1954–55 Ashes series
Encyclopedia
The 1954–55 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 1954–55
and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name of the Marylebone Cricket Club
. The England team
was captained by Len Hutton
the first professional cricketer
to lead an MCC tour of Australia. The Australian team under Ian Johnson
was confident of victory, but despite losing the First Test by an innings England won the series 3-1 and retained the Ashes
. They were the only touring team to win a series in Australia between 1932-33 and 1970-71
and only the second of three touring teams to win a series in Australia from behind (the other two being England in 1911-12 and the West Indies in 1992-93
). The tour is best remembered for the bowling of Frank "Typhoon" Tyson
, who was at the time regarded as the fastest, most frightening bowler ever seen in Australia. The series saw a phenomenal concentration of bowling prowess on both sides - four of the bowlers had career Test averages
under 21, another five under 25 and the remaining four under 30. Unsurprisingly therefore, the ball dominated the bat for most of the series and each side only topped 300 in an innings twice. Unlike the following series in 1958-59 there were rarely any umpiring disputes and Keith Miller
wrote "Mel McInnes
, Colin Hoy
and Ron Wright
were our leading umpires in the 1954-55 M.C.C. tour of Australia, and I have no hesitation in saying that McInnes gave the finest exhibition of umpiring in a Test series that I have experianced".
spinners had been out of form in the last few games, so the tour selectors (Geoffrey Howard, Len Hutton
, Peter May
, Bill Edrich
and Godfrey Evans
) chose four pace bowlers and Hutton was committed to bowling first, though this appears to have been his intention since the start of the tour. He was only the second England captain to play a Test match without a spinner, the only other example being Douglas Jardine
in the Second Test at Melbourne
in 1932-33, which he lost by 111 runs. Wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans
missed the Test because of heat-stroke and was replaced by debutant Keith Andrew
. Colin Cowdrey
, who had made 110 and 103 in the New South Wales match, and Les Favell
, who had opened with 84 and 47 for South Australia against the tourists, also made their debuts. Reg Simpson
opened with Hutton after his century against Queensland
, but the out of form Bill Edrich
had to come in at number 3. There were worries about Ray Lindwall's
gastric problems, and Alec Bedser
's undiagnosed rash, but in the end both were deemed fit to play. Remembering Bedser's hold over the Australian batsmen and that England still held the Ashes the Australian bookies gave the two sides even odds.
had lost the toss five times in a row in 1953, but this time he won it and he became the first England captain to put Australia in to bat since 1911-12
. He then watched his fielders drop 14 catches as Australia piled up 601/8 declared. Keith Andrew
dropped Arthur Morris
off Bedser on 0, allowing the Australian opener to make 153, adding 202 in 232 minutes for the 3rd wicket with Neil Harvey
(162). Alec Bedser
had a rash all over his back, but bowled on regardless for 1/131 as another six catches were dropped off his bowling. His ungainly fielding led to him being barracked by the crowd, calling "Old Man" whenever he stopped the ball. Tyson
- labouring under a 38 yard run up - went for 1/160 off 29 eight ball overs
, but battered the batsmen with bouncers and bruised Morris on the arm several times. He also bowled short and fast at Ray Lindwall
after the all-rounder had despatched him to the boundary on his way to 64 not out, which would have serious repercussions in the Second Test at Sydney. "We dropped a considerable number of catches" recalled wicket-keeper Keith Andrew
"Nether were we the fittest team in the world. Compton
broke a finger fielding on the first day and Alec Bedser
was never well, as was proved when it was discovered that he had developed shingles. One or two of us also got a touch of the sun, but there was no way of getting away from the fact that 'catches win matches'".
promptly collapsed to 25/4, but debutant Colin Cowdrey
made 40 and added 72 for the 5th wicket with Trevor Bailey
, who ground out 88 over 283 minutes. With the "Barnacle" immobile at one end - he took 160 minutes to reach 38 - the Australian bowlers worked their way through the tail until Denis Compton
, who had broken the metacarpal bone in his hand on the boundary fence, came at number 11 and made 2 not out. Before the match a local businessman had promised £100 to the first English batsman to hit a six and realising that the innings was soon to close the stonewaller extraordinaire Trevor Bailey
hit Ian Johnson
into the stands for the prize. The wickets were shared round the Australian bowlers, but Ray Lindwall
was the best with 3/27 and Ian Johnson
took 3/46.
did better in the second innings, losing only two early wickets instead of four. Bill Edrich
made a battling 88 and put on 124 for the 3rd wicket with Peter May
(44), but when Bailey was out for 23 the tail collapsed from 220/5 to 257 all out despite Tyson making his highest Test score of 37 not out. The wickets were again distributed amongst the bowlers with Richie Benaud
taking 3/43.
had held onto its chances in the field. John Arlott
wrote that neither Len Hutton
or Alec Bedser
had produced a "larger than life" performance to rescue England. Only once before had a team come from behind to win in Australia, in 1911-12 when the great Sydney Barnes
had rescued the side after his captain's mistakes in the First Test. Ian Johnson
had more than confirmed his place as Australian captain, even though it was "only" the biggest Australian victory over England since they won by an innings and 332 runs in the First Test on the same ground in 1946-47.
In the Second Test Keith Andrew
, Reg Simpson
and Alec Bedser
were unceremously dumped from the England team
, which they discovered when they saw the batting line up posted in the dressing room. Andrews was not surprised as Godfrey Evans
was fit again and it annoyed Simpson, but devastated Bedser, the bedrock of England's
bowling attack since the war. Instead the spinners Bob Appleyard
and Johnny Wardle
were brought into the bowling attack and Tom Graveney
stood in for the injured Denis Compton
. Australia were not without their troubles, both captain Ian Johnson
and his rival Keith Miller
were unfit to play so batsman Jim Burke
and all-rounder Alan Davidson
of New South Wales were brought in as replacements and vice-captain Arthur Morris
took command, with Richie Benaud
as his vice-captain despite his lack of form and seniority. One piece of good news for the England team
was the arrival of the Henry Sayen, a rich American industrialist and cricket fan who was seen as a lucky mascot
. He gave financial bonuses to England players for outstanding play and had watched them play Australia in 1953 and the West Indies in 1953-54, when England fought their way out of almost certain defeat. Despite a recent operation and the advice of his doctors he travelled across the world to see England play and dined with the MCC team, Ian Johnson
, Sir Donald Bradman
and Prime Minister Robert Menzies
.
, acting as makeshift opener, was out for a duck (after 37 minutes) and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, Ron Archer
(3/12) and Bill Johnston
(3/56) took most of the wickets and "The Claw"
accounted for Hutton's demise. Only Johnny Wardle's
top scoring 35 - adding 43 for the last wicket with Brian Statham - managed to pull England
up to 154.
equalling his best Test score of 49 and Jim Burke
making 44. Bailey opened the bowling as well as the batting and took 4/59, but the talking point was Frank Tyson. With his "short" run up of 18-20 yards Tyson took 4/45 in the first innings, described vividly by Margaret Hughes "Harvey received a beast of a ball from Tyson which spat up at him and splashed off his bat to Cowdrey". Ray Lindwall
had bowled Tyson for a duck in the England first innings and was bounced again by the England fast bowler.
With Australia 74 runs ahead runs were imperative for England
, but they fell to 55/3 before Peter May
(104) and Colin Cowdrey
(54) came together and made a disciplined stand of 116 "every run a precious inch of ground won back at a moment when the Ashes seemed to have receded almost out of sight...the recovery was shaped by batsmanship of a classic method executed by two young men". May added another 51 with Bill Edrich
before being bowled by Lindwall. Strangely, Tyson had been put in to bat at number 7 above Test centurion Godfrey Evans
. Lindwall boasted that he never bowled short at tailenders (which didn't bother Tyson), but someone coming to bat at number 7 can be regarded as an all-rounder and the Australian fast bowler made the greatest mistake of his career, he bounced Tyson, who caught the ball on the back of his head and collapsed at the wicket. The Australians anxiously gathered around, players did not wear protective helmets in the 1950s and he had to be helped off the field and taken to hospital for x-rays. He returned to bat sporting a bump on his head that could be seen from the stands, was cheered by the crowd, and made another 8 runs before being bowled by Lindwall. England
crashed from 222/4 to 250/9 and once again it was up to the last wicket pair - this time Appleyard (19 not out) and Staham (25) - to add 46 vital runs, taking the score to 296. The strength of the Australian bowling attack prevented any one man taking the lion's share, Archer (3/53), Lindall (3/69) and Bill Johnston (3/70) sharing the wickets between them.
