicket and a bowling average of 281.00, the highest by an England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
bowler. The 12th man Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
was sent out by Hassett to tell Burke that he could take all the time he wanted over his hundred and the dour stock clerk reached his target after 245 minutes at the crease. Hassett then declared at 403/8 to give England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
a day and a half to make 503 to win.
England – Second Innings
JohnJohn WarrJohn James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
in fact in these two Tests took one for 281, which caused a few of us thereafter childishly to hum in his presence the Ancient and Modern HymnHymns Ancient and ModernHymns Ancient and Modern was a hymnal in common use within the Church of England. Over the years it has grown into a large family of hymnals....
number 281, 'Lead us Heavenly Father, lead us', with emphasis on the lines "Lone and Dreary, Faint and Weary, Through the Desert thou did'st go." In fact, of course, it was J.J. Warr'sJohn WarrJohn James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
prime virtue was that he never seemed either faint or weary, on the field or off. Laughter was seldom far away when he was about...
- E.W. Swanton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
and Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
had played in the Timeless Test
Timeless Test
A timeless Test is a match of Test cricket played under no limitation of time, which means the match is played until one side wins or the match is tied, with theoretically no possibility of a draw. The format means that it is not possible to play defensively for a draw when the allotted time runs...
when England made 654/5 chasing 696 to win, but drew the match because they had to catch their boat home. Realistically England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
could only hope to draw and Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
(45) and Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
(31) added 74 for the first wicket, the highest opening stand of the series. Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
(4/73) removed them both, Hutton taken by Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
at short-leg (subsistuting for Iverson, who twisted his ankle on the ball), who also caught Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
for a duck. In between he had Washbrook lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
entered the last day on 114/3. Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
(61) and David Sheppard
David Sheppard
David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth...
(41) batted out the morning in a stand of 91 that lasted 157 minutes. He was also out to Johnston, caught Burke and Miller (3/27) snapped up Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
, Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
and Sheppard for 7 runs to leave them 228/7. Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
(2/63) had Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
caught by Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
then bowled John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
without a run being added and as Freddie Brown was absent injured England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were out one hour and forty minutes from stumps on the sixth and last day.
Result
The South Australian Cricket AssociationSouth Australian Cricket AssociationThe South Australian Cricket Association is the peak body for the sport of cricket in South Australia. The association runs Adelaide Oval and the Southern Redbacks based in Adelaide, South Australia. SACA is the controlling body for the South Australian Grade Cricket League...
made a presentation to Jim BurkeJim Burke (cricketer)James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
to commemorate his performance in scoring a century in his first Test. In introducing the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, who performed the little ceremony, Mr Roy Middleton, the president, explained that it was the policy of the Association to recognize any outstanding performance carried out on the Adelaide OvalAdelaide OvalThe Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
. He recalled to the minds of those present that both MorrisArthur MorrisArthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
and ComptonDenis ComptonDenis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
had been honoured similarly four years previously when each of those batsmen had scored a hundred in each innings of the Test played at AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. It was a pleasant thought on the part of the Association, but it was a great pity that they had overlooked Hutton'sLen HuttonSir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
outstanding performance.
- Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
Australia beat England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
in the Fourth Test at Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
by 274 runs to take a 4–0 lead in the series. It was Australia's 26 consecutive Test without defeat, its 14 without defeat against England and it was England's seventh Test defeat in succession. After the tightly contested First and Second Tests and the crippling injuries in the Third Test this was Australia's most conclusive victory in the series.
Fifth Test – Melbourne
Preliminaries
The tide has turned but it is not yet high tide for England. There must be few people who did not wlecome England'sEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1950-51Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
victory in the Fifth Test because it broke the monotonous string of Australian victories and sympathy was entirely with Freddie Brown and his men for the gallant performances they had put up throughout the tour.
- Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
Going into the final Test England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
dropped the luckless John Warr
John Warr
John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm...
in favour of Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
and Freddie Brown has recovered enough for him to retain his place as captain. The Australian selectors declined to use the game to test some new players and kept their team except to drop Ken Archer
Ken Archer
Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951...
in favour of debutant Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
. Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
was promoted to open the innings with Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
, even though he had failed as Morris' opening partner for New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
and had found success only as a middle order batsman. The players returned to Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
– scene of the Second Test – as in those days Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
and Melbourne
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
alternated having two Tests in the Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
series. Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
played even though he had a foot infection, and was spared from bowling too much by Hassett. There had been thunderstorms in the week before the Test, and the outfield and bowler's run ups were soft. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
won the toss as a matter of course and Australia batted first.
