English cricket team in Australia in 1920-21
Encyclopedia
An England
team toured Australia
between November 1920 and March 1921. The tour was organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club
and matches outside the Tests were played under the MCC name. The tour itinerary consisted of 13 first-class
matches, including a series of 5 Test matches
against Australia in which The Ashes
were at stake.
. It followed tours by the Australian Imperial Forces cricket team
which played a number first-class
matches in England, South Africa and Australia immediately after the war. The last Ashes series had been the 1912 Triangular Tournament
held in England that year.
Although the tourists were relatively successful in their first-class matches against the Australian state teams, losing only one, the Test series "resulted, as everyone knows, in disaster" and England became the first team ever to lose every match in a five-Test series.
Wisden commented that the chief cause of England's failure was the bowling, because all of the bowlers used were expensive and recorded high averages. Much has been made of Australia's ability to recover from the effects of the war more quickly than England and Wisden commented that "English cricket had not had time to regain its pre-war standard".
When the party was originally selected, Reggie Spooner
was invited to be the team captain but he was obliged to stand down for domestic reasons. Vallance Jupp
had been selected too but was unable to travel. Jupp's withdrawal was shortly before departure and meant that his replacement Bill Hitch
had to catch a later boat than the main party. There was another withdrawal when Jack Hearne
was taken ill during the Second Test and could not play again that season.
There was a controversy over Rockley Wilson
who sent match reports by cable to the Daily Express. As a result, MCC resolved at a meeting the following May to bar players from reporting on matches in which they were involved.
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
team toured Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
between November 1920 and March 1921. The tour was organised by 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...
and matches outside the Tests were played under the MCC name. The tour itinerary consisted of 13 first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches, including a series of 5 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...
against Australia in which 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...
were at stake.
Tour review
The tour was the first to have Test status after the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It followed tours by the Australian Imperial Forces cricket team
Australian Imperial Forces cricket team
The Australian Imperial Forces cricket team toured England between May and September 1919, playing 28 first-class matches after the First World War. Its overall record was 12 wins, 4 losses and 12 draws...
which played a number first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches in England, South Africa and Australia immediately after the war. The last Ashes series had been the 1912 Triangular Tournament
1912 Triangular Tournament
The 1912 Triangular Tournament was a Test cricket competition played between Australia, England and South Africa, the only Test-playing nations at the time....
held in England that year.
Although the tourists were relatively successful in their first-class matches against the Australian state teams, losing only one, the Test series "resulted, as everyone knows, in disaster" and England became the first team ever to lose every match in a five-Test series.
Wisden commented that the chief cause of England's failure was the bowling, because all of the bowlers used were expensive and recorded high averages. Much has been made of Australia's ability to recover from the effects of the war more quickly than England and Wisden commented that "English cricket had not had time to regain its pre-war standard".
Test series summary
- 1st Test (Sydney Cricket 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...
) — Australia won by 377 runs - 2nd Test (Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne Cricket GroundThe 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...
) — Australia won by an innings and 91 runs - 3rd Test (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...
) — Australia won by 119 runs - 4th Test (Melbourne Cricket Ground) — Australia won by 8 wickets
- 5th Test (Sydney Cricket Ground) — Australia won by 9 wickets
Summary of other first-class matches
- South Australia (Adelaide Oval) — MCC won by an innings and 55 runs
- Victoria (Melbourne Cricket Ground) — MCC won by an innings and 59 runs
- New South Wales (Sydney Cricket Ground) — New South Wales won by 6 wickets
- Queensland (Brisbane Exhibition GroundBrisbane Exhibition GroundThe Brisbane Exhibition Ground , is a showground established in Brisbane during 1875 especially for Ekka . The Exhibition ground is owned and operated by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland...
) — MCC won by an innings and 41 runs - Australian XI (Brisbane Exhibition Ground) — match drawn
- Victoria (Melbourne Cricket Ground) — MCC won by 7 wickets
- New South Wales (Sydney Cricket Ground) — match drawn
- South Australia (Adelaide Oval) — MCC won by an innings and 63 runs
England touring party
The England touring party consisted of 16 players led by Essex all-rounder Johnny Douglas.When the party was originally selected, Reggie Spooner
Reggie Spooner
Reginald Herbert Spooner was a cricketer who played for Lancashire and England. He also played Rugby Union for England.- Biography :...
was invited to be the team captain but he was obliged to stand down for domestic reasons. Vallance Jupp
Vallance Jupp
Vallance William Crisp Jupp was an amateur cricketer who played for Sussex and Northamptonshire...
had been selected too but was unable to travel. Jupp's withdrawal was shortly before departure and meant that his replacement Bill Hitch
Bill Hitch
John William "Bill" Hitch, born Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, on 7 May 1886, and died at Cardiff on 7 July 1965, was a cricketer who played for Surrey and England....
had to catch a later boat than the main party. There was another withdrawal when Jack Hearne
Jack Hearne (John William Hearne)
John William Hearne was a Middlesex leg-spinning all-rounder cricketer who played from 1909 to 1936, and represented England in 24 Test matches between 1911 and 1926.A skilful right-handed batsman, Hearne was...
was taken ill during the Second Test and could not play again that season.
There was a controversy over Rockley Wilson
Rockley Wilson
Evelyn Rockley Wilson was an English amateur first-class cricketer, who played for Cambridge University Cricket Club, Yorkshire, and England.-Life:...
who sent match reports by cable to the Daily Express. As a result, MCC resolved at a meeting the following May to bar players from reporting on matches in which they were involved.
