English cricket team in Australia in 1954-55
Encyclopedia
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. After losing the First Test by an innings they beat Australia 3-1 and retained the Ashes
. The bowling of Frank Tyson
, Brian Statham
, Trevor Bailey
, Johnny Wardle
and Bob Appleyard
made it one of the strongest bowling sides to tour Australia and it was the only team of any nationality to defeat Australia at home between 1932-33
and 1970-71.
who had been a wicketkeeper-batsman for the Private Banks XI in 1926-36 and had played three games for Middlesex
. He was in the RAF during the Second World War and once hit a century before lunch playing for their cricket team. Howard had managed the MCC tour of India and Sri Lanka in 1951-52 and would later smooth things down when some players tipped water over the Umpire Idris Begh in Pakistan in 1955-56. "The 'Ger" ran a happy ship and even played in a couple of non-first class matches. He had been given no funds by the MCC (he was meant to return a profit) and had to take out an overdraft from an Australian bank until he could pay his way with gate receipts. When Len Hutton
was striken with fibrositis at the start o the Third Test was Howard and Duckworth who convinced him to play. George Duckworth
had been England keeper in the 1920s, but now sorted out the movement of the teams bags and trunks and travel arrangements, but "was guide, philosopher and friend to all who had the sense to see the worth of his experience of cricket in Australia" and liaised with the press corps. One innovation was Harold Dalton as the team physiotherapist, previously the players had used local masseurs as and when needed, but "Woozer" was able to keep a constant eye on the team's fitness.
The selection of the MCC touring team was not without controversy. Len Hutton
was the first professional
England captain since Arthur Shrewsbury
in 1876-77 other than temporary stop-gap. This break with tradition received much criticism from those who thought only an gentleman should hold this honour, but England had been heavily defeated by Australia in every series since the war, and even the West Indies in 1950
. Hutton had been brought up in the hard school of Yorkshire
cricket under George Hirst and Herbert Sutcliffe
. Hutton "...was a tactical genius, whose assistance was often sought..." by amateur captains, but in his day professionals were not taught the social graces
and the burden sat heavily on his shoulders.
He began well with a 3-0 victory over India in 1952
and regained the Ashes
1-0 in 1953
. England pulled back from being 2-0 down to square a series in the West Indies in 1953-54
despite political interference, riots and dubious umpiring. England drew 1-1 with Pakistan in 1954
, but Hutton was ill for two Tests and the Rev David Sheppard
captained England. There was talk that the Sussex
amateur should lead the MCC in Australia and New Zealand. Fortunately, wiser councils prevailed and Hutton was confirmed as captain. Of the amateurs on tour Bill Edrich
was an old comrade and had been a professional before the war and the others - Reg Simpson
, Trevor Bailey
, Peter May
and Colin Cowdrey
- had been schoolboys when Hutton was making Test centuries. As a result Hutton's right to the captaincy was not questioned, the team were happy to play under him and his conscientious vice-captain Peter May
was a particular helpful As a working class Yorkshireman he not adept at the social graces, and he gave his after-dinner speeches in "Pudsey
English". When dealing with the large press corps "developed the art when it suited him of delivering with much gravity Delphi
c utterances which his hearers could interpreter however they pleased"
Hutton captained England in 23 Tests - of which he won 11, drew 8 and lost 4 - and proved to be one of the most successful captains in England's history. They never lost a series in which he was captain and England regained the Ashes
from Lindsay Hassett's
powerful 1953 Australians
after a 19 year absence. He was fortunate in the quality of the young England players available in the 1950s, but he used them to the utmost effect. More than any other player he knew the stain of facing high quality fast bowling and used his own fast bowlers ruthlessly. Hutton would often slow the over rates both to rest them in the Australian heat and break the concentration of the batsmen, as he knew that strokemakers could be got out through frustration alone. These tactics did not endear him to the crowds, or the Old Guard back home who preferred the carefree attacking captaincy of the amateur, but they were very effective. The Yorkshireman also made bowling changes with great cunning, especially in the Fourth Test at Adelaide and his ability to read a wicket during a match sometimes verged on second sight
. Frank Tyson
wrote that Hutton was "pursued by his own personal demons. He will never be completely content until the series has been won and he has exorcised his two personal tormentors, Lindwall and Miller. Not for a moment does he relax his own bottled up intensity". There have been more inspirational captains and those with more flair and imagination, but few matched Len Hutton for sheer bloody-minded determination to win. He retired from the game soon after the tour and was knighted for services to cricket in 1956.