Australia – First Innings
IversonJack IversonJohn Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
, last man in, arrived on the scene with his old battle-axe bat. This bat, which must be one of the strangest ever to make an appearance in a Test match, is bolstered up with a solid slab of leather bound firmly round the blade. It has the colour of a very old violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
. Its handle is so pliable that it can be twisted in all directions. It must have seen its best days when its owner was a little boy at school. It has been a scrap-heap job for years. But Iverson seldom places much strain upon it.
- Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
provided the customary early wicket to fall, caught by Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
at forward short-leg off Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
after he swopped ends with Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
. Regardless of his recent double-century at Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
Morris (50) "mistimed, misjudged and mishit", but managed to stay in as he and captain Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
(92) slowly increased the Australian innings. They were barracked heavily by the small crowd of 7,000 (in a stadium capable of holding 80,000) who wanted them to make way for the strokemakers Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
and Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
. Their quality only became apparent when Morris was lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
to Brown at 111/2, closely followed by Harvey caught behind on 114/3 and Miller caught-and-bowled on 123/4 to give the England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
captain a spell of 3/0. The crowd increased to 20,000 as news of the England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
success traveled during the day and people came into see the fun. Hassett continued to hold the innings together, but Bedser worked his way through the line-up, bowling Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
and catching Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
. Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
took an excellent catch off Brown to dismiss the Australian captain 8 runs short of his century and another off Bedser to dispose of Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
. Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
(21) and Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston (cricketer)
William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"...
(12 not out) led a small fight back to get Australia from 187/8 to 206/8 at stumps and not for the first time England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
had the advantage on the first day. The injury-prone Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
had fallen heavily when bowling and an X-ray over the weekend found that he had chipped a bone in his foot, but he came back to play. The second day was lost to heavy rain and fears of another Brisbane-like sticky rose, but the pitch dried out on the Sunday and flattened out nicely when pressed by the big electric roller on the Monday. Bedser (5/46) had Lindwall caught by Compton in second slip and Brown (5/49) had Iverson caught by Washbrook in the covers and the Australian innings closed on 217. It was Brown's best bowling and his only five-wicket haul in Tests.
England – First Innings
It was interesting to see the crowd's reaction to the English last-wicket partnership. They cheered every scoring shot and went into ecstasy over Tattersall'sRoy TattersallRoy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
efforts. It was quite obvious that they had decided to fight the battle out for EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1950-51Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
and were plainly partisan...There are many Australians, and I am one of them, who believe that cricket will reach its highest level again when England and Australia are on level pegging. These were the people who cheered the tenth-wicket partnership to the echo.
- Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
The old firm of Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
and Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
opened for England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
and added 40 runs in 32 minutes for the first wicket before Washbrook tickled a ball from Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
into the gloves of Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
. Brown thought that if the Australian bowling was attacked they would buckle under and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
would get more runs, in any case Hutton hit 8 boundaries in his 79 and added 131 runs with Reg Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
in 142 minutes, the only century stand of the series for England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
. With Hutton in fine form the Notts
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
opener was able to play himself in and at 171/1 the English batsmen were in finally in control. In desperation Hassett brought on debutant Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
to try out his off-spinners and to everyone's surprise his fourth ball clean bowled the England opener and the Australian bowling attack took an interest in affairs again. Lindwall (3/77) and Miller (4/76) bowled with greater speed and hostility than at any time in the series and by stumps England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
were 218/6 with Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
, Sheppard
David Sheppard
David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth...
, Brown and Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
all gone and Simpson (80 not out) left with Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
(3 not out). Lindwall bowled Bedser for 11 and Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
(2/40) disposed of Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
and Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
to bring last man Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
in at 246/9 with England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
just 18 runs ahead. With Simpson on 92 the main concern was whether he would reach 100 on this his 31st birthday, but this was soon resolved when he hit 11 runs off his next over from Miller. Hassett spread out the field to allow Simpson to take singles so they could concentrate on Tattersall, who was surrounded with close fielders. The young Lancastrian kept a straight bat and Simpson cracked 6 fours as they hit 50 runs in the 34 minutes before lunch. Miller bowled Tattersall for 10 after the break and Simpson was left on 156 not out, his highest score in Tests and his greatest Test innings. Their stand added 74 runs in 55 minutes and took England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
to 320, their only score of the series over 300, and a lead of 103 runs.
