Australian cricket team in Australia in 1958–59
Encyclopedia
The 1958-59 Australians defeated the touring England team 4-0 in the 1958-59 Ashes series. They were seen by the English press as having little chance of winning the series against the powerful England touring team. They had only one recognised great player, Neil Harvey
and had lost the fast bowling combination of Ray Lindwall
and Keith Miller
and the other veterans of Don Bradman's Invincible 1948 team. There were, however, signs of recovery to those who would see them and E.W. Swanton believed that on their home ground Australia would be a shade better than England. The best indication of the forthcoming series was the M.C.C.
and Australian tours of South Africa in 1956-57 and 1957-58. South Africa
had a strong team in the 1950s, stunning the cricketing world by drawing 2-2 in Australia in 1953-54, losing 3-2 in the closely fought 1955 series in England and fighting back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with Peter May
's England in 1956-57. In 1957-58 Ian Craig
led an team labelled as the weakest to leave Australia to a 3-0 victory over the Springboks with Richie Benaud
, Alan Davidson
, Wally Grout
, Ken Mackay
, Colin McDonald, Jim Burke
and Lindsay Kline
all in fine form. Norm O'Neill
was not taken on tour, but struck innings of 175 in three hours and 233 in four hours in successive games against Victoria
and was regarded as the "New Bradman".
Richie Benaud
was a leg-spin bowler who had taken 49 Test wickets (34.41) when he left England in 1956, but grabbed 23 wickets (16.83) India, including his first three 5 wicket innings and his best Test bowling figures of 7/72. His cricket improved in South Africa in 1957-58
where he took 30 wickets (21.93) and another four 5 wicket hauls and made 329 runs (54.83) with two centuries. His attacking cricket impressed Sir Donald Bradman and the Australian selectors and he was the surprise choice as captain when Ian Craig
retired due to ill-health. Neil Harvey
was vice captain and Australia's best batsman and the "red-hot favourite for the captaincy", but had lost to Peter May
by a crushing 345 runs when he led an Australian XI against the tourists and this must have affected their decision. Benaud had been picked as vice-captain to Arthur Morris
for the Second Test against England in 1954-55, but Morris sought advice from more senior players and Ian Johnson
returned for the next Test. In 1958 Benaud was made captain of New South Wales
, but had yet to led them in a Sheffield Shield match when he was made the national captain, but accepted the challenge with energy. A great believer of the saying "practice makes perfect" he trained himself and the team and honed their athletic advantage over the visitors. In particular he heightened their already formidable fielding skills, which he used to dry up the runs of the England batsmen, and their catching became phenomenal. He also encouraged quick running between the wickets to steal runs and unsettle the England bowlers. In the field his tactical genius proved decisive with cunning bowling changes and inventive fields, though he was happy to take advice from the more experienced Harvey and other players. His reputation reached such heights that a simple field change would torment the batsmen as he tried to work out what he was doing. In the Fourth Test "he moved short leg round a couple of yards...there was no reason for the move other than to apply psychological pressure. He was a master at upsetting the concentration of batsmen" Always aggressive and willing to take risks he proved to be one of the greatest captains in cricket and won his first five Tests series as captain, the sixth he drew to retain The Ashes
. As a player he grew into the role, becoming the first cricketer to make 2,000 runs and take 200 wickets in Tests and his 248 wickets was an Australian record until beaten by Dennis Lillee
. When he retired he became a famous broadcaster and journalist and would sometimes jokingly depreciate his captaincy, saying that "the hallmark of a great captain is the ability to win the toss at the right time", but in 1958-59 he lost the toss in the first four Tests and still won three the regain The Ashes
.