Australia needed 223 runs to win in over four sessions, which was regarded as not too difficult a task, especially if Frank Tyson
was affected by his injury, but instead he was very angry and ready to extract revenge. The Australians were afraid that he would send down a barrage of fast, short-pitched bowling, but Tyson was intelligent enough to bowl full length deliveries that caught them unprepared. Brian Statham
bowled the first over from the Paddington End
, "up the cellar steps". into a "half a gale", while Tyson tore down the slope from the Randwick End
and with the wind behind him and bowled "as fast as man has ever bowled". Statham showed why he was an "unlucky" bowler; Les Favell
was dropped in the first over and Arthur Morris
was beaten four times before being trapped leg before
in the last over before tea to make Australia 27/1. In the first over after tea Favell was out when a ball from Tyson ricocheted off his bat and carried 120 feet to Bill Edrich
in the slips, who caught it chest-high. Somehow Jim Burke
and Neil Harvey
survived the session as they played and missed and Tyson made the ball rear up from a length. Burke didn't score for almost an hour, but by the end of the day they were 72/2 and Australia needed only 151 more runs for victory. Burke did not long survive the morning as Tyson moved a ball back up the hill to flatten his stumps. Graeme Hole
had a high backlift and failed to get his bat down in time to trap a yorker
and was clean bowled by Tyson at 77/4. Hutton now rested his fast bowlers and brought on Trevor Bailey
and Bob Appleyard
to slow down the scoring and tie up the batsman. Richie Benaud
was not a patient batsman and took a swipe at "Applecart"
which he hit sky high to Tyson in the deep, who only managed to snatch it inches above the grass to have Australia 102/5. Neil Harvey
was now getting into his stride and in what many observers thought was the greatest innings of his life, he counter-attacked the bowling, cutting short balls and clipping anything on his pads through the leg side and once hooking Tyson over fine leg's head for four. By lunch he and Ron Archer
had taken the score to 118/5 and as long has Harvey was in the Australians thought they could win. After the interval Tyson and Statham were brought back on, with immediate results as Tyson felled Archer's stumps with another fast ball. Alan Davidson
lasted only 6 balls before he was caught by the wicket-keeper
Godfrey Evans
off Statham. Statham was phenomenally accurate, conceding only 45 runs off 19 eight-ball overs. Tyson bled runs at double that rate, as Tom Graveney
recalled "I was fielding in the slips and we were having to stand 40 yards off the bat, and still the ball was often going over our heads from edged shots". Ray Lindwall
came in fearing the bouncer, and it was his undoing as he turned a Tyson half-volley into a yorker
by playing off the back foot and was bowled. Harvey now started to farm the bowling ruthlessly, protecting the tailenders from the Tyson and Statham as he attacked the fast bowlers, but wicket-keeper
Gil Langley
was bowled by Statham for a duck to leave Australia 145/9, "...which on paper meant that the result was now almost surely ordained: but it scarcely seemed that way on the spot, partly because Harvey was in such devastating form, and equally because the fast bowlers were almost burst". Last man Bill Johnston
was in and Australia still needed 78 to win, but protected by Harvey he only had to face 16 balls in the next 40 minutes.
Finally Tyson bowled a ball closer to his body on the advice of "George"
and a thin edge was enough for Evans to finish the innings and the match. Johnston was out for 11 and Neil Harvey
had made a defiant, unbeaten 92, exactly half of the Australian innings of 184 in which no one else made 15. Together they had added 39 for the last wicket and halved the runs required when Johnston came in, it was heroic, but not enough and England
won by 38 runs. The other hero of the day was "Typhoon Tyson", who had powered his way through the Australian batting, taking 6/85 (10-130 in the match) with Statham (3/45) in indefatigable support.
beat Australia by 38 runs to even the series 1-1 and THE TOAST IS: TYPHOON TYSON! was the headline as the papers hailed the new sensation. Arthur Morris
told the newspapers "Such fine bowling deserved to win", Don Bradman thought it was the fastest bowling he had ever seen and John Arlott
wrote "This was intelligence, rhythm and strength merged into the violent craft of fast bowling". "Seldom has fortune swayed as it did in this game" wrote E.W. Swanton and for years it was regarded as one of the most eventful and exciting Tests seen in Australia. Henry Sayden had danced for joy with MCC Secretary Ronnie Aird
at the fall of each Australian wicket, took the entire England team
to a celebratory dinner at Prince's Restaurant and handed out bonuses all round.
had won narrowly in the absence of the Australian captain Ian Johnson
and the great all-rounder Keith Miller
, who now returned to the team. Miller was playing despite the advice of his doctor who warned him not to bowl on his injured knee and said himself that he didn't think his back could take the strain of bowling. Len Maddocks
replaced Gil Langley
as wicket-keeper as the latter had been hit in the eye by a bail in a Sheffield Shield match. England
received Denis Compton
at the expense of Tom Graveney
, but faced a crisis on the first day of the Test when Len Hutton refused to leave his bed because of his fibrositis and a heavy cold. The manager Geoffrey Howard, George Duckworth
, Bill Edrich
and Godfrey Evans
had to persuade him to play so as to not damage the morale of the team, especially as the series was locked at 1–1. Finally Hutton agreed to play and went to the ground. The wicket was worse than Sydney. After the MCC's match against Victoria it had broken up completely had had to be repaired and was covered with cracks even before the Test began.
Len Hutton
won the toss and elected to bat on New Year's Eve, but soon regretted it. Regardless of his crook knee and bad back Miller opened the bowling with a 90 minute spell of 9-8-5-3 to send Hutton, Edrich (the captain's third opening partner in as many Tests) and Compton back to the pavilion in quick time. With Ray Lindwall
dismissing Peter May
for a duck England
were 41/4 and in deep trouble, but according to Ralph Barker
, after "Surviving the early horrors through perfect technique, the 22-year-old Cowdrey
made 50 out of 69 and 100 out of 158". He completed his maiden Test century, adding 74 with Trevor Bailey
(30) and 54 with wicket-keeper
Godfrey Evans
(20) before falling to Ian Johnson
with a ball that "hit the edge of one of the cracks in the wicket, which was now assuming the appearance of a tessellated pavement. It jagged back to pass behind Kipper's
pads and hit his leg stump!". Bill O'Reilly
, not an easy man to impress, said that it was the best Test innings he had ever seen and aged only 22 Cowdrey was the youngest Englishman to make an Ashes century since Jack Hearne on the same ground in 1912. Although Cowdrey would make 22 Test centuries they would all be measured against the yardstick
of his Melbourne hundred, and still it remained greatest innings; "his driving, concentration and command were all faultless...a tribute to his wonderful ability". Ron Archer
(4/33) wrapped up the tail and England
fell from 181/6 to 191 all out at the end of the first day.
bowlers and wickets fell at a steady rate throughout New Year's Day to leave Australia 181/8, only Arthur Morris
and Les Favell
failing to each double figures. The next day was a Sunday and a rest day, but its events were to be of great importance. Fearing that the wicket would break up in the middle of the Test it was surreptitiously and illegally watered to bind the cracks and make it last an extra couple of days. Worse still Percy Barnes of The Age
reported that he had seen it watered during the night. Frank Tyson
reckoned that
"had he not acted there can be little doubt that there would have been hardly any wicket left on the Monday". An official enquiry by the Victorian Cricket Association
and the Melbourne Cricket Club
denied any watering of the playing area during the match and claimed that the wicket must have sweated under the tarpaulin despite the baking heat and dry wind. Some scientists theorised that the dry weather drew up water from underground and the wicket watered itself, but a Sydney
reporter asked "has anyone worked out how the wicket rolled itself out to close up all those cracks". Wisden
stated "large cracks were evident on Saturday yet on Monday these had closed and for a time the surface behaved more kindly to batsmen". Fortunately as England
were due to bat Hutton thought he gained from the incident and did not complain, but Ian Johnson
said "It was like losing the toss twice over". The proof of the pudding wicket was that Len Maddocks
(47), Ian Johnson
(33 not out) and Bill Johnston
(11) added another 50 runs before Statham (5/60) finished off the innings, the first time he had taken five wickets in a Test innings.
(42) and Bill Edrich
(13) evened the score for the first wicket, Hutton was so ill that he could not take off his pads for an hour after returning to the dressing room, but remained slumped in a corner. Peter May
held the innings together with a classic 91 then "Barnacle" Bailey
(24 not out off 144 balls) held up one end while Evans (22) and Wardle (38) made runs at the other. Bill Johnston
was bowling Slow-Left-Arms spin, which Wardle had hit all over the ground when the Australians played Yorkshire
in 1953 and he had hit 7 fours in his 38. Keith Miller
told him "Now, Bill, don't bowl that slow stuff agains to Wardle", told him to bowler quicker and Johnston took the last the last 3 wickets for 6 runs. His 5/85 was the only Australian five wicket haul in the series, and England
were all out for 279.
caught for 4 by Colin Cowdrey
. As "Les Favell
got going, his wicket went tumbling"., bowled for 30 by Bob Appleyard
. Neil Harvey
and Richie Benaud
took the score to 75/2 by stumps and over 50,000 supporters came on the fifth day to see them knock off the remaining runs, but what they got was "the fastest and most frightening sustained spell of fast bowling seen in Australia". as Tyson sent Australia crashing to 111 all out - the dreaded Triple Nelson
- and England
won by 128 runs. Australia added only 36 runs that morning as Tyson took 6/16 off 6.3 eight-ball overs, 7/27 in the innings, hurtling down from the Richmond End and slightly into the breeze, but at enormous pace. The first wicket to fall was "a phenomenal piece of cricket" described by Neville Cardus
as "Harvey
flicked the seventh ball of the morning (from Tyson
) round the corner and this time Evans
dived full length to the right, clutching the ball in his out-stretched glove". Evans had anticipated Harvey's stroke and had moved to leg before making his "prodigious leap" and "thought this almost his best catch". Richie Benaud
chopped the ball onto his stumps trying to hook, Keith Miller
managed to block four shooters in a row from Statham, edging the last for four through his pads, but at the other end saw the ball ricochet off the shoulder of his bat, and deflect off Len Hutton
's outstretched hand for Bill Edrich
to leap backwards and take the catch. Graeme Hole
in his final Test innings, edged Brian Statham
behind to Evans
, Len Maddocks
couldn't repeat his first innings heroics and was bowled first ball by a Tyson yorker
that he dug out, only to see it spin back into his wicket. Ray Lindwall
, fearing a Tyson bouncer after Sydney, played back to a full-length ball and was lbw
for a second ball duck, Ron Archer
made 15 before he was bowled by a Statham yorker
, and Bill Johnston
lasted only three balls before he hung his bat outside off-stump and was caught behind off Tyson to end the innings on 111, with captain Ian Johnson
unbeaten with 4. The match finished well before lunch and the Melbourne Cricket Club
caterers were left with thousands of unsold meat pies as the crowd deserted the ground.