(56.67), Bill Edrich
(40.00), Peter May
(46.77), Colin Cowdrey
(44.06), Denis Compton
(50.06) and Trevor Bailey
(29.74), with Tom Graveney
(44.38) standing in the injured Compton and out of form Edrich in the two Sydney Tests. Hutton
was the holder of the then record Test score of 364 and had by far the best batting average of either team in 1950-51 (88.83) and 1953
(55.37). The main problem was finding a suitable opening partner once Cyril Washbrook
(42.81) had retired. Reg Simpson
(33.35) was the only other opener in the team and thought the job should be his. He had been on the sidelines for years, and had made 156 not out at Melbourne
in the 1950-51 Ashes series to beat Australia for the first time in 12 years. Though chosen for the First Test he failed and did not find his form until late in the series. As a result Hutton chopped and changed the batting order as Bailey, Edrich and Graveney was all pushed into the number two slot. England's opener problem remained unsolved until the emergence of John Edrich
and Geoffrey Boycott
in the 1960s. With the strong Australian bowling on their home turf runs were hard to come by and only the obstinate stonewaller Barnacle Bailey exceeded his career Test average in a low scoring series (37.00 over 29.74). Keith Miller
wrote "I reckon he has saved more matches for England than anyone else since the war. His figures belie his worth to England. When a fielding side sees him coming in, a trough of deep depression immediately settles around the area". Bill Edrich
had been a Squadron Leader
during the war and won the DFC
for his part in the "RAF's most audacious and dangerous low-level bombing raid"
on Cologne
in 1941. Edrich had "an immense relief that he survived" becoming a bon viveur
who lived for the day and a gutsy batsman who was "almost indifferent to his own safety. No bowler is too fast to hook; no score too large to defy challenge." Vic Wilson
was strapping Yorkshire
farmer who could hit the ball many a mile, but failed to come to terms with the Australian pitches. The baby-faced Colin Cowdrey
, a 21 year old Oxford
under-graduate and the youngest member of the side, was a real find with his immaculate timing of the ball in the first of a record six tours of Australia. "The 22-year-old had received news of his father's death at the start of the tour, but soldiered on, thanks to the advice and encouragement from his young teammate Peter May and father figure and captain Len Hutton". Even so, Hutton made a small bet that Wilson would score more Test runs than Cowdrey on the tour Tyson worked on his batting and in 1954 "was building up a reputation as an all-rounder
, scoring consistently with the bat", and even batted at number seven on the tour. The team scored fewer Test runs than any England team in Australia for fifty years, but with such talent somebody usually got the vital runs and, except at Brisbane, England had the advantage.
(21.57), off-spinner Jim Laker
(21.24) and slow left armer Tony Lock
(25.58) who between them had taken 15 wickets in the Ashes winning 5th Test at the Kensington Oval in 1953. The most likely explanation is that these outspoken cricketers were regarded as 'difficult tourists' by the MCC and Hutton thought that “Firey Fred” had yet to mature as a bowler. As in every series since the war it looked like the England bowling would rest on the broad shoulders of Alex Bedser (24.89), in 1954 his 231 wickets was the greatest haul in Test history. His lethal combination of in-swingers and leg-cutters had taken 30 wickets (16.06) on the 1950-51 tour and 39 wickets (17.48) in 1953. The unfortunate Bedser suffered from shingles, had seven catches dropped off him in the first Test, where he was hit for 1/131, was dropped and never got back into the side. He took to bowling to the Australian team
in the nets and Keith Miller
told him "You're not too bad for a Test discard. If you want a game you can come over and play with us". In the last four Tests Hutton relied on the formidable bowling attack of Frank Tyson
(18.76), Brian Statham
(24.84), Trevor Bailey
(29.21), Johnny Wardle
(20.39) and Bob Appleyard
(17.87). While Typhoon Tyson is justly famed for simply blasting the opposition away the nagging accuracy of Statham and Bailey and the increasing spin of Wardle and Appleyard all served to tie down and frustrate the Australian batsmen. In fact the spinners took wickets with a faster strike rate (1 wicket every 57 balls) and at a lower average (21.57) than the fast bowlers. Like Simpson
the fast swing bowler Peter Loader
(22.51) thought that he should have played in the Tests and was unlucky not to do so. Big Jim McConnon
also had a bad tour, he was never really seen as an adequate alternative for Jim Laker
, didn't find his form and was sent home early after a couple of painful injuries. Bill Edrich
had opend the England bowling before the war, but rarely bowled in the 1950s, Len Hutton
, Tom Graveney
and Colin Cowdrey
were part-time leg-spinners who were only really used in up-country games.