and an effective opener with a short backlift who had made centuries against South Africa and the West Indies and had stood up to Tyson in 1954-55. He made as fighting 32 and 89 in "Laker's Test", but failed in the rest of the 1956 series. In 1958-59 McDonald's 519 runs (64.87) made him the first batsmen to top 500 runs in an Ashes series since Len Hutton
in 1950-51 and the first Australian to do so since Don Bradman in 1948. His opening partner was Jim Burke
a stonewaller and took 578 minutes to make 189 against South Africa in 1957-58 Cape Town and was the butt of the Sydney Hill
barrackers; "Burkey, you're so like a statue, I wish I were a pigeon" He didn't make many runs in 1958-59 though he tended to hang around and retired at the end of the season rather than face the increasingly number of fast bowlers. Neil Harvey
was Australia's premier batsmen after the retirement of Don Bradman, a left-handed strokemaker whose technique allowed him to make runs while other could hardly get bat to ball. Norm O'Neill
made his debut in this series and was like a breath of fresh air in the stagnant cricket of the late 1950s. Athletic, good-looking and a positive strokemaker he was hailed as the "New Bradman" and a favourite with the crowds. Crowds flocked to his games just to see the "Australian Hope" and his striking 71 not out to win the First Test made a mockery of the England's funeral second innings. After Harvey and O'Neill came Ken Mackay
sarcastically called "Slasher Mackay" as he rarely indulged in strokeplay, instead the ungainly Queenslander
set about occupying the crease for as long a possible. He never made a Test century and only averaged 33.48, but Mackay always seemed to make a 50 when Australia were in deep trouble. Les Favell
had a terrible time as an opener against Tyson and Statham in 1954-55, but was now a powerful middle-order batsman and crowd favourate who replaced Peter Burge after the First Test. Worth a mention is Bobby Simpson
, a batting prodigy to match Norm O'Neill
and an outstanding slip fielder, who made a duck in his only Test innings in the series, but was often 12th man and used as a substitute fielder. In the lower order were Richie Benaud
and Alan Davidson
, both hard-hitting all-rounders who liked to attack the bowling, but whose late order heroics were seldom needed.
With the retirement of Keith Miller
, Bill Johnston
, Ken Archer
and Ian Johnson
in 1956 Australia needed to rebuild their bowling attack. Ray Lindwall
would continue to play until 1960, and would overtake Clarrie Grimmett
's Australian record of 216 wickets. However, he was now 37 and was no longer the fast-bowler who had terrorised the England team in the 1940s even though he swung the ball heavily. Considering the bent elbows of Australia's latest talent and the purists dubbed him "the last of Australia's straight-arm bowlers". Fortunately the all-rounders Alan Davidson
and Richie Benaud
came good in the 1957-58 South African
tour after years of underperforming. "Davo"
was a left-handed fast-medium swing bowler who came round the wicket and could move the ball either way off the pitch or through the air. Dogged by perennial injuries he took only 16 wickets (34.06) between 1953 and 1957, but starting in 1957-58 he would take 23 wickets or more in six out of seven series. Tom Graveney
thought he was "possibly the greatest left-arm new-ball bowler in the history of cricket" and with the exceptionally low Test average of 20.53 it is difficult to argue with him. The captain Richie Benaud
had in the last year emerged as probably the finest leg spinner in the world and his 31 wickets (18.83) in the series was the most taken for Australia against England since Monty Noble
in 1901-02. No great spinner of the ball, he was able to produce subtle variations, and unlike most leg-spinners was very economical After these three greats Australia's bowling was less dependable, or acceptable. Ian Meckiff
took 17 wickets (17.17) with his fast left hand swing bowling, but was never able to overcome the accusations of throwing that beset his career. His unusual style gave him the ability to swing the ball at high speed and the flick of his hand made it difficult for the batsman to read the ball. Meckiff was definitely fast, saying he "likes to make them whistle", but erratic, sometimes bowling balls two feet off the stumps on either side of the wicket. When Meckiff was ill the 6'5" Giant Rorke
came in and proved to be just as dangerous, taking 3/23 in the first innings of the Fourth Test and was sometimes almost unplayable as many balls pitched wide of the crease.