All-rounders
- Johnny DouglasJohnny DouglasJohn "Johnny" William Henry Tyler Douglas was a cricketer who was captain of the England team and an Olympic boxer.-Early life:...
, EssexEssex County Cricket ClubEssex 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 Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
(captainEnglish national cricket captainsThis is a list of all English national cricket captains, comprising all of the men, boys and women who have captained an English national cricket team at official international level. England played in the first Test match in 1877 and have played more Test matches, and had more captains, than any...
) - Percy FenderPercy FenderPercy George Herbert Fender was an English all-round cricketer who played 13 Tests for England. He was a middle order batsman and bowled mainly leg spin.-Biography:...
, 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... - J W HearneJack Hearne (John William Hearne)John William Hearne was a Middlesex leg-spinning all-rounder cricketer who played from 1909 to 1936, and represented England in 24 Test matches between 1911 and 1926.A skilful right-handed batsman, Hearne was...
, MiddlesexMiddlesex County Cricket ClubMiddlesex 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... - Wilfred RhodesWilfred RhodesWilfred Rhodes was an English professional cricketer who played 58 Test matches for England between 1899 and 1930. In Tests, Rhodes took 127 wickets in and scored 2,325 runs, becoming the first Englishman to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in Test matches...
, YorkshireYorkshire County Cricket ClubYorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... - Rockley WilsonRockley WilsonEvelyn Rockley Wilson was an English amateur first-class cricketer, who played for Cambridge University Cricket Club, Yorkshire, and England.-Life:...
, Yorkshire - Frank WoolleyFrank WoolleyFrank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
, KentKent County Cricket ClubKent 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...
Batsmen
- Patsy HendrenPatsy HendrenElias Henry Hendren better known as Patsy Hendren was an English cricketer. Patsy was one of the most prolific English batsmen of the period between the wars, averaging 47.63 in his 51 Test matches...
, Middlesex - Jack HobbsJack HobbsSir 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....
, Surrey - Harry MakepeaceHarry MakepeaceJoseph William Henry Makepeace was an English sportsman who appeared for his country four times at each of cricket and football. He is one of just 12 double internationals....
, LancashireLancashire County Cricket ClubLancashire 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... - Jack Russell, Essex
Bowlers
- Bill HitchBill HitchJohn William "Bill" Hitch, born Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, on 7 May 1886, and died at Cardiff on 7 July 1965, was a cricketer who played for Surrey and England....
, Surrey - Harry HowellHarry Howell (cricketer)Henry Howell was an English footballer and cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1920 to 1924.-Cricket career:...
, WarwickshireWarwickshire County Cricket ClubWarwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor... - Cec Parkin, Lancashire
- Abe WaddingtonAbe WaddingtonAbraham "Abe" Waddington, sometimes known as Abram Waddington , was a professional cricketer for Yorkshire, who played in two Test matches for England against Australia in 1920–21. Between 1919 and 1927 Waddington made 255 appearances for Yorkshire, and in all first-class cricket played in 266...
, Yorkshire
Australian players in Test series
Australia used 14 players in the Test series. Eight players took part in all five matches including the captain Warwick Armstrong.All-rounders
- Warwick ArmstrongWarwick ArmstrongWarwick Windridge Armstrong was an Australian cricketer who played 50 Test matches between 1902 and 1921. An all-rounder, he captained Australia in ten Test matches between 1920 and 1921 and was undefeated, winning eight Tests and drawing two...
, Victoria (captainAustralian national cricket captainsAustralia played in the first-ever Test match in cricket in 1877, the first-ever One Day International in 1971 and the first-ever Twenty20 international in 2005...
) - Charles KellewayCharles KellewayCharles Kelleway was an Australian cricketer who played in 26 Tests between 1910 and 1928....
, New South Wales
Batsmen
- Warren BardsleyWarren BardsleyWarren "Curly" Bardsley was an Australian Test cricketer. An opening batsman, Bardsley played 41 Tests between 1909 and 1926 and over 200 first-class games for New South Wales...
, New South Wales - Herbie CollinsHerbie CollinsHerbert Leslie Collins was an Australian cricketer who played 19 Tests between 1921 and 1926. An all-rounder, he captained the Australian team in eleven Tests, winning five, losing two with another four finishing in draws...
, New South Wales - Charlie Macartney, New South Wales
- Roy ParkRoy Park (sportsman)Dr Roy Lindsay Park was an all-round athlete and doctor. He played cricket for Australia and also Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League . He was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne...
, Victoria - Nip PellewNip PellewClarence Everard 'Nip' Pellew was an Australian cricketer who played in 10 Tests from 1920 to 1921.-References:*...
, South Australia - Jack Ryder, Victoria
- Johnny TaylorJohnny Taylor (cricketer)John Morris "Johnny" Taylor was an Australian dual international in cricket and rugby union.He attended Newington College and St Andrew's College within the University of Sydney....
, New South Wales
Bowlers
- Jack Gregory, New South Wales
- Ted McDonaldTed McDonaldEdgar Arthur "Ted" McDonald was a cricketer who played for Tasmania, Victoria, Lancashire and Australia, as well as being an Australian rules footballer who played with Launceston Football Club, Essendon Football Club, and Fitzroy Football Club.A very fast bowler with the...
, Victoria - Arthur MaileyArthur MaileyArthur Alfred Mailey was an Australian cricketer who played in 21 Test matches between 1920 and 1926....
, New South Wales
Further reading
- 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 - Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
- Ray Robinson, On Top Down Under, Cassell, 1975
- Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1922