England's lamentable fielding at Brisbane - they dropped 14 catches - set a new low in Tests, made even worse by Australia's obvious superiority in this department. As a result the tourists worked on this aspect of their game and improved through the tour, they could hardly do worse. In the 1st Test the exuberant Godfrey Evans
- the outstanding wicket-keeper of the era - was suffering from heat-stroke so debutant Keith Andrew
was behind the stumps, he dropped Arthur Morris
on 0 (he made 153) and didn't take any catches. Evans recovered and took over the rest of the series, taking an magnificent leg side catch off Tyson to dismiss Neil Harvey
at Melbourne that precipitated Australia's collapse. Len Hutton
(57 catches), Peter May
(42), Bill Edrich
(39) and Tom Graveney
(80) were fine slip catchers, and Colin Cowdrey
(120) proved to be an excellent one, but Hutton had fibrositis, Edrich and Bedser
proved ungainly in the field and Denis Compton
not only had his knee problem, but broke his hand on a billboard at Brisbane. As a result the young bowlers had to exhaust themselves in the outfield instead of resting between spells. Vic Wilson never got to grips with the Australian pitches, but was a noted fielder and was used as a substitute.
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...
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
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...
in their other matches on the tour. It was the first time that an England team had toured Australia under a professional captain
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:...
since the 1880s. After losing the First Test by an innings they beat Australia 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...
. The bowling of 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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....
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...
made it one of the strongest bowling sides to tour Australia and it was the only team of any nationality to defeat Australia at home between 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...
and 1970-71.
The Manager
The tour was managed by Geoffrey Howard, the popular Secretary of Lancashire County Cricket ClubLancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
who had been a wicketkeeper-batsman for the Private Banks XI in 1926-36 and had played three games for Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
. He was in the RAF during the Second World War and once hit a century before lunch playing for their cricket team. Howard had managed the MCC tour of India and Sri Lanka in 1951-52 and would later smooth things down when some players tipped water over the Umpire Idris Begh in Pakistan in 1955-56. "The 'Ger" ran a happy ship and even played in a couple of non-first class matches. He had been given no funds by the MCC (he was meant to return a profit) and had to take out an overdraft from an Australian bank until he could pay his way with gate receipts. When 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...
was striken with fibrositis at the start o the Third Test was Howard and Duckworth who convinced him to play. George Duckworth
George Duckworth
George Duckworth was a professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and England....
had been England keeper in the 1920s, but now sorted out the movement of the teams bags and trunks and travel arrangements, but "was guide, philosopher and friend to all who had the sense to see the worth of his experience of cricket in Australia" and liaised with the press corps. One innovation was Harold Dalton as the team physiotherapist, previously the players had used local masseurs as and when needed, but "Woozer" was able to keep a constant eye on the team's fitness.
The Captain
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...
was the first professional
History of English amateur cricket
The history of English amateur cricket describes the concept and importance of amateur players in English cricket.-Co-development of amateur and professional cricket to 1800:...
England captain since Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury
Arthur Shrewsbury was an English cricketer, and rugby football administrator, who organised the first British Isles rugby tour to Australasia in 1888, and who was widely rated as competing with W. G...
in 1876-77 other than temporary stop-gap. This break with tradition received much criticism from those who thought only an gentleman should hold this honour, but England had been heavily defeated by Australia in every series since the war, and even the West Indies in 1950
West Indian cricket team in England in 1950
The West Indies cricket team toured England in the 1950 season to play a four-match Test series against England.West Indies won the series 3-1 with no matches drawn.-Test series summary:* at Old Trafford – England won by 202 runs...
. Hutton had been brought up in the hard school of 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....
cricket under George Hirst and Herbert Sutcliffe
Herbert Sutcliffe
Herbert Sutcliffe was an English professional cricketer who represented Yorkshire and England as an opening batsman. Apart from one match in 1945, his first-class career spanned the period between the two World Wars...
. Hutton "...was a tactical genius, whose assistance was often sought..." by amateur captains, but in his day professionals were not taught the social graces
Social graces
Social graces are skills used to interact politely in social situations. They include manners, etiquette , deportment and fashion. These skills were once taught to young women at a finishing school or charm school...
and the burden sat heavily on his shoulders.