The Third Test cemented Tyson's "Typhoon" reputation and made him a sporting legend as England
beat Australia by 128 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the series. He became only the fourth England bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings in Australia after Tom Richardson
(8/94), George Lohmann
(8/35 and 8/58) and Doug Wright
(7/105). The Test was referred to in the Goon Show, in the original script of episode 15 of their fifth series "1985" broadcast on 5 January 1955 Neddie Seagoon
wanders into an antique shop in 1985 and sees an old cricket bat. The shop-owner tells him "As a matter of fact this bat was used in the very last test by an Australian opening bat, you can see it's quite unmarked". The bat's ownership was changed to Len Hutton
when broadcast because of the England captain's poor form.
Despite the form of Peter Loader
and Alec Bedser
in the recent tour matches England
kept their winning team from Melbourne and Len Hutton
even kept Bill Edrich
as his opening partner. The Australian selection process was more confused. Vice-captain Arthur Morris
was somewhat unfairly blamed for the Sydney and Melbourne disasters and was dropped in favour of Colin McDonald, then Les Favell
was dropped after his failure in the recent tour match and Morris was recalled on the morning of the match. Graeme Hole
had also played poorly for South Australia
against the MCC was dropped and Jim Burke
was recalled. Worse for Australia Ray Lindwall
pulled a muscle in the Queensland
-Victoria
game and Alan Davidson
had to be brought in. Though South Australia
's Gil Langley
had recovered and made a fifty against the MCC Victoria's Len Maddocks
kept his place as wicket-keeper due to his batting in the Third Test and was booed by the local crowd, who cheered Langley when he visited the Australian dressing room.
won the toss in the sweltering 100 °F/38 °C heat and choose to bat on the best surface seen since Brisbane. Again nine Australian batsmen got into double figures, Colin McDonald (48) and Arthur Morris
(25) added 59 for the first wicket, and Keith Miller
made 44. Hutton made himself unpopular with his deliberately slow over rates so that he could rest his exhausted fast bowlers, and Brian Statham
ripped the nail off his right big toe and had to hack a hole in his boot so he could continue to bowl. It was Bob Appleyard
(3/58) made the breakthrough, dismissing MacDonald, Miller and Benaud, with Tyson (3/85) and Bailey (3/39) in support as Australia fell to 229/8. Len Maddocks
(69) justified his selection and was the only man to pass fifty, adding 92 for the ninth wicket with Ian Johnson
(41) until Bailey removed the captain. Maddocks was run out two runs later and Australia were dismissed for 323 on the afternoon of the second day.
(80) and Bill Edrich
(20) saw England
though to stumps and took the score to 60 the next morning before the first wicket fell. Cowdrey (79) added 99 with Hutton looking certain for a century before he smashed the ball into Alan Davidson
's back, where it lobbed up for an easy, if painful, catch. Colin Cowdrey
and Denis Compton
(44) took the score to 230/3 by the end of the day and England were confident of a first innings lead, but they both fell early next morning and though the lower middle order all got going the tail collapsed again and the last four wickets fell for 20 runs and the last seven wickets for 111. Still 341 was England's highest score so far in the series and gave them a slim 18 run lead, the leg-spinner Richie Benaud
(4/120) doing most of the work.
whose 3/12 accounted for Morris, Burke and Harvey before the day was out, leaving the home side on 69/3. Expecting more spin the next day the Aussies were confronted by Tyson (3/47) and Statham (3/38) at their most lethal. Statham's motto was "if they miss, I hit". and he bowled MacDonald before a run was added, then bowled Miller and caught Maddocks lbw. Frank Tyson took care of Benaud and Archer and 69/3 was soon 83/8. Alan Davidson
(23) added some respectability to the lower order, but Australia were out for 111 and the dreaded Triple Nelson
had struck again.
needed only 94 runs to win the Test, win the series and retain the Ashes, but Keith Ross Miller (3/40) had other ideas, sending Hutton, Edrich and Cowdrey back to the pavilion for 18 and catching Peter May
off Bill Johnston
(2/20). Denis Compton
(34 not out) saw England
through and Godfrey Evans
came in at the fall of the 5th wicket to hit the winning runs with a boundary.
beat Australia by 5 wickets to take a 3-1 lead in the series and retain the Ashes
. It was the first time any touring team had won a series in Australia since 1932-33
. They were only the second touring team to win there from behind after J.W.H.T Douglas
's 1911-12 England Team. The England celebrations lasted through the night, starting in the dressing room before moving on to the South Australian Cricket Association Committee Room and the team hotel before moving round the city, consuming 56 bottles of champagne at the hotel alone. Bill Edrich
- the life and soul of any party - climbed the marble pillar in the lounge of Glenelg's
Pier Hotel and sung Ginger.
was that Bill Edrich
was dropped for poor form and replaced by Tom Graveney
, who became Hutton's fourth opening partner of the series. Colin Cowdrey had a broken nose from fielding at Adelaide and Trevor Bailey
had a broken finger from playing Victoria, but both still played, though Bailey did not bowl in the Test. With an eye to the imminent tour of the West Indies the Australian selectors picked debutants Peter Burge and Bill Watson and Les Favell
and Ray Lindwall
returned to the side. To make way Arthur Morris
, Bill Johnston
, Ken Archer
and Jim Burke
were dropped (Morris, Johnston and Archer having already been picked for the West Indies).
in to bat. Hutton was out quickly, but Graveney effortlessly stroked his way to 111 out of 182 in two and a half hours, adding 176 with May (79). Crowdey was out first ball, but Compton (84) and Bailey (72) added 134 and Hutton declared on 371/7, easily England's best score of the series. Amazingly Bailey gave Lindall his wicket to record his 100th England wicket in the mistaken belief that with was the fast bowler's last Ashes Test and "at one stroke achieved heights of Australian popularity to which he could scarcely have aspired". Lindwall ending with (3/77) and his captain (3/68).
(5/79) worked his way through their batting with a mixture of orthodox slow left arm spin mixed with chinamen and reverse googlies. Johnson was run out when the last wicket fell for 221 and believed that the follow on had been avoided, but due to the three days lost Hutton could enforce the follow on despite being only 150 runs ahead and promptly did so. It was the first time Australia had followed on for eighteen years, when a young Hutton had made his world record 364 at the Kensington Oval in 1938.
bat again.
drew with Australia to win the series 3-1
singer Lord Kitchener
released a single The Ashes (Australia vs MCC 1955) to celebrate their victory Play Recording:
Tyson taught them a lesson that can't be forgotten,
Tyson taught them a lesson that can't be forgotten,
We began quietly, but we came back with victory,
Good captaincy from Len Hutton
, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson
.
Australia's tragedy, it began at Sydney,
Magnificent Tyson, had their batsmen beaten,
He went on to give us, a victory for Christmas,
Good captaincy from Len Hutton, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson.
More shocks for Australia, the Melbourne disaster,
Les Favell
got going, his wicket went tumbling,
We got them out cheaply, and score second victory,
Good captaincy from Len Hutton, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson.
The bowling was so good, it remind them of Larwood
,
Maginificent Tyson finished with seven for twenty-seven,
They had no excuses, we regained the Ashes
,
Good captaincy from Len Hutton, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson.
, even though they played like professionals. In a dinner for the teams by the Australian Board of Control
Hutton gave a speech asking when the Australian players were going to see some of the £100,000
the ABC had made from the 1953 tour of England
"You rich men get all the money - why don't the players get more?" and asked "Miller
and Lindwall
have done so much for Australian cricket - what are you going to do for them?" and suggested they should have a benefit
.
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 1954–55
MCC tour of Australia in 1954–55
The Marylebone Cricket Club tour of Australia in 1954-55 under the captaincy of Len Hutton was its tenth since it took official control of overseas tours in 1907-1908. The touring team played as England in the 1954-55 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 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
was captained 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...
the first professional cricketer
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:...
to lead an MCC tour of Australia. The Australian team under 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...
was confident of victory, but despite losing the First Test by an innings England won the series 3-1 and retained 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...
. They were the only touring team to win a series in Australia between 1932-33 and 1970-71
1970–71 Ashes series
-Preliminaries:Ray and Bill dragged dedication around Australia for 103 days last summer...they dragged it from Brisbane to Perth and back across the Nullabor to the eastern capitals as if it was their last dollar...
and only the second of three touring teams to win a series in Australia from behind (the other two being England in 1911-12 and the West Indies in 1992-93
West Indian cricket team in Australia in 1992-93
-2nd Test:* Australia won by 139 runs-3rd Test:* Match Drawn Again-4th Test:* West Indies won by 1 run-5th Test:* West Indies won by innings and 25 runs-External sources:* -External links:*...