Australia – Second Innings
BedserAlec BedserSir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
was given a wonderful ovation when he came off the field with five more wickets to his name, and a match record of 10 for 105 – just one more instance of proof furnished by the SurreySurrey County Cricket ClubSurrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
man that on Australian wickets he is the world's outstanding pace bowler.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
Australian hopes that they could set England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
a good target received an immediate double blow as Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
sent Morris and Burke straight back to the pavilion
Pavilion
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
and Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
salvaged a stand of 81 from the wreckage of 6/2, with Harvey swashbuckling his way to 52 in what Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)
William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
thought was his best innings of the series. He was torpedoed by a shooter from Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
(3/56) and Freddie Brown (1/32) caught and bowled Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
for a duck to leave them 89/4. Hassett found another partner in Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
and saw out the day at 129/4, but was skittled in the morning for 48 – Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
's 100th test wicket – when a leg-spinner zipped one past his bat and toppled his off-stump. Wright finally showed why he was so feared on the county circuit when Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
lofted a googly to Brown at mid-off. Australia were now 142/6, a mere 39 runs ahead, but Hole stood steady for three hours making 63 until he was bowled by Trevor Bailey
Trevor Bailey
Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
(1/32). Brown figured that if anybody deserved some easy wickets it was Bedser and the big Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
bowler removed Lindwall, Johnston and Iverson for five runs and ending his superb tour with 5/59, 10/106 in the match. His 30 wickets (16.06) was the most by an English bowler in Australia since Harold Larwood
Harold Larwood
Harold Larwood was an English cricket player, an extremely accurate fast bowler best known for his key role as the implementer of fast leg theory in the infamous "bodyline" Ashes Test series of 1932–33....
's 33 wickets (19.51) in 1932–33.
England – Second Innings
Not once, but three times, the stumps were plucked by players eager to grab souvenirSouvenirA souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
s of an historic occasion. First of all, the Australian captain bowled a full tossFull tossA full toss is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes any delivery that reaches the batsman without bouncing on the pitch first....
down the leg side and took it for granted that ComptonDenis ComptonDenis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
would hit the ball to the boundary rails. He forgot that Compton was out of form and out of luck. Instead of the ball going to the rails, it was missed completely and poor TallonDon TallonDonald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
, with his arms full of stumps and bails, had to drop the lot and take the ball.
- John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
needed 95 runs to win and "an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
would not have shaken Hutton's
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
determination not to be out when until victory was gained". he made 60 not out, his fifth innings over 50 and fourth unbeaten innings of the series and hit the winning runs. Washbrook (7) and Simpson (15) did not last the pace, but Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
finally had some luck as he made 11 not out. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
bowled the last over with the fielders crowded round the batsman, not in the hope of a catch, but so they could fight Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
and the umpire for souvenir
Souvenir
A souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
stumps and bails. They jumped the gun twice, once when Hassett bowled a rank full toss
Full toss
A full toss is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It describes any delivery that reaches the batsman without bouncing on the pitch first....
down the leg side, expecting Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
to sweep it to the boundary, so did the umpire who called no ball and grabbed two stumps, Hassett the other and Tallon three, but the Compton missed, Tallon dropped his stumps as he jumped on the ball and they had to start again. The next ball was a single, then with one run to win Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
amused himself by smothering a full toss amidst the chaos. Play was held up until Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
returned a bail he had hidden in his pocket. Finally, Compton pulled a stump out the ground and ran down the wicket as Hutton pushed the ball wide of square-leg and trotted over the crease to be congratulated by Hassett while Tallon fought off the close fielders for the stumps. The English batsmen were cheered off the pitch and they shouted for Brown to give them a speech, which he did, giving particular thanks to Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
and Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
. The team repaired to their hotel for toasts of Champagne "To England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
– and to Freddie Brown" and to read the congratulatory telegrams that poured in from all over the world.