With their baseball
experience Australia were traditionally a stronger fielding side than England, but had been outclassed in 1956. Richie Benaud
saw this as an area in which they could dominate and set about improving their already athletic skills to an extraordinary level. In this he was helped by having outstanding fielders in wicket-keeper
Wally Grout
, Neil Harvey
and Norm O'Neill
in the covers
, Bobby Simpson
and Jim Burke
in the slips
, "The Claw" Alan Davidson
in any close catching position and Benaud himself in the gully
. Their efforts make the English fielders look pedestrian, dried up the runs and restricted strokeplay and the spectacular England collapses can be attributed to their ability to turn half-chances were into catches. Wally Grout
had played second string to Don Tallon
at Queensland
since the war and Gil Langley
and Len Maddocks
for Australia since Tallon's retirement in 1953. As a result he was 30 when he played in his first Test on the 1957-58 South African
tour, when he held a record 6 catches in an innings. He soon established himself as the best wicket-keeper in the world and when he retired in 1966 his 187 dismissals in 51 Tests was second only to Godfrey Evans
's 219 in 91 Tests.
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 had lost the fast bowling combination of 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...
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...
and the other veterans of Don Bradman's Invincible 1948 team. There were, however, signs of recovery to those who would see them and E.W. Swanton believed that on their home ground Australia would be a shade better than England. The best indication of the forthcoming series was the M.C.C.
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
and Australian tours of South Africa in 1956-57 and 1957-58. South Africa
History of cricket in South Africa from 1945-46 to 1970
This article describes the history of South African cricket from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the start of South Africa's cricket isolation in 1970....
had a strong team in the 1950s, stunning the cricketing world by drawing 2-2 in Australia in 1953-54, losing 3-2 in the closely fought 1955 series in England and fighting back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
's England in 1956-57. In 1957-58 Ian Craig
Ian Craig
Ian David Craig is a former Australian Test cricketer who represented Australia in 11 Tests between 1953 and 1958. A slightly built right-handed batsman, Craig holds the record for being the youngest Australian to make a first-class double century, gain Test selection and captain his country...
led an team labelled as the weakest to leave Australia to a 3-0 victory over the Springboks 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....
, 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...
, Wally Grout
Wally Grout
Arthur Theodore Wallace Grout was a Test cricketer who kept wicket for Australia and Queensland.Grout played in 51 Test matches between 1957 and 1966...
, Ken Mackay
Ken Mackay
Kenneth Donald Mackay was an Australian cricketer who played in 37 Tests from 1956 to 1963....
, Colin McDonald, Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
and Lindsay Kline
Lindsay Kline
Lindsay Francis Kline is former Australian and Victorian cricketer. He played in 13 Tests for Australia and 88 first-class matches between 1955/56 and 1961/1962...
all in fine form. Norm O'Neill
Norm O'Neill
Norman Clifford O'Neill OAM was an cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958...
was not taken on tour, but struck innings of 175 in three hours and 233 in four hours in successive games against 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...
and was regarded as the "New Bradman".
The Captain
Richie's great ability as a captain is best gauged by the fact that he took an ordinary Australian team and shaped it into a winning side...he got some outstanding results with teams under him that would not bear comparison with the finest in Australian cricket history. It was his positive, attack-minded leadership that made all the difference."
- Tom Graveney
Tom 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...
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 a leg-spin bowler who had taken 49 Test wickets (34.41) when he left England in 1956, but grabbed 23 wickets (16.83) India, including his first three 5 wicket innings and his best Test bowling figures of 7/72. His cricket improved in South Africa in 1957-58
History of cricket in South Africa from 1945-46 to 1970
This article describes the history of South African cricket from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the start of South Africa's cricket isolation in 1970....
where he took 30 wickets (21.93) and another four 5 wicket hauls and made 329 runs (54.83) with two centuries. His attacking cricket impressed Sir Donald Bradman and the Australian selectors and he was the surprise choice as captain when Ian Craig
Ian Craig
Ian David Craig is a former Australian Test cricketer who represented Australia in 11 Tests between 1953 and 1958. A slightly built right-handed batsman, Craig holds the record for being the youngest Australian to make a first-class double century, gain Test selection and captain his country...
retired due to ill-health. 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 vice captain and Australia's best batsman and the "red-hot favourite for the captaincy", but had lost to Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
by a crushing 345 runs when he led an Australian XI against the tourists and this must have affected their decision. Benaud had been picked as vice-captain to Arthur Morris
Arthur Morris
Arthur Robert Morris MBE is a former Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of...