). The tour is best remembered for the bowling of Frank "Typhoon" Tyson
Frank Tyson
Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
, who was at the time regarded as the fastest, most frightening bowler ever seen in Australia. The series saw a phenomenal concentration of bowling prowess on both sides - four of the bowlers had career Test averages
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
under 21, another five under 25 and the remaining four under 30. Unsurprisingly therefore, the ball dominated the bat for most of the series and each side only topped 300 in an innings twice. Unlike the following series in 1958-59 there were rarely any umpiring disputes 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...
wrote "Mel McInnes
Mel McInnes
Melville James "Mel" McInnes was an Australian cricket Test match umpire.He umpired 16 Test matches between 1951 and 1959...
, Colin Hoy
Col Hoy
Colin Hoy , was an Australian cricket Test match umpire, the first Queenslander to be appointed....
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...
were our leading umpires in the 1954-55 M.C.C. tour of Australia, and I have no hesitation in saying that McInnes gave the finest exhibition of umpiring in a Test series that I have experianced".
First Test - Brisbane
Preliminaries
The EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
spinners had been out of form in the last few games, so the tour selectors (Geoffrey Howard, 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...
, Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
, 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...
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...
) chose four pace bowlers and Hutton was committed to bowling first, though this appears to have been his intention since the start of the tour. He was only the second England captain to play a Test match without a spinner, the only other example being Douglas Jardine
Douglas Jardine
Douglas Robert Jardine was an English cricketer and captain of the England cricket team from 1931 to 1933–34.When describing cricket seasons, the convention used is that a single year represents an English cricket season, while two years represent a southern hemisphere cricket season because it...
in 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...
in 1932-33, which he lost by 111 runs. 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...
missed the Test because of heat-stroke and was replaced by debutant Keith Andrew
Keith Andrew
Keith Vincent Andrew was an English cricketer who played in two Tests, in 1954-55 and in 1963.-Life and career:...
. Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
, who had made 110 and 103 in the New South Wales match, and Les Favell
Les Favell
Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character...
, who had opened with 84 and 47 for South Australia against the tourists, also made their debuts. 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:...
opened with Hutton after his century 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...
, but the out of form 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...
had to come in at number 3. There were worries about Ray Lindwall's
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...
gastric problems, 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...
's undiagnosed rash, but in the end both were deemed fit to play. Remembering Bedser's hold over the Australian batsmen and that England still held the Ashes the Australian bookies gave the two sides even odds.
Australia - First Innings
Len HuttonLen 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...
had lost the toss five times in a row in 1953, but this time he won it and he became the first England captain to put Australia in to bat since 1911-12
English cricket team in Australia in 1911-12
The English cricket team in Australia in 1911–12 was led by Plum Warner, but Johnny Douglas took over the captaincy for all five Test matches when Warner fell ill early in the tour. Despite losing the first Test at Sydney, a side which included Jack Hobbs, Frank Woolley, Sydney Barnes and Wilfred...
. He then watched his fielders drop 14 catches as Australia piled up 601/8 declared. Keith Andrew
Keith Andrew
Keith Vincent Andrew was an English cricketer who played in two Tests, in 1954-55 and in 1963.-Life and career:...
dropped 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...
off Bedser on 0, allowing the Australian opener to make 153, adding 202 in 232 minutes for the 3rd 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...
(162). 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...
had a rash all over his back, but bowled on regardless for 1/131 as another six catches were dropped off his bowling. His ungainly fielding led to him being barracked by the crowd, calling "Old Man" whenever he stopped the ball. Tyson
Frank Tyson
Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
- labouring under a 38 yard run up - went for 1/160 off 29 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....
, but battered the batsmen with bouncers and bruised Morris on the arm several times. He also bowled short and fast at 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...
after the all-rounder had despatched him to the boundary on his way to 64 not out, which would have serious repercussions in the Second Test at Sydney. "We dropped a considerable number of catches" recalled wicket-keeper Keith Andrew
Keith Andrew
Keith Vincent Andrew was an English cricketer who played in two Tests, in 1954-55 and in 1963.-Life and career:...
"Nether were we the fittest team in the world. Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
broke a finger fielding on the first day 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...
was never well, as was proved when it was discovered that he had developed shingles. One or two of us also got a touch of the sun, but there was no way of getting away from the fact that 'catches win matches'".
England - First Innings
When they finally got to bat on the third day EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
promptly collapsed to 25/4, but debutant Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
made 40 and added 72 for the 5th wicket 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...
, who ground out 88 over 283 minutes. With the "Barnacle" immobile at one end - he took 160 minutes to reach 38 - the Australian bowlers worked their way through the tail until Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
, who had broken the metacarpal bone in his hand on the boundary fence, came at number 11 and made 2 not out. Before the match a local businessman had promised £100 to the first English batsman to hit a six and realising that the innings was soon to close the stonewaller extraordinaire 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...
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...
into the stands for the prize. The wickets were shared round the Australian bowlers, but 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...
was the best with 3/27 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...
took 3/46.
England - Second Innings
Forced to follow on 411 runs behind EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
did better in the second innings, losing only two early wickets instead of four. 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...
made a battling 88 and put on 124 for the 3rd wicket with Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
(44), but when Bailey was out for 23 the tail collapsed from 220/5 to 257 all out despite Tyson making his highest Test score of 37 not out. The wickets were again distributed amongst the bowlers with Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
taking 3/43.
Result
Australia won by an innings and 154 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. The papers unanimously criticised Hutton's decision to send Australia in to bat, though they noted he would have done better if EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
had held onto its chances in the field. John Arlott
John Arlott
Leslie 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...
wrote that neither 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...
or 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...
had produced a "larger than life" performance to rescue England. Only once before had a team come from behind to win in Australia, in 1911-12 when the great Sydney Barnes
Sydney Barnes
Sydney Francis Barnes was an English professional cricketer who is generally regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the sport's history...
had rescued the side after his captain's mistakes in the First Test. 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...
had more than confirmed his place as Australian captain, even though it was "only" the biggest Australian victory over England since they won by an innings and 332 runs in the First Test on the same ground in 1946-47.
Second Test - Sydney
Preliminaries
Keith Andrew
Keith Vincent Andrew was an English cricketer who played in two Tests, in 1954-55 and in 1963.-Life and career:...
, 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 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...
were unceremously dumped from the England team
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
, which they discovered when they saw the batting line up posted in the dressing room. Andrews was not surprised as 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...
was fit again and it annoyed Simpson, but devastated Bedser, the bedrock of England's
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
bowling attack since the war. Instead the spinners Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century...
and Johnny Wardle
Johnny Wardle
Johnny Wardle was an English spin bowler of post-war cricket. His Test bowling average of 20.39, is the lowest in Test cricket by any recognised spin bowler, since World War I....
were brought into the bowling attack and Tom Graveney
Tom Graveney
Thomas 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...
stood in for the injured Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
. Australia were not without their troubles, both captain 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 his rival 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...
were unfit to play so batsman Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
and all-rounder Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
of New South Wales were brought in as replacements and 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...
took command, with Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
as his vice-captain despite his lack of form and seniority. One piece of good news for the England team
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
was the arrival of the Henry Sayen, a rich American industrialist and cricket fan who was seen as a lucky mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
. He gave financial bonuses to England players for outstanding play and had watched them play Australia in 1953 and the West Indies in 1953-54, when England fought their way out of almost certain defeat. Despite a recent operation and the advice of his doctors he travelled across the world to see England play and dined with the MCC team, 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...
, Sir Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
and Prime Minister Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
.
England - First Innings
Morris won the toss and like Hutton at Brisbane put the opposition in, but this time on a fast, green wicket. Here the similarity ended as the Australian bowlers turned up trumps, helped by some superb fielding. Trevor BaileyTrevor 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...
, acting as makeshift opener, was out for a duck (after 37 minutes) and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, Ron Archer
Ron Archer
This article is about the cricket player. For Ron Archer see Ted WhiteRonald Graham Archer was an Australian Test cricketer who was born in Highgate Hill, Queensland...
(3/12) 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"...
(3/56) took most of the wickets and "The Claw"
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
accounted for Hutton's demise. Only Johnny Wardle's
Johnny Wardle
Johnny Wardle was an English spin bowler of post-war cricket. His Test bowling average of 20.39, is the lowest in Test cricket by any recognised spin bowler, since World War I....
top scoring 35 - adding 43 for the last wicket with Brian Statham - managed to pull England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
up to 154.
Australia - First Innings
Australia replied with 228, the top nine batsmen getting into double figures, but no one reached 50, Ron ArcherRon Archer
This article is about the cricket player. For Ron Archer see Ted WhiteRonald Graham Archer was an Australian Test cricketer who was born in Highgate Hill, Queensland...
equalling his best Test score of 49 and Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
making 44. Bailey opened the bowling as well as the batting and took 4/59, but the talking point was Frank Tyson. With his "short" run up of 18-20 yards Tyson took 4/45 in the first innings, described vividly by Margaret Hughes "Harvey received a beast of a ball from Tyson which spat up at him and splashed off his bat to Cowdrey". 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 bowled Tyson for a duck in the England first innings and was bounced again by the England fast bowler.
England - Second Innings
He let me have a very fast, short-pitched deliveryBouncer (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...