Result
EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
beat Australia by 8 wickets, but still lost the series 4–1. It was the first Test England
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
had won since the First Test vs the West Indies at Old Trafford in 1950
West Indian cricket team in England in 1950
The West Indies cricket team toured England in the 1950 season to play a four-match Test series against England.West Indies won the series 3-1 with no matches drawn.-Test series summary:* at Old Trafford – England won by 202 runs...
, having lost the 7 intervening Tests. It was their first victory over Australia since the Fifth Test at the Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
in 1938, 15 Tests previously. The only survivors were Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
and Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
, the batsmen at the wicket when the winning runs were scored, and Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
, who bowled the final over. It was the first Test Australia had lost since the Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
in 1938
Australian cricket team in England in 1938
The 1938 Ashes series between Australia and England was drawn. England and Australia won a Test each, with two of the other Tests drawn and the third game of the series, scheduled for Manchester, abandoned without a ball being bowled, only the second instance of this in more than 60 years of Test...
and ended their run of 26 Tests and 96 games in all cricket without defeat.
1950–51 Test Series Averages
Source As was the convention of the time gentleman amateurs have their initials in front of their surname and professional players have their initials after their name, if used at all. The Australians were all amateurs until the Packer RevolutionKerry Packer
Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer, AC was an Australian media tycoon. The son of Sir Frank Packer and Gretel Bullmore, the Packer family company owned controlling interest in both the Nine television network and leading Australian publishing company Australian Consolidated Press, which were later...
, even though they played like professionals. Jack Iverson
Jack Iverson
John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team...
in his only Test series took 21 wickets (15.23), giving him the 10th lowest bowling average of those who have taken 10 or more Test wickets. Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
's batting average (88.83) was double that of every other batsmen in the series. Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
(43.75) topped the Australian batting averages, the lowest average to do so by an Australian since the 1911–12 Ashes series when Sidney Barnes and Frank Foster had run riot. Only 5 centuries were made in the series, the lowest in an Ashes series since the 1920–21. England's
English cricket team in Australia in 1950-51
Freddie Brown captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1950–51, playing as England in the 1950-51 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. They were regarded as a weak team - some critics wanted to cancel the tour - and failed to regain the...
10th wicket stands produced 195 runs (32.50), better than for any other England wicket, except the 2nd, which made 412 runs (45.78).
| Test Series Batting Averages | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Batting Position | Matches | Innings | Not Out | Runs | Highest Score | Average | 100s | 50s | Ct Caught Caught is a method of dismissing a batsman in the sport of cricket. Being caught out is the most common method of dismissal at higher levels of competition... | St |
| Hutton, L. Len Hutton Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket... |
Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 10 | 4 | 533 | 156* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
88.83 | 1 | 4 | 9 | ||
| K.R. Miller Keith Miller Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite... |
Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 9 | 1 | 350 | 145* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
43.75 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| J.M. Burke Jim Burke (cricketer) James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :... |
Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
2 | 4 | 1 | 125 | 101* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
41.66 | 1 | 2 | |||
| A.L. Hassett Lindsay Hassett Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a... (c) Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 9 | 366 | 92 | 40.66 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| G.B. Hole Graeme Hole Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer.... |
Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
1 | 2 | 81 | 63 | 40.50 | 1 | |||||
| R.N. Harvey Neil Harvey Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement... |
Left-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 9 | 362 | 74 | 40.22 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| R.T. Simpson Reg Simpson Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:... |
Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 10 | 1 | 349 | 156* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
38.77 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| A.R. Morris Arthur Morris Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of... (vc) Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Left-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 9 | 321 | 206 | 35.66 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| K.A. Archer Ken Archer Kenneth Alan Archer is an Australian cricketer. An opening batsman, he played domestic first-class cricket for Queensland for 10 years, from 1946-7 to 1956-7. He played in 5 Tests for the Australian cricket team in 1950 and 1951... |
Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
3 | 5 | 152 | 48 | 30.40 | ||||||
| F.R. Brown (c) Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 8 | 210 | 79 | 26.25 | 2 | 4 | ||||
| W.G.A. Parkhouse Gilbert Parkhouse William Gilbert Anthony Parkhouse was a Welsh cricketer who played in seven Tests for England in 1950, 1950-51 and 1959.... |
Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
2 | 4 | 77 | 28 | 19.25 | 1 | |||||
| Evans, T.G. Godfrey Evans Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches... (wk) Wicket-keeper The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike... |
Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 9 | 1 | 144 | 49 | 18.00 | 11 | ||||
| Washbrooke, C. Cyril Washbrook Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592... |
Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 10 | 173 | 34 | 17.30 | 1 | |||||
| D.S. Sheppard David Sheppard David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth... |
Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
2 | 3 | 51 | 41 | 17.00 | ||||||
| I.W.G. Johnson Ian Johnson (cricketer) Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of... |
Right-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 9 | 151 | 77 | 16.77 | 1 | 6 | ||||
| R.R. Lindwall Ray Lindwall Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St... |
Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 9 | 1 | 124 | 41 | 15.50 | 4 | ||||
| S.J.E. Loxton Sam Loxton Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951... |
Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
3 | 5 | 75 | 32 | 15.00 | 7 | |||||
| T.E. Bailey Trevor Bailey Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting... |
Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
4 | 7 | 2 | 40 | 15 | 8.00 | 4 | ||||
| Compton, D.C.S. Denis Compton Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer... (vc) Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
4 | 8 | 2 | 53 | 23 | 7.57 | 3 | ||||
| Bedser, A.V. Alec Bedser Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club... |
Right-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 8 | 2 | 43 | 14* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
7.16 | 5 | ||||
| D. Tallon Don Tallon Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953... (wk) Wicket-keeper The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike... |
Right-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 8 | 2 | 39 | 18 | 6.50 | 8 | ||||
| J.G. Dewes John Dewes John Dewes is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University and Middlesex, and was chosen for five Tests between 1948 and 1950.-Life and career:... |
Left-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
2 | 4 | 23 | 9 | 5.75 | ||||||
| Tattersall, R. Roy Tattersall Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler.... |
Left-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
2 | 3 | 16 | 10 | 5.33 | 1 | |||||
| W.A. Johnston Bill Johnston (cricketer) William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"... |
Right-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 8 | 2 | 29 | 12* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
4.83 | 1 | ||||
| Macintyre, A.J.W. | Right-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 4.00 | 1 | |||||
| Wright, D.V.A. Doug Wright (cricketer) Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956... |
Right-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 14 | 3.83 | |||||
| J.J. Warr John Warr John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm... |
Right-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.00 | 1 | |||||
| J.B. Iverson Jack Iverson John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team... |
Right-Handed Lower Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
0.75 | 2 | ||||
| Close, B.D. Brian Close Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,... |
Left-Handed Middle Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.50 | 1 | |||||
| J.A.R. Moroney Jack Moroney Jack Moroney was a slow-scoring Australian batsman who toured South Africa with success in 1949-50, making his maiden Test century. He failed in the First Test of the 1950-51 Ashes series, making a pair when Australia were reduced to 228 on a good batting wicket in the first innings and 32/7 on a... |
Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||||||
| Test Series Bowling Averages | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Bowling Type | 8 Ball Overs | 8 Ball Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average | 5 Wt Wicket In the sport of cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings:-Definitions of wicket:Most of the time, the wicket is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch... | 10 Wt |
| G.B. Hole Graeme Hole Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer.... |
Off-Spin Bowler Finger spin Finger spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball. The other spinning technique, generally used to spin the ball in the opposite direction, is wrist spin... |
6 | 13 | 1 | 1/10 | 13.00 | ||||
| T.E. Bailey Trevor Bailey Trevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting... |
Right-Arm Fast-Medium Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... |
75.1 | 18 | 198 | 14 | 4/22 | 14.14 | |||
| J.B. Iverson Jack Iverson John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team... |
Mystery Spin Bowler Jack Iverson John Brian Iverson was an Australian cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1950 to 1951. He was known for his unique "bent finger" grip, with which he briefly perplexed batsmen across Australia as well as the touring English cricket team... |