He began well with a 3-0 victory over India in 1952
Indian cricket team in England in 1952
The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1952 season. The team played four Test matches, losing three of them and drawing the other one. In all first-class matches, they played 29, winning four and losing five, with the rest drawn.-The Indian team:...
and 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...
1-0 in 1953
Australian cricket team in England in 1953
The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1953 season to play a five-match Test series against England for The Ashes.England won the final Test to take the series 1-0 after the first four Tests were all drawn. England therefore recovered the Ashes for the first time since losing them in...
. England pulled back from being 2-0 down to square a series in the West Indies in 1953-54
English cricket team in West Indies in 1953-54
The English Cricket Team in the West Indies in 1953-54 played five Test matches, five other first-class matches and seven other games, three of them on a two-week stop-over in Bermuda that included Christmas....
despite political interference, riots and dubious umpiring. England drew 1-1 with Pakistan in 1954
Pakistani cricket team in England in 1954
The Pakistani cricket team toured England in the 1954 season. The team played four Test matches against England, winning one, losing one and drawing two. These were the first Test matches played between the two sides...
, but Hutton was ill for two Tests and the Rev David Sheppard
David Sheppard
David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool was the high-profile Bishop of Liverpool in the Church of England who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth...
captained England. There was talk that the Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
amateur should lead the MCC in Australia and New Zealand. Fortunately, wiser councils prevailed and Hutton was confirmed as captain. Of the amateurs on tour 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 an old comrade and had been a professional before the war and the others - 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:...
, 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...
, Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
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...
- had been schoolboys when Hutton was making Test centuries. As a result Hutton's right to the captaincy was not questioned, the team were happy to play under him and his conscientious vice-captain Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
was a particular helpful As a working class Yorkshireman he not adept at the social graces, and he gave his after-dinner speeches in "Pudsey
Pudsey
Pudsey is a market town in West Yorkshire, England. Once an independent town, it was incorporated into the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds in 1974, and is located midway between Bradford and Leeds city centres. It has a population of 32,391....
English". When dealing with the large press corps "developed the art when it suited him of delivering with much gravity Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
c utterances which his hearers could interpreter however they pleased"
Hutton captained England in 23 Tests - of which he won 11, drew 8 and lost 4 - and proved to be one of the most successful captains in England's history. They never lost a series in which he was captain and England 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...
from Lindsay Hassett's
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
powerful 1953 Australians
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...
after a 19 year absence. He was fortunate in the quality of the young England players available in the 1950s, but he used them to the utmost effect. More than any other player he knew the stain of facing high quality fast bowling and used his own fast bowlers ruthlessly. Hutton would often slow the over rates both to rest them in the Australian heat and break the concentration of the batsmen, as he knew that strokemakers could be got out through frustration alone. These tactics did not endear him to the crowds, or the Old Guard back home who preferred the carefree attacking captaincy of the amateur, but they were very effective. The Yorkshireman also made bowling changes with great cunning, especially in the Fourth Test at Adelaide and his ability to read a wicket during a match sometimes verged on second sight
Second sight
Second sight is a form of extrasensory perception, the supposed power to perceive things that are not present to the senses, whereby a person perceives information, in the form of a vision, about future events before they happen , or about things or events at remote locations...
. 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...
wrote that Hutton was "pursued by his own personal demons. He will never be completely content until the series has been won and he has exorcised his two personal tormentors, Lindwall and Miller. Not for a moment does he relax his own bottled up intensity". There have been more inspirational captains and those with more flair and imagination, but few matched Len Hutton for sheer bloody-minded determination to win. He retired from the game soon after the tour and was knighted for services to cricket in 1956.
The Batting
With hindsight England had a strong battling line up; 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...
(56.67), 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...
(40.00), Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
(46.77), 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...
(44.06), Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
(50.06) 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...
(29.74), with 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...
(44.38) standing in the injured Compton and out of form Edrich in the two Sydney Tests. 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...
was the holder of the then record Test score of 364 and had by far the best batting average of either team in 1950-51 (88.83) and 1953
Australian cricket team in England in 1953
The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1953 season to play a five-match Test series against England for The Ashes.England won the final Test to take the series 1-0 after the first four Tests were all drawn. England therefore recovered the Ashes for the first time since losing them in...