for the Second Test against England in 1954-55, but Morris sought advice from more senior players 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...
returned for the next Test. In 1958 Benaud was made captain of New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
, but had yet to led them in a Sheffield Shield match when he was made the national captain, but accepted the challenge with energy. A great believer of the saying "practice makes perfect" he trained himself and the team and honed their athletic advantage over the visitors. In particular he heightened their already formidable fielding skills, which he used to dry up the runs of the England batsmen, and their catching became phenomenal. He also encouraged quick running between the wickets to steal runs and unsettle the England bowlers. In the field his tactical genius proved decisive with cunning bowling changes and inventive fields, though he was happy to take advice from the more experienced Harvey and other players. His reputation reached such heights that a simple field change would torment the batsmen as he tried to work out what he was doing. In the Fourth Test "he moved short leg round a couple of yards...there was no reason for the move other than to apply psychological pressure. He was a master at upsetting the concentration of batsmen" Always aggressive and willing to take risks he proved to be one of the greatest captains in cricket and won his first five Tests series as captain, the sixth he drew to 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...
. As a player he grew into the role, becoming the first cricketer to make 2,000 runs and take 200 wickets in Tests and his 248 wickets was an Australian record until beaten by Dennis Lillee
Dennis Lillee
Dennis Keith Lillee, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation"...
. When he retired he became a famous broadcaster and journalist and would sometimes jokingly depreciate his captaincy, saying that "the hallmark of a great captain is the ability to win the toss at the right time", but in 1958-59 he lost the toss in the first four Tests and still won three the regain The Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
.
The Batsmen
Colin McDonald was captain of VictoriaVictorian 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...
and an effective opener with a short backlift who had made centuries against South Africa and the West Indies and had stood up to Tyson in 1954-55. He made as fighting 32 and 89 in "Laker's Test", but failed in the rest of the 1956 series. In 1958-59 McDonald's 519 runs (64.87) made him the first batsmen to top 500 runs in an Ashes series since Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
in 1950-51 and the first Australian to do so since Don Bradman in 1948. His opening partner was Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
a stonewaller and took 578 minutes to make 189 against South Africa in 1957-58 Cape Town and was the butt of the Sydney Hill
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...
barrackers; "Burkey, you're so like a statue, I wish I were a pigeon" He didn't make many runs in 1958-59 though he tended to hang around and retired at the end of the season rather than face the increasingly number of fast bowlers. 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 Australia's premier batsmen after the retirement of Don Bradman, a left-handed strokemaker whose technique allowed him to make runs while other could hardly get bat to ball. Norm O'Neill
Norm O'Neill
Norman Clifford O'Neill OAM was an cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958...
made his debut in this series and was like a breath of fresh air in the stagnant cricket of the late 1950s. Athletic, good-looking and a positive strokemaker he was hailed as the "New Bradman" and a favourite with the crowds. Crowds flocked to his games just to see the "Australian Hope" and his striking 71 not out to win the First Test made a mockery of the England's funeral second innings. After Harvey and O'Neill came Ken Mackay
Ken Mackay
Kenneth Donald Mackay was an Australian cricketer who played in 37 Tests from 1956 to 1963....
sarcastically called "Slasher Mackay" as he rarely indulged in strokeplay, instead the ungainly Queenslander
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...
set about occupying the crease for as long a possible. He never made a Test century and only averaged 33.48, but Mackay always seemed to make a 50 when Australia were in deep trouble. 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...
had a terrible time as an opener against Tyson and Statham in 1954-55, but was now a powerful middle-order batsman and crowd favourate who replaced Peter Burge after the First Test. Worth a mention is Bobby Simpson
Bob Simpson (cricketer)
Robert Baddeley Simpson AO is a former cricketer who played for New South Wales, Western Australia and Australia, captaining the national team from 1963–64 until 1967–68, and again in 1977–78. He later had a highly successful term as the coach of the Australian team...
, a batting prodigy to match Norm O'Neill
Norm O'Neill
Norman Clifford O'Neill OAM was an cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958...
and an outstanding slip fielder, who made a duck in his only Test innings in the series, but was often 12th man and used as a substitute fielder. In the lower order were 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....
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...