138.4 | 29 | 320 | 21 | 6/27 | 15.23 | 1 | ||
| Bedser, A.V. Alec Bedser Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club... |
Right-Arm Medium-Fast Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... |
195 | 34 | 482 | 30 | 5/46 | 16.06 | 2 | 1 | |
| K.R. Miller Keith Miller Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite... |
Right-Arm Fast Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... Leg-Spin Bowler Wrist spin Wrist spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball... Off-Spin Bowler Finger spin Finger spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball. The other spinning technique, generally used to spin the ball in the opposite direction, is wrist spin... |
106.6 | 23 | 301 | 17 | 4/37 | 17.70 | |||
| W.A. Johnson Bill Johnston (cricketer) William Arras Johnston was an Australian cricketer who played in forty Test matches from 1947 to 1955. A left arm pace bowler, as well as a left arm orthodox spinner, Johnston was best known as a spearhead of Don Bradman's undefeated 1948 touring team, well known as "The Invincibles"... |
Left-Arm Fast-Medium Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... Slow Left Arm Bowler |
153.7 | 29 | 422 | 22 | 5/35 | 19.18 | 1 | ||
| F.R. Brown (c) Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Right-Arm Medium Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... Leg-Spin Bowler Wrist spin Wrist spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball... |
109 | 12 | 389 | 18 | 5/49 | 21.61 | 1 | ||
| R.R. Lindwall Ray Lindwall Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St... |
Right-Arm Fast Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... |
99.3 | 10 | 344 | 15 | 3/29 | 22.93 | |||
| Close, D.B. Brian Close Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,... |
Right-Arm Medium Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... Off-Spin Bowler Finger spin Finger spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball. The other spinning technique, generally used to spin the ball in the opposite direction, is wrist spin... |
7 | 1 | 28 | 1 | 1/20 | 28.00 | |||
| Compton, D.C.S. Denis Compton Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer... (vc) Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Slow Left Arm Bowler Chinaman Bowler |
11.6 | 2 | 43 | 1 | 1/18 | 43.00 | |||
| I.W.G. Johnson Ian Johnson (cricketer) Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of... |
Off-Spin Bowler Finger spin Finger spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball. The other spinning technique, generally used to spin the ball in the opposite direction, is wrist spin... |
111.6 | 23 | 311 | 7 | 3/94 | 44.42 | |||
| Wright, D.V.P. Doug Wright (cricketer) Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956... |
Leg-Spin Bowler Wrist spin Wrist spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball... |
103 | 6 | 500 | 11 | 4/99 | 45.45 | |||
| Tattersall, R. Roy Tattersall Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler.... |
Off-Spin Bowler Finger spin Finger spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball. The other spinning technique, generally used to spin the ball in the opposite direction, is wrist spin... |
68.5 | 12 | 257 | 4 | 3/95 | 64.25 | |||
| J.J. Warr John Warr John James Warr is an English former cricketer. He played in two Test matches for England.His Test bowling average remains the worst of any English player, but Warr turned it into comic relief in his highly humorous after dinner speeches.-Life and career:He played for Middlesex as a right-arm... |
Right-Arm Fast-Medium Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... |
73 | 6 | 281 | 1 | 1/76 | 281.00 | |||
| J.M. Burke Jim Burke (cricketer) James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :... |
Off-Spin Bowler Finger spin Finger spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket. It refers to the cricket technique and specific hand movements associated with imparting a particular direction of spin to the cricket ball. The other spinning technique, generally used to spin the ball in the opposite direction, is wrist spin... |
3 | 1 | 7 | 0/7 | |||||
| A.L. Hassett Lindsay Hassett Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a... (c) Captain (cricket) The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player... |
Right-Arm Medium Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... |
0.6 | 4 | 0/4 | ||||||
| S.J.E. Loxton Sam Loxton Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951... |
Right-Arm Fast-Medium Bowler Fast bowling Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling... |
9 | 1 | 26 | 0/12 | |||||
The Press Corps
The 1950–51 cricket press corps presented a formidable team in its own right; Sid Barnes, Dick WhitingtonRichard Whitington
Richard Smallpeice Whitington was an Australian first-class cricketer who played for South Australia and after serving in World War II, represented the Australian Services cricket team, which played in the Victory Tests....
, John Kay
John Kay (cricket journalist)
John Kay was a British cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus...
, Jack Fingleton
Jack Fingleton
John "Jack" Henry Webb Fingleton OBE was an Australian cricketer who was trained as a journalist and became a political and cricket commentator after the end of his playing career...
, Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Jenkins
Vivian Gordon James Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union player who, having taught Classics and Games at Dover College, went on to have a successful career as a sports journalist. He won 14 caps for Wales and 1 cap for the British and Irish Lions. He also played first-class cricket with...