(55.37). The main problem was finding a suitable opening partner once Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook
Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592...
(42.81) had retired. 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:...
(33.35) was the only other opener in the team and thought the job should be his. He had been on the sidelines for years, and had made 156 not out at Melbourne
McG
Joseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
in the 1950-51 Ashes series to beat Australia for the first time in 12 years. Though chosen for the First Test he failed and did not find his form until late in the series. As a result Hutton chopped and changed the batting order as Bailey, Edrich and Graveney was all pushed into the number two slot. England's opener problem remained unsolved until the emergence of John Edrich
John Edrich
John Edrich, MBE is a former English cricketer, who played for Surrey and England. He earned a reputation as a dogged and fearless batsman, and his figures show that he was amongst the best players of his generation...
and Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott OBE is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's most successful opening batsmen...
in the 1960s. With the strong Australian bowling on their home turf runs were hard to come by and only the obstinate stonewaller Barnacle Bailey exceeded his career Test average in a low scoring series (37.00 over 29.74). 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 "I reckon he has saved more matches for England than anyone else since the war. His figures belie his worth to England. When a fielding side sees him coming in, a trough of deep depression immediately settles around the area". 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 been a Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
during the war and won the DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
for his part in the "RAF's most audacious and dangerous low-level bombing raid"
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
on Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
in 1941. Edrich had "an immense relief that he survived" becoming a bon viveur
Bon viveur
A bon viveur is a person who enjoys the good things of life, especially food. The phrase is derived from the French bon vivant, meaning good living, a bon viveur being a "good liver", or one who lives well. The phrase is not derogatory but conveys a sense of overindulgence...
who lived for the day and a gutsy batsman who was "almost indifferent to his own safety. No bowler is too fast to hook; no score too large to defy challenge." Vic Wilson
Vic Wilson (cricketer)
John Victor "Vic" Wilson was an English first-class cricketer, who played for and captained Yorkshire. He was born in Scampston, Malton, Yorkshire, England....
was strapping Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
farmer who could hit the ball many a mile, but failed to come to terms with the Australian pitches. The baby-faced 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...
, a 21 year old Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
under-graduate and the youngest member of the side, was a real find with his immaculate timing of the ball in the first of a record six tours of Australia. "The 22-year-old had received news of his father's death at the start of the tour, but soldiered on, thanks to the advice and encouragement from his young teammate Peter May and father figure and captain Len Hutton". Even so, Hutton made a small bet that Wilson would score more Test runs than Cowdrey on the tour Tyson worked on his batting and in 1954 "was building up a reputation as an all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
, scoring consistently with the bat", and even batted at number seven on the tour. The team scored fewer Test runs than any England team in Australia for fifty years, but with such talent somebody usually got the vital runs and, except at Brisbane, England had the advantage.
The Bowling
Like Australia England had a rich seam of bowling talent in the 1950s, so much so that the left behind fast bowler Fred TruemanFred Trueman
Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968...
(21.57), off-spinner Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
(21.24) and slow left armer Tony Lock
Tony Lock
Graham Anthony Richard Lock was an English cricketer, who played primarily as a left-arm spinner. He played in forty nine Tests for England taking 174 wickets at 25.58 each.-Life and career:...
(25.58) who between them had taken 15 wickets in the Ashes winning 5th Test at the Kensington Oval in 1953. The most likely explanation is that these outspoken cricketers were regarded as 'difficult tourists' by the MCC and Hutton thought that “Firey Fred” had yet to mature as a bowler. As in every series since the war it looked like the England bowling would rest on the broad shoulders of Alex Bedser (24.89), in 1954 his 231 wickets was the greatest haul in Test history. His lethal combination of in-swingers and leg-cutters had taken 30 wickets (16.06) on the 1950-51 tour and 39 wickets (17.48) in 1953. The unfortunate Bedser suffered from shingles, had seven catches dropped off him in the first Test, where he was hit for 1/131, was dropped and never got back into the side. He took to bowling to the Australian team
Australian cricket team in Australia in 1954–55
The 1954-55 Australians lost 3-1 to the touring England team in the 1954-55 Ashes series. The Australian teams of the 1940s and early 1950s were strong even after the retirement of Don Bradman as many of his great 1948 side remained...
in the nets 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...
told him "You're not too bad for a Test discard. If you want a game you can come over and play with us". In the last four Tests Hutton relied on the formidable bowling attack of 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...
(18.76), 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...