, both hard-hitting all-rounders who liked to attack the bowling, but whose late order heroics were seldom needed.
The Bowlers
With the retirement of Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Keith Ross Miller MBE was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. Because of his ability, irreverent manner and good looks he was a crowd favourite...
, 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 Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson (cricketer)
Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of...
in 1956 Australia needed to rebuild their bowling attack. 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...
would continue to play until 1960, and would overtake Clarrie Grimmett
Clarrie Grimmett
Clarence Victor "Clarrie" Grimmett was a cricketer; although born in New Zealand, he played most of his cricket in Australia. He is thought by many to be one of the finest early spin bowlers, and usually credited as the developer of the flipper.Grimmett was born in Caversham a suburb of Dunedin,...
's Australian record of 216 wickets. However, he was now 37 and was no longer the fast-bowler who had terrorised the England team in the 1940s even though he swung the ball heavily. Considering the bent elbows of Australia's latest talent and the purists dubbed him "the last of Australia's straight-arm bowlers". Fortunately the all-rounders 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...
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....
came good in the 1957-58 South African
History of cricket in South Africa from 1945-46 to 1970
This article describes the history of South African cricket from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the start of South Africa's cricket isolation in 1970....
tour after years of underperforming. "Davo"
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...
was a left-handed fast-medium swing bowler who came round the wicket and could move the ball either way off the pitch or through the air. Dogged by perennial injuries he took only 16 wickets (34.06) between 1953 and 1957, but starting in 1957-58 he would take 23 wickets or more in six out of seven series. 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...
thought he was "possibly the greatest left-arm new-ball bowler in the history of cricket" and with the exceptionally low Test average of 20.53 it is difficult to argue with him. The captain 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....
had in the last year emerged as probably the finest leg spinner in the world and his 31 wickets (18.83) in the series was the most taken for Australia against England since Monty Noble
Monty Noble
Montague Alfred Noble was an Australian cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-hand batsman, right-handed bowler who could deliver both medium pace and off-break bowling, capable fieldsman and tactically sound captain, Noble is considered as one of the great Australian...
in 1901-02. No great spinner of the ball, he was able to produce subtle variations, and unlike most leg-spinners was very economical After these three greats Australia's bowling was less dependable, or acceptable. Ian Meckiff
Ian Meckiff
Ian Meckiff is a former cricketer who represented Australia in 18 Tests between 1957 and 1963...
took 17 wickets (17.17) with his fast left hand swing bowling, but was never able to overcome the accusations of throwing that beset his career. His unusual style gave him the ability to swing the ball at high speed and the flick of his hand made it difficult for the batsman to read the ball. Meckiff was definitely fast, saying he "likes to make them whistle", but erratic, sometimes bowling balls two feet off the stumps on either side of the wicket. When Meckiff was ill the 6'5" Giant Rorke
Gordon Rorke
Gordon Frederick Rorke is a former Australian cricketer who played in 4 Tests in 1959.Rorke made his Test debut in January 1959 in the Fourth Test of The Ashes series against England in Adelaide...
came in and proved to be just as dangerous, taking 3/23 in the first innings of the Fourth Test and was sometimes almost unplayable as many balls pitched wide of the crease.
The Fielding
Richie BenaudRichie BenaudRichard "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....
has a fine team; he inspired them in the field and the team brought off some wonderful catches, and generally I thought Australia's out-cricket was some of the best I have seen.
- Peter May
Peter May-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
With their baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
experience Australia were traditionally a stronger fielding side than England, but had been outclassed in 1956. 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....
saw this as an area in which they could dominate and set about improving their already athletic skills to an extraordinary level. In this he was helped by having outstanding fielders in 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...
Wally Grout
Wally Grout
Arthur Theodore Wallace Grout was a Test cricketer who kept wicket for Australia and Queensland.Grout played in 51 Test matches between 1957 and 1966...