...Instinctively I turned a defensive back on the ball which skidded through and hit me a sickening blow on the back of my head. I sank to the ground and as I slipped in and out of consciousness, I was dimly aware of the players gathering round my prostate body. Indistinctly I heard my fellow batsman Bill EdrichBill EdrichWilliam 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...
saying: 'My God, Lindy, you've killed him!'...I was very, very angry with Ray Lindwall. And the whole of the Aussie team knew it...I would return the bouncer with interest!. Picture
With Australia 74 runs ahead runs were imperative for England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
, but they fell to 55/3 before Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
(104) and Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
(54) came together and made a disciplined stand of 116 "every run a precious inch of ground won back at a moment when the Ashes seemed to have receded almost out of sight...the recovery was shaped by batsmanship of a classic method executed by two young men". May added another 51 with 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...
before being bowled by Lindwall. Strangely, Tyson had been put in to bat at number 7 above Test centurion 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...
. Lindwall boasted that he never bowled short at tailenders (which didn't bother Tyson), but someone coming to bat at number 7 can be regarded as an all-rounder and the Australian fast bowler made the greatest mistake of his career, he bounced Tyson, who caught the ball on the back of his head and collapsed at the wicket. The Australians anxiously gathered around, players did not wear protective helmets in the 1950s and he had to be helped off the field and taken to hospital for x-rays. He returned to bat sporting a bump on his head that could be seen from the stands, was cheered by the crowd, and made another 8 runs before being bowled by Lindwall. England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
crashed from 222/4 to 250/9 and once again it was up to the last wicket pair - this time Appleyard (19 not out) and Staham (25) - to add 46 vital runs, taking the score to 296. The strength of the Australian bowling attack prevented any one man taking the lion's share, Archer (3/53), Lindall (3/69) and Bill Johnston (3/70) sharing the wickets between them.
Australia - Second Innings
Frank Tyson
Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
was affected by his injury, but instead he was very angry and ready to extract revenge. The Australians were afraid that he would send down a barrage of fast, short-pitched bowling, but Tyson was intelligent enough to bowl full length deliveries that caught them unprepared. 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...
bowled the first over from the Paddington End
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...
, "up the cellar steps". into a "half a gale", while Tyson tore down the slope from the Randwick End
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 with the wind behind him and bowled "as fast as man has ever bowled". Statham showed why he was an "unlucky" bowler; Les Favell
Les Favell
Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character...
was dropped 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...
was beaten four times before being trapped 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...
in the last over before tea to make Australia 27/1. In the first over after tea Favell was out when a ball from Tyson ricocheted off his bat and carried 120 feet to 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...
in the slips, who caught it chest-high. Somehow Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
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...
survived the session as they played and missed and Tyson made the ball rear up from a length. Burke didn't score for almost an hour, but by the end of the day they were 72/2 and Australia needed only 151 more runs for victory. Burke did not long survive the morning as Tyson moved a ball back up the hill to flatten his stumps. Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
had a high backlift and failed to get his bat down in time to trap 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...
and was clean bowled by Tyson at 77/4. Hutton now rested his fast bowlers and brought on 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 Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century...
to slow down the scoring and tie up the batsman. Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
was not a patient batsman and took a swipe at "Applecart"
Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century...
which he hit sky high to Tyson in the deep, who only managed to snatch it inches above the grass to have Australia 102/5. 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...
was now getting into his stride and in what many observers thought was the greatest innings of his life, he counter-attacked the bowling, cutting short balls and clipping anything on his pads through the leg side and once hooking Tyson over fine leg's head for four. By lunch he and Ron Archer
Ron Archer
This article is about the cricket player. For Ron Archer see Ted WhiteRonald Graham Archer was an Australian Test cricketer who was born in Highgate Hill, Queensland...
had taken the score to 118/5 and as long has Harvey was in the Australians thought they could win. After the interval Tyson and Statham were brought back on, with immediate results as Tyson felled Archer's stumps with another fast ball. Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
lasted only 6 balls before he was caught by the 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...
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...
off Statham. Statham was phenomenally accurate, conceding only 45 runs off 19 eight-ball overs. Tyson bled runs at double that rate, as Tom Graveney
Tom Graveney
Thomas 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...
recalled "I was fielding in the slips and we were having to stand 40 yards off the bat, and still the ball was often going over our heads from edged shots". 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...
came in fearing the bouncer, and it was his undoing as he turned a Tyson half-volley into 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...
by playing off the back foot and was bowled. Harvey now started to farm the bowling ruthlessly, protecting the tailenders from the Tyson and Statham as he attacked the fast bowlers, but 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...
Gil Langley
Gil Langley
Gilbert Roche Andrews "Gil" Langley was an Australian Test cricketer, champion Australian rules footballer and member of parliament, serving as Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly....
was bowled by Statham for a duck to leave Australia 145/9, "...which on paper meant that the result was now almost surely ordained: but it scarcely seemed that way on the spot, partly because Harvey was in such devastating form, and equally because the fast bowlers were almost burst". Last man 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"...
was in and Australia still needed 78 to win, but protected by Harvey he only had to face 16 balls in the next 40 minutes.
Bill JohnstonBill 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"...
did his bit for his team with true Aussie grit. His speciality stroke was a right-handed, one-handed, back-handed, glancing scoop off the line of his bum - cricket's equivalent of tennis' back-handed retrieve. It bought him a dozen runs - plus a considerable amount of pain when he failed to make contact and the ball clipped his maximus gluteusGluteus maximus muscleThe gluteus maximus is the largest and most superficial of the three gluteal muscles...
!
Finally Tyson bowled a ball closer to his body on the advice of "George"
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 a thin edge was enough for Evans to finish the innings and the match. Johnston was out for 11 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...
had made a defiant, unbeaten 92, exactly half of the Australian innings of 184 in which no one else made 15. Together they had added 39 for the last wicket and halved the runs required when Johnston came in, it was heroic, but not enough and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
won by 38 runs. The other hero of the day was "Typhoon Tyson", who had powered his way through the Australian batting, taking 6/85 (10-130 in the match) with Statham (3/45) in indefatigable support.
Result
EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
beat Australia by 38 runs to even the series 1-1 and THE TOAST IS: TYPHOON TYSON! was the headline as the papers hailed the new sensation. 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...
told the newspapers "Such fine bowling deserved to win", Don Bradman thought it was the fastest bowling he had ever seen and John Arlott
John Arlott
Leslie 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...
wrote "This was intelligence, rhythm and strength merged into the violent craft of fast bowling". "Seldom has fortune swayed as it did in this game" wrote E.W. Swanton and for years it was regarded as one of the most eventful and exciting Tests seen in Australia. Henry Sayden had danced for joy with MCC Secretary Ronnie Aird
Ronnie Aird
Ronald Aird, MC was an English cricketer and administrator.Ronnie Aird was born in Paddington, London and he played 136 first-class matches as a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium bowler for Cambridge University and Hampshire between 1920 and 1938. He was a good cricketer, but he will be...
at the fall of each Australian wicket, took the entire England team
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
to a celebratory dinner at Prince's Restaurant and handed out bonuses all round.
Third Test - Melbourne
Preliminaries
Despite the loss of the Sydney Test the Australians were still confident, they had won by an innings, EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
had won narrowly in the absence of the Australian captain 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 the great all-rounder 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...
, who now returned to the team. Miller was playing despite the advice of his doctor who warned him not to bowl on his injured knee and said himself that he didn't think his back could take the strain of bowling. Len Maddocks
Len Maddocks
Leonard Victor Maddocks is a former Australian cricketer and cricket administrator who played in 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956...
replaced Gil Langley
Gil Langley
Gilbert Roche Andrews "Gil" Langley was an Australian Test cricketer, champion Australian rules footballer and member of parliament, serving as Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly....
as wicket-keeper as the latter had been hit in the eye by a bail in a Sheffield Shield match. England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
received Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
at the expense of Tom Graveney
Tom Graveney
Thomas 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...
, but faced a crisis on the first day of the Test when Len Hutton refused to leave his bed because of his fibrositis and a heavy cold. The manager Geoffrey Howard, George Duckworth
George Duckworth
George Duckworth was a professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and England....
, 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...
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...
had to persuade him to play so as to not damage the morale of the team, especially as the series was locked at 1–1. Finally Hutton agreed to play and went to the ground. The wicket was worse than Sydney. After the MCC's match against Victoria it had broken up completely had had to be repaired and was covered with cracks even before the Test began.
England - First Innings
Runs did not flow; they were grafted from a pitch which kept the batsman hopping around as delivery after delivery tickled their ribs. ColinColin CowdreyMichael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
was icily superb. For four hours his concentration never wavered...he stroked the ball through the cover and mid-wicket gaps in the field. Shooters became more frequent, but Colin dug them out. When I joined him at the wicket he was a run short of his maiden Test century: a goal he achieved with a scampered single. If he ever scored a better hundred I hope that I am there to see it.
- Frank Tyson
Frank TysonFrank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
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...
won the toss and elected to bat on New Year's Eve, but soon regretted it. Regardless of his crook knee and bad back Miller opened the bowling with a 90 minute spell of 9-8-5-3 to send Hutton, Edrich (the captain's third opening partner in as many Tests) and Compton back to the pavilion in quick time. With 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...
dismissing Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
for a duck England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
were 41/4 and in deep trouble, but according to Ralph Barker
Ralph Barker
Ralph Hammond Cecil Barker was an English non-fiction author with over twenty-five books to his credit...
, after "Surviving the early horrors through perfect technique, the 22-year-old Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
made 50 out of 69 and 100 out of 158". He completed his maiden Test century, adding 74 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...
(30) and 54 with 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...