(24.84), 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...
(29.21), 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....
(20.39) 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...
(17.87). While Typhoon Tyson is justly famed for simply blasting the opposition away the nagging accuracy of Statham and Bailey and the increasing spin of Wardle and Appleyard all served to tie down and frustrate the Australian batsmen. In fact the spinners took wickets with a faster strike rate (1 wicket every 57 balls) and at a lower average (21.57) than the fast bowlers. Like Simpson
Reg Simpson
Reginald Thomas Simpson is an English former cricketer, who played in twentry seven Tests from 1948 to 1955.-Life and career:...
the fast swing bowler Peter Loader
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...
(22.51) thought that he should have played in the Tests and was unlucky not to do so. Big Jim McConnon
Jim McConnon
Jim McConnon was an English cricketer, who played in two Tests in 1954 as an off-spin bowler. He played for Glamorgan from 1950 to 1961, albeit missing the 1956 season when he decided to play in the Lancashire League...
also had a bad tour, he was never really seen as an adequate alternative for Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
, didn't find his form and was sent home early after a couple of painful injuries. 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 opend the England bowling before the war, but rarely bowled in the 1950s, 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...
, 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...
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...
were part-time leg-spinners who were only really used in up-country games.
The Fielding
EvansGodfrey EvansThomas 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...
is a grand keeper. On this tour he proved that he is the outstanding keeper in the world today. I have never seen a better keeper than TallonDon TallonDonald "Don" Tallon was an Australian cricketer who played 21 Test matches as a wicket-keeper between 1946 and 1953...
as he was in England in 1948...but that time has passed. Evans is now the world best. That's the way things go and the way we Australians are supposed to like it. Evans reminds me always of a fox terrierFox TerrierFox Terrier refers primarily to two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern...
. He simply cannot stand still whilst on the cricket field. He moves with short, quick steps, dives, literally dives, at the ball when it it returned badly out of his reach...
- 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...
England's lamentable fielding at Brisbane - they dropped 14 catches - set a new low in Tests, made even worse by Australia's obvious superiority in this department. As a result the tourists worked on this aspect of their game and improved through the tour, they could hardly do worse. In the 1st Test the exuberant 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...
- the outstanding wicket-keeper of the era - was suffering from heat-stroke so 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:...
was behind the stumps, he 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...
on 0 (he made 153) and didn't take any catches. Evans recovered and took over the rest of the series, taking an magnificent leg side catch off Tyson to dismiss 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...
at Melbourne that precipitated Australia's collapse. 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...
(57 catches), Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
(42), 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...
(39) 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...
(80) were fine slip catchers, 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...
(120) proved to be an excellent one, but Hutton had fibrositis, Edrich and 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...
proved ungainly in the field and Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
not only had his knee problem, but broke his hand on a billboard at Brisbane. As a result the young bowlers had to exhaust themselves in the outfield instead of resting between spells. Vic Wilson never got to grips with the Australian pitches, but was a noted fielder and was used as a substitute.
The England touring squad
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 their initials were used at all.| Test Statistics of England Team in 1954-55 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | County | Age | Role | Tests | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | 50s | Ct | St | Wickets | Best | Average | 5 Wt | 10 Wt |
| C.G. Howard | Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
45 | Manager | |||||||||||||
| Duckworth, G. George Duckworth George Duckworth was a professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and England.... |
Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
53 | Scorer Scorer A scorer in the sport of cricket is someone appointed to record all runs scored, all wickets taken and, where appropriate, number of overs bowled. In professional games, in compliance with the Laws of Cricket, two scorers are appointed, most often one provided by each team.The scorers have no say... and Baggage Man |
24 | 234 | 39* | 14.62 | 45 | 15 | |||||||
| Dalton, H.W. | Physiotherapist | |||||||||||||||
| 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... |
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.... |
38 | 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... |
79 | 6971 | 364 | 56.67 | 19 | 33 | 57 | 3 | 1/2 | 77.33 | |||
| 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:... |
Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws... |
34 | 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... |
27 | 1401 | 156* | 33.45 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2/4 | 11.00 | |||
| Wilson, J.V. Vic Wilson (cricketer) John Victor "Vic" Wilson was an English first-class cricketer, who played for and captained Yorkshire. He was born in Scampston, Malton, Yorkshire, England.... |