, 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 Norm O'Neill
Norm O'Neill
Norman Clifford O'Neill OAM was an cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958...
in the covers
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
, Bobby Simpson
Bob Simpson (cricketer)
Robert Baddeley Simpson AO is a former cricketer who played for New South Wales, Western Australia and Australia, captaining the national team from 1963–64 until 1967–68, and again in 1977–78. He later had a highly successful term as the coach of the Australian team...
and Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
in the slips
Slip (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a slip fielder is placed behind the batsman on the off side of the field. They are placed with the aim of catching an edged ball which is beyond the wicket-keeper's reach. Many teams employ two or three slips...
, "The Claw" 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...
in any close catching position and Benaud himself in the gully
Slip (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a slip fielder is placed behind the batsman on the off side of the field. They are placed with the aim of catching an edged ball which is beyond the wicket-keeper's reach. Many teams employ two or three slips...
. Their efforts make the English fielders look pedestrian, dried up the runs and restricted strokeplay and the spectacular England collapses can be attributed to their ability to turn half-chances were into catches. Wally Grout
Wally Grout
Arthur Theodore Wallace Grout was a Test cricketer who kept wicket for Australia and Queensland.Grout played in 51 Test matches between 1957 and 1966...
had played second string to Don Tallon
Don Tallon
Donald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
at 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...
since the war and 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....
and Len Maddocks
Len Maddocks
Leonard Victor Maddocks is a former Australian cricketer and cricket administrator who played in 7 Tests from 1954 to 1956...
for Australia since Tallon's retirement in 1953. As a result he was 30 when he played in his first Test on the 1957-58 South African
History of cricket in South Africa from 1945-46 to 1970
This article describes the history of South African cricket from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the start of South Africa's cricket isolation in 1970....
tour, when he held a record 6 catches in an innings. He soon established himself as the best wicket-keeper in the world and when he retired in 1966 his 187 dismissals in 51 Tests was second only to 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...
's 219 in 91 Tests.
Test Statistics
Below are the Test statistics of the Australian squad.| Test Statistics of Australian Team 1958-59 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | State | Age | Role | Tests | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s | Ct | St | Wickets | Best | Average | 5 Wt | 10 Wt |
| J.W. Burke Jim Burke (cricketer) James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :... |
New South Wales New South Wales Blues The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales... |
28 | Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
24 | 1280 | 189 | 34.59 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 12 | 4/37 | 28.75 | |||
| C.C. McDonald | 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... |
30 | Right-Handed Opening Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
47 | 3107 | 170 | 39.32 | 5 | 17 | 14 | 0/3 | |||||
| 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... (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... |
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... |
30 | Left-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
79 | 6145 | 205 | 48.41 | 21 | 24 | 64 | 3 | 1/8 | 40.00 | |||
| K.D. Mackay Ken Mackay Kenneth Donald Mackay was an Australian cricketer who played in 37 Tests from 1956 to 1963.... |
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... |
33 | Left-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
37 | 1507 | 89 | 33.48 | 13 | 16 | 50 | 6/42 | 34.42 | 2 | |||
| P.J.P. Burge | 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... |
26 | Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
42 | 2290 | 181 | 38.16 | 4 | 12 | 23 | ||||||
| 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... |
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... |
29 | Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
19 | 757 | 101 | 27.03 | 1 | 5 | 21 | ||||||
| N.C.L. O'Neill Norm O'Neill Norman Clifford O'Neill OAM was an cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958... |
New South Wales New South Wales Blues The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales... |
21 | Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
42 | 2779 | 181 | 45.55 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 17 | 4/41 | 39.23 | |||
| Bobby Simpson Bob Simpson (cricketer) Robert Baddeley Simpson AO is a former cricketer who played for New South Wales, Western Australia and Australia, captaining the national team from 1963–64 until 1967–68, and again in 1977–78. He later had a highly successful term as the coach of the Australian team... |