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...
(20) before falling 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...
with a ball that "hit the edge of one of the cracks in the wicket, which was now assuming the appearance of a tessellated pavement. It jagged back to pass behind Kipper's
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
pads and hit his leg stump!". 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...
, not an easy man to impress, said that it was the best Test innings he had ever seen and aged only 22 Cowdrey was the youngest Englishman to make an Ashes century since Jack Hearne on the same ground in 1912. Although Cowdrey would make 22 Test centuries they would all be measured against the yardstick
Yardstick
A yardstick is a straightedge used to physically measure lengths of up to a yard high. Yardsticks are flat wooden boards with markings at regular intervals.-Construction:...
of his Melbourne hundred, and still it remained greatest innings; "his driving, concentration and command were all faultless...a tribute to his wonderful ability". Ron Archer
Ron Archer
This article is about the cricket player. For Ron Archer see Ted WhiteRonald Graham Archer was an Australian Test cricketer who was born in Highgate Hill, Queensland...
(4/33) wrapped up the tail and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
fell from 181/6 to 191 all out at the end of the first day.
Australia - First Innings
Still the wicket gave hope to the EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
bowlers and wickets fell at a steady rate throughout New Year's Day to leave Australia 181/8, only 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 Les Favell
Les Favell
Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character...
failing to each double figures. The next day was a Sunday and a rest day, but its events were to be of great importance. Fearing that the wicket would break up in the middle of the Test it was surreptitiously and illegally watered to bind the cracks and make it last an extra couple of days. Worse still Percy Barnes of The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
reported that he had seen it watered during the night. Frank Tyson
Frank Tyson
Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
reckoned that
"had he not acted there can be little doubt that there would have been hardly any wicket left on the Monday". An official enquiry by the Victorian Cricket Association
Cricket Victoria
Cricket Victoria is the governing body for the sport of cricket in Victoria. It was formed on 29 September 1875 as the Victorian Cricket Association...
and the Melbourne Cricket Club
Melbourne Cricket Club
The Melbourne Cricket Club is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1838 and is regarded as the oldest sporting club in Australia....
denied any watering of the playing area during the match and claimed that the wicket must have sweated under the tarpaulin despite the baking heat and dry wind. Some scientists theorised that the dry weather drew up water from underground and the wicket watered itself, but a 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...
reporter asked "has anyone worked out how the wicket rolled itself out to close up all those cracks". Wisden
Wisden
The Wisden Group was a group of companies formed by John Wisden & Co Ltd, publishers of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. As well as John Wisden & Co, the group included the The Wisden Cricketer magazine, Cricinfo – the world's highest traffic cricket website – and the Hawk-Eye computerised...
stated "large cracks were evident on Saturday yet on Monday these had closed and for a time the surface behaved more kindly to batsmen". Fortunately as England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
were due to bat Hutton thought he gained from the incident and did not complain, but 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...
said "It was like losing the toss twice over". The proof of the pudding wicket was that Len Maddocks
Len Maddocks
Leonard Victor Maddocks is a former Australian cricketer and cricket administrator who played in 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956...
(47), 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...
(33 not out) 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"...
(11) added another 50 runs before Statham (5/60) finished off the innings, the first time he had taken five wickets in a Test innings.
England - Second Innings
Starting 40 runs behind Len HuttonLen 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...
(42) and 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...
(13) evened the score for the first wicket, Hutton was so ill that he could not take off his pads for an hour after returning to the dressing room, but remained slumped in a corner. Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
held the innings together with a classic 91 then "Barnacle" 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...
(24 not out off 144 balls) held up one end while Evans (22) and Wardle (38) made runs at the other. Bill Johnston
Bill Johnston
William "Little Bill" Johnston was an American tennis champion. He was the co-World No. 1 player in 1919 and in 1922 respectively along with Gerald Patterson and Bill Tilden. He won the U.S...
was bowling Slow-Left-Arms spin, which Wardle had hit all over the ground when the Australians played Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire 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....
in 1953 and he had hit 7 fours in his 38. 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...
told him "Now, Bill, don't bowl that slow stuff agains to Wardle", told him to bowler quicker and Johnston took the last the last 3 wickets for 6 runs. His 5/85 was the only Australian five wicket haul in the series, and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
were all out for 279.
Australia - Second Innings
Australia were set 240 to win, but Tyson had Arthur MorrisArthur 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...
caught for 4 by Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
. As "Les Favell
Les Favell
Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character...
got going, his wicket went tumbling"., bowled for 30 by Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century...
. 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 Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
took the score to 75/2 by stumps and over 50,000 supporters came on the fifth day to see them knock off the remaining runs, but what they got was "the fastest and most frightening sustained spell of fast bowling seen in Australia". as Tyson sent Australia crashing to 111 all out - the dreaded Triple Nelson
111 (number)
111 is the natural number following 110 and preceding 112. It is the lowest positive integer requiring six syllables to name in American English, or seven syllables in Canadian and British English...
- and England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
won by 128 runs. Australia added only 36 runs that morning as Tyson took 6/16 off 6.3 eight-ball overs, 7/27 in the innings, hurtling down from the Richmond End and slightly into the breeze, but at enormous pace. The first wicket to fall was "a phenomenal piece of cricket" described by Neville Cardus
Neville Cardus
Sir John Frederick Neville Cardus CBE was an English writer and critic, best known for his writing on music and cricket. For many years, he wrote for The Manchester Guardian. He was untrained in music, and his style of criticism was subjective, romantic and personal, in contrast with his critical...
as "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...
flicked the seventh ball of the morning (from Tyson
Frank Tyson
Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
) round the corner and this time 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...
dived full length to the right, clutching the ball in his out-stretched glove". Evans had anticipated Harvey's stroke and had moved to leg before making his "prodigious leap" and "thought this almost his best catch". Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
chopped the ball onto his stumps trying to hook, 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...
managed to block four shooters in a row from Statham, edging the last for four through his pads, but at the other end saw the ball ricochet off the shoulder of his bat, and deflect off 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 outstretched hand for 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...
to leap backwards and take the catch. Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
in his final Test innings, edged 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...
behind 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...
, Len Maddocks
Len Maddocks
Leonard Victor Maddocks is a former Australian cricketer and cricket administrator who played in 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956...
couldn't repeat his first innings heroics and was bowled first ball by a Tyson 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...
that he dug out, only to see it spin back into his wicket. 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...
, fearing a Tyson bouncer after Sydney, played back to a full-length ball and 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...
for a second ball duck, Ron Archer
Ron Archer
This article is about the cricket player. For Ron Archer see Ted WhiteRonald Graham Archer was an Australian Test cricketer who was born in Highgate Hill, Queensland...
made 15 before he was bowled by a Statham 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...
, 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"...
lasted only three balls before he hung his bat outside off-stump and was caught behind off Tyson to end the innings on 111, with captain 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...
unbeaten with 4. The match finished well before lunch and the Melbourne Cricket Club
Melbourne Cricket Club
The Melbourne Cricket Club is a sporting club based in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1838 and is regarded as the oldest sporting club in Australia....
caterers were left with thousands of unsold meat pies as the crowd deserted the ground.
Result
Len 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...
was delirious with happiness. He, England's first professional captain, was leading a triumphant team - in Australia!...He frowns on 'sleeping with the enemy' and counsels against our going into the Aussie dressing-room to fraternise with our affable opponents. In Melbourne, however, he could afford to be magnanimous. After the game he threw open the door of the English dressing room. The champagne flowed, flooding well into the night.
- Frank Tyson
Frank TysonFrank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
The Third Test cemented Tyson's "Typhoon" reputation and made him a sporting legend as England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
beat Australia by 128 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the series. He became only the fourth England bowler to take seven wickets in a Test innings in Australia after Tom Richardson
Tom Richardson
Tom Richardson was an English cricketer. A fast bowler, Richardson relied to a great extent on the break-back , a relatively long run-up and high arm which allowed him to gain sharp lift on fast pitches even from the full, straight length he always bowled...
(8/94), George Lohmann
George Lohmann
George Alfred Lohmann is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time...
(8/35 and 8/58) and Doug Wright
Doug Wright
Doug Wright is an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2004 for his play, I Am My Own Wife.-Early years:Wright was born in Dallas, Texas...
(7/105). The Test was referred to in the Goon Show, in the original script of episode 15 of their fifth series "1985" broadcast on 5 January 1955 Neddie Seagoon
Neddie Seagoon
Neddie Seagoon was a character in the 1950s British radio comedy show, The Goon Show. He was created and performed by Welshman Harry Secombe....
wanders into an antique shop in 1985 and sees an old cricket bat. The shop-owner tells him "As a matter of fact this bat was used in the very last test by an Australian opening bat, you can see it's quite unmarked". The bat's ownership was changed 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...
when broadcast because of the England captain's poor form.
Fourth Test - Adelaide
Preliminaries
Peter Loader
Peter James Loader was an English cricketer and umpire, who played thirteen Test matches for England. He played for Surrey and Beddington Cricket Club. A whippet-thin fast bowler with a wide range of pace and a nasty bouncer, he took the first post-war Test hat-trick as part of his 6 for 36...
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...
in the recent tour matches England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
kept their winning team from Melbourne 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...
even kept 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 his opening partner. The Australian selection process was more confused. 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...
was somewhat unfairly blamed for the Sydney and Melbourne disasters and was dropped in favour of Colin McDonald, then Les Favell
Les Favell
Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character...
was dropped after his failure in the recent tour match and Morris was recalled on the morning of the match. Graeme Hole
Graeme Hole
Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer....
had also played poorly for 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...
against the MCC was dropped and Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
was recalled. Worse for Australia 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...
pulled a muscle in the 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...