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.... |
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... |
|||||||||||||
| Compton, D.C.S. Denis Compton Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer... |
Middlesex Middlesex County Cricket Club Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the... |
36 | 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... |
78 | 5807 | 278 | 50.06 | 17 | 28 | 49 | 25 | 5/70 | 56.40 | 1 | ||
| 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... |
Kent Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent... |
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... |
114 | 7624 | 182 | 44.06 | 22 | 38 | 120 | 0/1 | |||||
| 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... |
Middlesex Middlesex County Cricket Club Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the... |
38 | 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... |
39 | 2440 | 219 | 40.00 | 6 | 13 | 39 | 41 | 4/68 | 41.29 | |||
| 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... |
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire County Cricket Club Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators.... |
27 | 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... |
79 | 4882 | 258 | 44.38 | 11 | 20 | 80 | 1 | 1/34 | 167.00 | |||
| 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... |
Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
24 | 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... |
66 | 4537 | 285* | 46.77 | 14 | 22 | 42 | ||||||
| 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:... |
Northamptonshire Northamptonshire County Cricket Club Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the... |
24 | 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... |
2 | 29 | 15 | 9.66 | 1 | ||||||||
| Evans, T.G. Godfrey Evans Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches... |
Kent Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent... |
33 | 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... |
91 | 2439 | 104 | 20.49 | 2 | 8 | 173 | 46 | |||||
| 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... |
Northamptonshire Northamptonshire County Cricket Club Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the... |
24 | 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... |
18 | 230 | 37* | 10.95 | 4 | 76 | 7/27 | 18.56 | 4 | 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... |
Essex Essex County Cricket Club Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games... |
30 | 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... |
61 | 2290 | 134* | 29.74 | 1 | 10 | 32 | 132 | 7/34 | 29.21 | 5 | 1 | |
| 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... |
Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
24 | 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... |
51 | 675 | 38 | 11.44 | 28 | 252 | 7/39 | 24.84 | 9 | 1 | |||
| Loader, P.J. 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... |
Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
24 | 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... |
13 | 76 | 17 | 5.84 | 2 | 39 | 6/36 | 22.51 | 1 | ||||
| Bedser, A.V. Alec Bedser Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club... |
Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
36 | 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... |
51 | 714 | 79 | 12.75 | 1 | 26 | 236 | 7/44 | 24.89 | 15 | 5 | ||
| 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... |
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.... |
31 | 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... |
9 | 51 | 19* | 17.00 | 4 | 31 | 5/51 | 17.87 | 1 | ||||
| McConnon, J.E. Jim McConnon Jim McConnon was an English cricketer, who played in two Tests in 1954 as an off-spin bowler. He played for Glamorgan from 1950 to 1961, albeit missing the 1956 season when he decided to play in the Lancashire League... |
Glamorgan Glamorgan County Cricket Club Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County... |
31 | 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... |
2 | 18 | 11 | 9.00 | 4 | 4 | 3/19 | 18.50 | |||||
| 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.... |
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.... |
31 | Slow Left Arm Bowler Left-arm orthodox spin Left-arm orthodox spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket.Left-arm orthodox spin is bowled by a left arm bowler using the fingers to spin the ball from right to left of the cricket pitch... 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... |
28 | 653 | 66 | 19.78 | 2 | 12 | 102 | 7/36 | 20.39 | 5 | 1 |
First Test - Brisbane
See Main Article - 1954-55 Ashes seriesSecond Test - Sydney
See Main Article - 1954-55 Ashes seriesThird Test - Melbourne
See Main Article - 1954-55 Ashes seriesFourth Test - Adelaide
See Main Article - 1954-55 Ashes seriesFifth Test - Sydney
See Main Article - 1954-55 Ashes seriesFurther 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 - Peter Arnold, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Cricket, W. H. Smith, 1985
- Sidney Barnes, The Ashes Ablaze: The M. C. C. Australian tour, 1954-55, Kimber, 1955
- Ashley Brown, The Pictorial History of Cricket, Bison, 1988
- Bill FrindallBill FrindallWilliam Howard Frindall, MBE was an English cricket scorer and statistician. He was familiar to cricket followers from his appearances on the BBC Radio 4 programme Test Match Special, nicknamed the Bearded Wonder by Brian Johnston for his ability to research the most obscure cricketing facts in...
, The Wisden Book of Test Cricket 1877-1978, Wisden, 1979 - 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 - 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 - 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
- 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: A Pictorial Celebration of Cricket, 1864-1986, Stanley Paul, 1986 - 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"