Western Australia Western Warriors The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia... |
22 | Right-Handed Top Order Batsman Batting order (cricket) In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time... |
62 | 4869 | 311 | 46.81 | 10 | 27 | 110 | 71 | 5/57 | 42.24 | 2 | ||
| A.T.W. Grout Wally Grout Arthur Theodore Wallace Grout was a Test cricketer who kept wicket for Australia and Queensland.Grout played in 51 Test matches between 1957 and 1966... |
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... |
31 | 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... |
51 | 890 | 74 | 15.08 | 3 | 163 | 24 | ||||||
| I. Meckiff Ian Meckiff Ian Meckiff is a former cricketer who represented Australia in 18 Tests between 1957 and 1963... |
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... |
23 | Left-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... |
18 | 154 | 45* 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... |
11.84 | 9 | 45 | 6/38 | 31.62 | 2 | ||||
| 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... |
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... |
37 | 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... |
61 | 1502 | 118 | 21.15 | 2 | 5 | 26 | 228 | 7/38 | 23.03 | 12 | ||
| G.F. Rorke Gordon Rorke Gordon Frederick Rorke is a former Australian cricketer who played in 4 Tests in 1959.Rorke made his Test debut in January 1959 in the Fourth Test of The Ashes series against England in Adelaide... |
New South Wales New South Wales Blues The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales... |
20 | 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... |
4 | 9 | 7 | 4.50 | 1 | 10 | 3/23 | 20.30 | |||||
| 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... |
New South Wales New South Wales Blues The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales... |
29 | 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... |
44 | 1328 | 80 | 24.59 | 5 | 42 | 186 | 7/93 | 20.53 | 14 | 2 | ||
| L.F. Kline Lindsay Kline Lindsay Francis Kline is former Australian and Victorian cricketer. He played in 13 Tests for Australia and 88 first-class matches between 1955/56 and 1961/1962... |
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... |
24 | Chinaman Bowler Left-arm unorthodox spin Left-arm unorthodox spin, or chinaman, is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket using the hand wrist. Left-arm unorthodox spin bowlers use a wrist hand action to spin the ball which turns from off to leg side of the cricket pitch... |
13 | 58 | 15* 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... |
8.28 | 9 | 34 | 7/75 | 22.82 | 1 | ||||
| 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.... (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... |
New South Wales New South Wales Blues The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales... |
28 | 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... |
63 | 2201 | 122 | 24.45 | 3 | 9 | 65 | 248 | 7/72 | 27.03 | 16 | 1 | |
| K. N. Slater Keith Slater Keith Nichol Slater is a former Western Australian and Australian cricketer and WAFL player.... |
Western Australia Western Warriors The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia... |
22 | 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... 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... |
1 | 1 | 1* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
2 | 2/40 | 50.50 |
First Test - Brisbane
See Main Article - 1958-59 Ashes seriesSecond Test - Melbourne
See Main Article - 1958-59 Ashes seriesThird Test - Sydney
See Main Article - 1958-59 Ashes seriesFourth Test - Adelaide
See Main Article - 1958-59 Ashes seriesFifth Test - Melbourne
See Main Article - 1958-59 Ashes seriesFurther reading
- Richie BenaudRichie BenaudRichard "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....
, A tale of two Tests: With some thoughts on captaincy, Hodder & Stoughton, 1962 - Mark Browning, Richie BenaudRichie BenaudRichard "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....
: Cricketer, Captain, Guru, Kangaroo Press, 1996 - Robert Coleman, Seasons In the Sun: the Story Of the Victorian Cricket Association, Hargreen Publishing, 1993.
- 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 - David Frith, Pageant of Cricket, The MacMillian Company of Australia, 1987
- David Frith, England Versus Australia: An Illustrated History of Every Test Match Since 1877, Viking, 2007
- Chris Harte, A History of Australian Cricket, Andre Deutsch, 1993
- Ken Kelly and David Lemmon, Cricket Reflections : Five Decades of Cricket Photographs, Heinemann, 1985
- Alban George Moyes, Benaud & Co: The story of the Tests, 1958-1959, Angus & Robertson, 1959
- Ray Robinson, On Top Down Under, Cassell, 1975
- E.W. Swanton (ed), The Barclays World of Cricket, Collins, 1986
- Bernard Whimpress, Chuckers: A history of throwing in Australian cricket, Elvis Press, 2004.
- Bob WillisBob WillisRobert George Dylan Willis MBE , known as Bob Willis, is a former English cricketer who played for Surrey, Warwickshire, Northern Transvaal and England...
and Patrick Murphy, Starting with Grace, Stanley Paul, 1986