-Victoria
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...
game and Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
had to be brought in. Though 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...
's Gil Langley
Gil Langley
Gilbert Roche Andrews "Gil" Langley was an Australian Test cricketer, champion Australian rules footballer and member of parliament, serving as Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly....
had recovered and made a fifty against the MCC Victoria's Len Maddocks
Len Maddocks
Leonard Victor Maddocks is a former Australian cricketer and cricket administrator who played in 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956...
kept his place as wicket-keeper due to his batting in the Third Test and was booed by the local crowd, who cheered Langley when he visited the Australian dressing room.
Australia - First Innings
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...
won the toss in the sweltering 100 °F/38 °C heat and choose to bat on the best surface seen since Brisbane. Again nine Australian batsmen got into double figures, Colin McDonald (48) 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...
(25) added 59 for the first wicket, 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...
made 44. Hutton made himself unpopular with his deliberately slow over rates so that he could rest his exhausted fast bowlers, and 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...
ripped the nail off his right big toe and had to hack a hole in his boot so he could continue to bowl. It was Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century...
(3/58) made the breakthrough, dismissing MacDonald, Miller and Benaud, with Tyson (3/85) and Bailey (3/39) in support as Australia fell to 229/8. Len Maddocks
Len Maddocks
Leonard Victor Maddocks is a former Australian cricketer and cricket administrator who played in 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956...
(69) justified his selection and was the only man to pass fifty, adding 92 for the ninth wicket with 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...
(41) until Bailey removed the captain. Maddocks was run out two runs later and Australia were dismissed for 323 on the afternoon of the second day.
England - First Innings
Len HuttonLen 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...
(80) and 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...
(20) saw England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
though to stumps and took the score to 60 the next morning before the first wicket fell. Cowdrey (79) added 99 with Hutton looking certain for a century before he smashed the ball into Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
's back, where it lobbed up for an easy, if painful, catch. Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
and Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
(44) took the score to 230/3 by the end of the day and England were confident of a first innings lead, but they both fell early next morning and though the lower middle order all got going the tail collapsed again and the last four wickets fell for 20 runs and the last seven wickets for 111. Still 341 was England's highest score so far in the series and gave them a slim 18 run lead, the leg-spinner Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
(4/120) doing most of the work.
Australia - Second Innings
In the Australian second innings Hutton made his bowling changes with great cunning, removing Tyson and Statham after a few overs and bringing on Bob AppleyardBob Appleyard
Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century...
whose 3/12 accounted for Morris, Burke and Harvey before the day was out, leaving the home side on 69/3. Expecting more spin the next day the Aussies were confronted by Tyson (3/47) and Statham (3/38) at their most lethal. Statham's motto was "if they miss, I hit". and he bowled MacDonald before a run was added, then bowled Miller and caught Maddocks lbw. Frank Tyson took care of Benaud and Archer and 69/3 was soon 83/8. Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
(23) added some respectability to the lower order, but Australia were out for 111 and the dreaded Triple Nelson
111 (number)
111 is the natural number following 110 and preceding 112. It is the lowest positive integer requiring six syllables to name in American English, or seven syllables in Canadian and British English...
had struck again.
England second innings
EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
needed only 94 runs to win the Test, win the series and retain the Ashes, but Keith Ross Miller (3/40) had other ideas, sending Hutton, Edrich and Cowdrey back to the pavilion for 18 and catching Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
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"...
(2/20). Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
(34 not out) saw England
English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
through 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...
came in at the fall of the 5th wicket to hit the winning runs with a boundary.
Result
EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
beat Australia by 5 wickets to take a 3-1 lead in the series 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...
. It was the first time any touring team had won a series in Australia since 1932-33
English cricket team in Australia in 1932-33
A cricket team representing England toured Australia in the 1932-33 season. The tour was organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club and matches outside the Tests were played under the MCC name. The tour included five Test matches in Australia, and England won The Ashes by four games to one...
. They were only the second touring team to win there from behind after J.W.H.T Douglas
Johnny Douglas
John "Johnny" William Henry Tyler Douglas was a cricketer who was captain of the England team and an Olympic boxer.-Early life:...
's 1911-12 England Team. The England celebrations lasted through the night, starting in the dressing room before moving on to the South Australian Cricket Association Committee Room and the team hotel before moving round the city, consuming 56 bottles of champagne at the hotel alone. 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...
- the life and soul of any party - climbed the marble pillar in the lounge of Glenelg's
Glenelg, South Australia
Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants.Established in 1836, it is...
Pier Hotel and sung Ginger.
Fifth Test - Sydney
Preliminaries
The only change in the England teamEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
was that 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...
was dropped for poor form and replaced by Tom Graveney
Tom Graveney
Thomas 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...
, who became Hutton's fourth opening partner of the series. Colin Cowdrey had a broken nose from fielding at Adelaide and 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 a broken finger from playing Victoria, but both still played, though Bailey did not bowl in the Test. With an eye to the imminent tour of the West Indies the Australian selectors picked debutants Peter Burge and Bill Watson and Les Favell
Les Favell
Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character...
and 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...
returned to the side. To make way 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...
, 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"...
, 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...
and Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
were dropped (Morris, Johnston and Archer having already been picked for the West Indies).
England - First Innings
The first three days were lost to heavy rain and only 13 hours play were available when the captains went out on the fourth afternoon to toss, Johnson winning and putting EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
in to bat. Hutton was out quickly, but Graveney effortlessly stroked his way to 111 out of 182 in two and a half hours, adding 176 with May (79). Crowdey was out first ball, but Compton (84) and Bailey (72) added 134 and Hutton declared on 371/7, easily England's best score of the series. Amazingly Bailey gave Lindall his wicket to record his 100th England wicket in the mistaken belief that with was the fast bowler's last Ashes Test and "at one stroke achieved heights of Australian popularity to which he could scarcely have aspired". Lindwall ending with (3/77) and his captain (3/68).
Australia - First Innings
Colin McDonald responded with 72, adding 53 for the first wicket with Bill Watson (18), but Maddocks (32) was the only other batsman to make more than 20 as the England spinner Johnny WardleJohnny Wardle
Johnny Wardle was an English spin bowler of post-war cricket. His Test bowling average of 20.39, is the lowest in Test cricket by any recognised spin bowler, since World War I....
(5/79) worked his way through their batting with a mixture of orthodox slow left arm spin mixed with chinamen and reverse googlies. Johnson was run out when the last wicket fell for 221 and believed that the follow on had been avoided, but due to the three days lost Hutton could enforce the follow on despite being only 150 runs ahead and promptly did so. It was the first time Australia had followed on for eighteen years, when a young Hutton had made his world record 364 at the Kensington Oval in 1938.
Australia second innings
Macdonald (37) watched the wickets fall about him again and at 29/3 Australia were in danger of an innings defeat as Wardle (3/51) struck again. Miller (28), Burge (18 not out) and Benaud (22) stopped the rot, but Hutton did not concede the draw until he brought himself on in the final over, bowling Benaud with the last ball of the series. Australia finally ended on 118/6, still 32 runs short of making EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
bat again.
Result
EnglandEnglish cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Len Hutton captained the English cricket team in Australia in 1954–55, playing as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against the Australians and as the MCC in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain since the 1880s...
drew with Australia to win the series 3-1
The Ashes Calypso
The calypsoCalypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
singer Lord Kitchener
Lord Kitchener (calypsonian)
Aldwyn Roberts , better known by the stage name Lord Kitchener , was one of the most internationally famous calypsonians. He was the son of a blacksmith, Stephen, and homemaker, Albertha.-Life:...
released a single The Ashes (Australia vs MCC 1955) to celebrate their victory Play Recording:
Tyson taught them a lesson that can't be forgotten,
Tyson taught them a lesson that can't be forgotten,
We began quietly, but we came back with victory,
Good captaincy from 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...
, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson
Frank Tyson
Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
.
Australia's tragedy, it began at Sydney,
Magnificent Tyson, had their batsmen beaten,
He went on to give us, a victory for Christmas,
Good captaincy from Len Hutton, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson.
More shocks for Australia, the Melbourne disaster,
Les Favell
Les Favell
Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character...
got going, his wicket went tumbling,
We got them out cheaply, and score second victory,
Good captaincy from Len Hutton, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson.
The bowling was so good, it remind them of 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....
,
Maginificent Tyson finished with seven for twenty-seven,
They had no excuses, we regained 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...
,
Good captaincy from Len Hutton, but the honours must go to Typhoon Tyson.
1954-55 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. In a dinner for the teams by the Australian Board of Control
Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia, formerly known as the Australian Cricket Board, is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in Australia. It was originally formed in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket...
Hutton gave a speech asking when the Australian players were going to see some of the £100,000
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
the ABC had made from the 1953 tour of England
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...
"You rich men get all the money - why don't the players get more?" and asked "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 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...
have done so much for Australian cricket - what are you going to do for them?" and suggested they should have a benefit
Benefit (sports)
A benefit or testimonial is a match or season of activities granted by a sporting body to a loyal sportsman to boost their income before retirement. Often this is in the form of a match for which all the ticket proceeds are given to the player in question.There have been occasions when a...