, Arthur Mailey
Arthur Mailey
Arthur Alfred Mailey was an Australian cricketer who played in 21 Test matches between 1920 and 1926....
, Harold Larwood
Harold Larwood
Harold Larwood was an English cricket player, an extremely accurate fast bowler best known for his key role as the implementer of fast leg theory in the infamous "bodyline" Ashes Test series of 1932–33....
, Evelyn Wellings
Evelyn Wellings
Evelyn Maitland "Lyn" Wellings was an Egyptian-born English cricketer and journalist, who played for Oxford University and Surrey....
, Bert Oldfield
Bert Oldfield
William Albert Stanley "Bert" Oldfield was an Australian cricket player. He played for New South Wales and the Australian cricket team as wicket-keeper....
, Bill Bowes
Bill Bowes
Bill Bowes was one of the best bowlers of the interwar period and, for a time, the most important force behind Yorkshire's dominance of the County Championship...
, Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (cricketer)
William Joseph "Bill" O'Reilly , often known as Tiger O'Reilly, was an Australian cricketer, rated as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. Following his retirement from playing, he became a well-respected cricket writer and broadcaster.O'Reilly was one of the best spin bowlers to...
and Clarrie Grimmett
Clarrie Grimmett
Clarence Victor "Clarrie" Grimmett was a cricketer; although born in New Zealand, he played most of his cricket in Australia. He is thought by many to be one of the finest early spin bowlers, and usually credited as the developer of the flipper.Grimmett was born in Caversham a suburb of Dunedin,...
. They played several games on the tour against minor teams and schools, including a Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
charity match agasint Bill Ponford's XI
Bill Ponsford
William Harold "Bill" Ponsford MBE was an Australian cricketer. Usually playing as an opening batsman, he formed a successful and long-lived partnership opening the batting for Victoria and Australia with Bill Woodfull, his friend and state and national captain...
which presented £1,000 to a nursing charity and games against schoolboy teams in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. The radio commentators included the Australian captain Vic Richardson
Vic Richardson
Victor York Richardson OBE was a leading Australian sportsman of the 1920s and 1930s, captaining the Australian cricket team and the South Australian Australian rules football team, representing Australia in baseball and South Australia in golf, winning the South Australian state tennis title and...
and Arthur Gilligan
Arthur Gilligan
Arthur Edward Robert Gilligan was an English cricketer who played for Cambridge University, Sussex, Surrey and England....
the popular England captain of the 1924–25 Ashes series. Gilligan's "What do you think, Vic?" was inevitably followed by Richardson's "I dunno, what do you think, Arthur?", which became an Australian catchphrase.
Further reading
- John ArlottJohn ArlottLeslie Thomas John Arlott OBE was an English journalist, author and cricket commentator for the BBC's Test Match Special. He was also a poet, wine connoisseur and former police officer in Hampshire...
, John Arlott's 100 Greatest Batsmen, MacDonald Queen Anne Press, 1986 - Peter Arnold, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Cricket, W. H. Smith, 1985
- Ashley Brown, The Pictorial History of Cricket, Bison, 1988
- Bill FrindallBill FrindallWilliam Howard Frindall, MBE was an English cricket scorer and statistician. He was familiar to cricket followers from his appearances on the BBC Radio 4 programme Test Match Special, nicknamed the Bearded Wonder by Brian Johnston for his ability to research the most obscure cricketing facts in...
, The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877–1978, Wisden, 1979 - Tom GraveneyTom GraveneyThomas William Graveney in Riding Mill, Northumberland, is a former English cricketer and was the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club for 2004/5. He went to Bristol Grammar School...
and Norman Miller, The Ten Greatest Test Teams Sidgewick and Jackson, 1988 - Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
- Gideon Haigh, Mystery Spinner: The Story of Jack Iverson, Aurum Press Ltd, 2002
- Alan Hill, The Bedsers: Twinning Triumphs, Mainstream Publishing, 2002
- Keith MillerKeith MillerKeith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
, Cricket Crossfire, Oldbourne Press, 1956 - Ray Robinson, On Top Down Under, Cassell, 1975
- E.W. Swanton (ed), Barclay's World of Cricket, Willow, 1986