.
| 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 |
| 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... (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-Hand 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... |
4 | 6 | 4 | 116 | 41 | 58.00 | 3 | ||||
| C.C. McDonald | Right-Hand 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 | 186 | 72 | 46.50 | 1 | 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-Hand 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 | 1 | 354 | 162 | 44.25 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Graveney, T.W. Tom Graveney Thomas 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... |
Right-Hand 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 | 3 | 132 | 111 | 44.00 | 1 | 4 | ||||
| P.B.H. May Peter May -External links:* * at Cricket Archive*... (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-Hand 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 | 351 | 104 | 39.00 | 1 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Compton, D.C.S. Denis Compton Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer... |
Right-Hand 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 | 7 | 2 | 191 | 84 | 38.20 | 1 | ||||
| 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-Hand 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 | 1 | 296 | 88 | 37.00 | 2 | 2 | |||
| M.C. Cowdrey Colin Cowdrey Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976... |
Right-Hand 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 | 319 | 102 | 35.44 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||
| P.J.P. Burge | Right-Hand 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 | 1 | 35 | 18* 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... |
35.00 | 1 | ||||
| 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-Hand 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... |
4 | 7 | 223 | 153 | 31.85 | 1 | |||||
| L.V. Maddocks Len Maddocks Leonard Victor Maddocks is a former Australian cricketer and cricket administrator who played in 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956... (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-Hand 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 | 150 | 69 | 30.00 | 1 | 7 | ||||
| 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-Hand 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 | 6 | 2 | 106 | 64* 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... |
26.50 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 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... (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-Hand 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 | 220 | 80 | 24.44 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| 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-Hand 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 | 167 | 49 | 23.85 | 1 | |||||
| W.J. 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... |
Right-Hand 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 | 180 | 88 | 22.50 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| Appleyard, R. Bob Appleyard Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century... |
Right-Hand 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... |
4 | 5 | 3 | 44 | 19* 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... |
22.00 | 1 | ||||
| Wardle, J.H. Johnny Wardle Johnny Wardle was an English spin bowler of post-war cricket. His Test bowling average of 20.39, is the lowest in Test cricket by any recognised spin bowler, since World War I.... |
Left-Hand 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... |
4 | 6 | 1 | 109 | 38 | 21.80 | 1 | ||||
| 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-Hand 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 | 81 | 44 | 20.25 | 2 | |||||
| L.E. Favell Les Favell Leslie Ernest Favell was an Australian cricketer who played in 19 Tests from 1954 to 1961. He was a strong batsman who liked to hit the ball around the ground and was a much loved character... |
Right-Hand 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... |
4 | 7 | 130 | 30 | 18.57 | 2 | |||||
| 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-Hand 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 | 1 | 102 | 37 | 17.00 | 13 | ||||
| G.B. Hole Graeme Hole Graeme Blake Hole was an Australian cricketer.... |
Right-Hand 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... |
3 | 5 | 85 | 57 | 17.00 | 1 | 3 | ||||
| R.G. Archer Ron Archer This article is about the cricket player. For Ron Archer see Ted WhiteRonald Graham Archer was an Australian Test cricketer who was born in Highgate Hill, Queensland... |
Right-Hand 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 | 117 | 49 | 16.71 | 4 | |||||
| R. Benaud Richie Benaud Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game.... |
Right-Hand 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 | 148 | 34 | 16.44 | 3 | |||||
| A.K. Davidson Alan Davidson (cricketer) Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler... |
Left-Hand 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 | 71 | 23 | 14.20 | 5 | |||||
| Statham, J.B. 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... |
Left-Hand 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 | 67 | 25 | 11.16 | 1 | ||||
| Tyson, F.H. Frank Tyson Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in... |
Right-Hand 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 | 66 | 37* 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... |
11.00 | 2 | ||||
| W.J. Watson | Right-Hand 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 | 21 | 18 | 10.50 | ||||||
| G.R.A. Langley Gil Langley Gilbert Roche Andrews "Gil" Langley was an Australian Test cricketer, champion Australian rules footballer and member of parliament, serving as Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly.... (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-Hand 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 | 21 | 16 | 7.00 | 9 | |||||
| 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-Hand 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... |
4 | 6 | 2 | 25 | 11 | 6.25 | 1 | ||||
| Andrew, K.V. Keith Andrew Keith Vincent Andrew was an English cricketer who played in two Tests, in 1954-55 and in 1963.-Life and career:... (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-Hand 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... |
1 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 5.50 | ||||||
| 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-Hand 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 | 11 | 9 | 5.50 | ||||||
| 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-Hand 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... |
1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 5.00 | 1 | |||||
| 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 |
| 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... (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... |
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... |
0.6 | 2 | 1 | 1/2 | 2.00 | ||||
| R.G. Archer Ron Archer This article is about the cricket player. For Ron Archer see Ted WhiteRonald Graham Archer was an Australian Test cricketer who was born in Highgate Hill, Queensland... |
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... |
97.6 | 32 | 215 | 13 | 4/33 | 16.53 | |||
| 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... (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... |
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 | 37 | 243 | 12 | 3/46 | 20.25 | |||
| Appleyard, R. Bob Appleyard Bob Appleyard is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer.He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century... |
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... |
79 | 22 | 224 | 11 | 3/13 | 20.36 | |||
| Tyson, F.H. Frank Tyson Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in... |
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... |
151 | 16 | 583 | 28 | 7/27 | 20.82 | 2 | 1 | |
| 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 |
141.4 | 37 | 423 | 19 | 5/85 | 22.26 | 1 | ||
| Wardle, J.H. Johnny Wardle Johnny Wardle was an English spin bowler of post-war cricket. His Test bowling average of 20.39, is the lowest in Test cricket by any recognised spin bowler, since World War I.... |
Slow Left Arm Bowler Slow Left Arm Chinaman Bowler |
70.6 | 15 | 229 | 10 | 5/79 | 22.90 | 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... |
88.4 | 28 | 243 | 10 | 3/14 | 24.30 | |||
| 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... |
130.6 | 28 | 381 | 14 | 3/27 | 27.21 | |||
| Statham, J.B. 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... |
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... |
143.3 | 16 | 499 | 18 | 5/60 | 27.72 | 1 | ||
| 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... |
79.4 | 8 | 306 | 10 | 4/59 | 30.60 | |||
| Graveney, T.W. Tom Graveney Thomas 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... |
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... |
6 | 34 | 1 | 1/34 | 34.00 | ||||
| R. Benaud Richie Benaud Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game.... |
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... |
116.7 | 23 | 377 | 10 | 4/120 | 37.70 | |||
| A.K. Davidson Alan Davidson (cricketer) Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler... |
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... |
71 | 15 | 220 | 3 | 2/34 | 73.33 | |||
| 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... |
37 | 4 | 131 | 1 | 1/131 | 131.00 | |||
| 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... |
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| W.J. 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... |
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... |
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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...
, Australian Test Journal. A Diary of the Test Matches Australia v. England 1954-55, The Sportsman's Book Club, 1956 - 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 - Sidney Barnes, The Ashes Ablaze: The M. C. C. Australian tour,1954-55, Kimber, 1955
- 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 - Arthur GilliganArthur GilliganArthur Edward Robert Gilligan was an English cricketer who played for Cambridge University, Sussex, Surrey and England....
, The Urn Returns: A Diary of the 1954-55 M. C. C. Tour of Australia, Deutsch, 1955 - 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 - Gideon Haigh, The Summer Game: Australia in Test Cricket 1949–71, Text Publishing, 1997
- Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
- Alan Hill, Daring Young Men: MCC Tour to Australia - 1954-55, Methuen Publishing Ltd, 2004
- 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 - Ian PeeblesIan PeeblesIan Alexander Ross Peebles was a cricketer who played for Oxford University, Middlesex, Scotland and England. After retiring from cricket he became a cricket writer, working as a journalist on The Sunday Times and as the author of many books on cricket.Peebles had one of the strangest...
, The Ashes 1954-55, Hodder and Stoughton, 1955 - Playfair Cricket AnnualPlayfair Cricket AnnualPlayfair Cricket Annual is a compact annual about cricket that is published in the United Kingdom each April, just before the English cricket season is due to begin. Its main purposes are to review the previous English season and to provide detailed career records and potted biographies of current...
1955 - Ray RobinsonRay Robinson (cricket writer)Raymond John Robinson was an Australian journalist and author, best known for his writings on the sport of cricket. Born in Melbourne, Robinson attended Brighton State school and joined the Melbourne's The Herald as a copyboy. Given a cadetship with the paper, he reported on Australian football...
, On Top Down Under, Cassell, 1975 - Alan RossAlan RossAlan John Ross, , was a British poet, writer and editor. He was born in Calcutta, India, where he spent the first seven years of his life...
, Australia 55: A Journal of the MCC Tour, Joseph, 1955 - E.W. Swanton and C.B. Fry, Test Matches of 1954/55 Victory in Australia, The Daily Telegraph, 1955
- E.W. Swanton (ed), Barclay's World of Cricket, Willow, 1986
- Roy Webber, The Australians in England, A Record of the 21 Australian Cricket Tours of England 1878-1953, Hodder & Stoughton, 1953
- Crawford White, England Keep the Ashes: The Record of the England and M. C. C. Tour of Australia, 1954-55, News Chronicle, 1955
- Wisden Cricketers' AlmanackWisden Cricketers' AlmanackWisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
1956, "MCC in Australia and New Zealand, 1954-55"