Prime Minister's XI
Encyclopedia
Prime Minister's XI or PM's XI (formerly 'Australian Prime Minister's Invitation XI') is the name of an annual cricket
match held at the Manuka Oval
in Canberra
, with the Australian team picked by the Prime Minister of Australia
playing against an overseas team. The Australian team usually includes up and coming players.
In 1962–63 Sir Donald Bradman
came out of retirement to play for the Prime Minister's XI against the MCC, it was the last time he ever played cricket and he was freakishly bowled by Brian Statham
for 4, when he returned to the pavilion he told Robert Menzies
"It wouldn't happen in a thousand years. Anyway that's my final appearance at the wicket."
In 1984 the Prime Minister's XI took on the Parliamentary Press Gallery XI in what was dubbed the 'Pollies vs Press' match. The Prime Minister, Bob Hawke
played, and whilst batting, top-edged a hook shot into his face, smashing his glasses in the process. Although retiring hurt for treatment, he later returned to the crease to see the PM's XI home for victory.
India
lost the December 1999 PM's XI by 164 runs.
England
lost the 2002 Prime Minister's XI.
In 2003 there was a match between the PM's XI and an ATSIC Chairperson's XI held at Adelaide Oval
.
Pakistan
won the match in January 2005 with a five-wicket victory with seven overs remaining.
The 2005/06 match was changed from South Africa
to the West Indies.
The team announced is captained by Justin Langer
.
The match on December 2, 2005 had to end early due to the Canberra storms, with Australia getting 4/316, and West Indies finishing in the 31st over at 3/174. The PM's XI won by six runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.
In 2006/2007 England lost to the Prime Minister's XI by 166 runs. The game was scheduled earlier than usual (November 10) due to the Ashes Series. It was the first English tour match of the summer.
the cricket loving Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies
invited the MCC to a reception on the evening before the match and the ex-Australian captain Lindsay Hassett
recited a ditty about facing "Typhoon" Tyson
.
When he finished there was a thunder-clap from the storm outside "Listen, he's just started his run-up!" joked Hassett. The match was a game played in one day with each side playing one innings rather than Limited overs cricket in the modern sense of the term. Hutton won the toss and opened with Bill Edrich
, but both were out for 25/2, but Peter May
made 101 and added 98 with Vic Wilson
(29) and 76 with Tom Graveney
(56). Johnny Wardle
scooped and swatted 37 not out and the MCC declared on 278/7 after 40 eight-ball overs. The match had a party atmosphere and Hassett gave 9 of his players a bowl, six of them took a wicket and himself 2/34 with his medium pacers. Tailender Ian Johnson
opened the Australian bowling and was out for 4, but his partner was the big hitting Richie Benaud
who smashed the ball all over the ground in his 113 as the Prime Minister's XI made 247 off 30.3 overs at over a run a ball. One of his sixes was caught by the Governor General
Field Marshal
Sir William Slim and a businessman donated £35 and 10 shillings to local charities, 30 shillings for each six and 10 shillings for each four. Veteran batsman Sam Loxton
hit 47 and Keith Miller
38 as Bill Edrich
's fast bowling cost him 40 runs off 5 overs, though he did take 2 wickets. Johnny Wardle
(4/73) produced a middle order collapse from 195/2 to 234/7 with Vic Wilson
helping him with three catches. When Hassett came in to bat Tyson was brought on and took an outrageously long run up before bowling a slow donkey drop
. He then bowled a real bouncer that hit Hassett on the hand before catching him off Len Hutton
's leg spin (3/15) for a 31 run victory.
Prime Minister Robert Menzies
had five Australian captains in his team; Lindsay Hassett
, Ian Johnson
, Arthur Morris
, Ian Craig
and Ray Lindwall
, the all-rounder Sam Loxton
and a Victorian
wicket-keeper called Les Botham. They batted first and the opener Morris hit 14 boundaries in his 79 and Brian James, a New South Wales Country player hit 5 sixes in his 88 before retiring hurt. Tom Graveney
took 2/38 with his leg-spin and Jim Laker
2/61. They declared on 288/7 off 38 eight-ball overs in two hours and thirty-five minutes, leaving the MCC roughly the same number of overs in slightly less time. Peter Richardson
was out for a duck to Lindwall, Ted Dexter
thrashed 76 before hitting his wicket and Colin Cowdrey
struck 101 runs in 84 minutes with 10 boundaries to win the match by four wickets. After the victory the MCC batted on to entertain the crowd and Cowdrey reached his century before he was caught by Hassett off Morris (4/46), who ran through the lower order with his part-time leg-spin and they were all out for 332.
In the MCC tour of Australia in 1962–63
there was intense anticipation for the match against the Prime Minister's XI as the 54-year-old Sir Donald Bradman agreed to captain the team after 14 years without playing cricket. The thorough man that he was Bradman started practicing for the big day and 10,000 men, women and children came to see him bat for the last time. His old foe the MCC assistant-manager Alec Bedser
agreed to play and the Bradman Pavilion was unveiled at the Manuka Oval
. The Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies
was a keen cricket fan who initiated these matches in 1951 and the money raised was donated to Legacy
, a charity for the dependents of deceased Australian servicemen. Ted Dexter
won the toss and elected to bat with Bradman fielding at first slip they rattled the fence with 36 fours and birthday-boy Fred Trueman
hit a six. David Sheppard
top-scored with 72 and Colin Cowdrey
made 42. Richie Benaud
took 2/62 off 8 overs, but the bowling honours went to the Canberra leg-spinner G. Brown, who took 3/61. Dexter nicked a ball off Brown to Wally Grout
, but was called back by Bradman when he walked as the umpire gave him not out. "Lord Ted" lofted the next ball to Cowper at extra-cover and walked off for 22. Dexter declared the innings at 253/7, leaving the Prime Minister's XI 254 to win and Bob Cowper
(47) and Ray Flockton
(45) got the home team off to a good start with 7 boundaries apiece. They had both departed and the score was 108/3 when the name of Bradman came up on the board and the great man in a baggy green cap
walked out to the crease to a standing ovation, surrounded by photographers and greeted by the England team. Tom Graveney
's leg-spin got him off the mark with a straight-drive and in the next over from Brian Statham
the Australian politician Don Chipp
hit a single to put Bradman on strike. Although it was the intention of the MCC to let Bradman get some runs, and to bat against Bedser, Statham bowled a leg-cutter that came of the inside edge, brushed the pads and bounced onto the stumps with just enough force to dislodge a bail and the Don was out. Statham threw up his hands in anguish and the crowd was stunned, but "the little man, after on brief look back at his broken wicket, walked quickly away, the step firm, the head erect, but the shoulders, one thought, now slightly stooped. He had made one scoring stroke, for four. The crowd watched him go and signed. How much they wanted just a half-hour, at least, of him—as the Englishmen had." Ironically, in his last Test 14 years before he had been bowled by Eric Hollies
for a duck, four runs short of a Test average of 100.00. He reached the pavilion to the commiserations of the Prime Minister and the Duke of Norfolk and told them "It wouldn't happen in a thousand years. Anyway that's my final appearance at the wicket." After this the rest of the match was an anticlimax. Neil Harvey
was out for 3 and the PM's XI were 123/6 before Richie Benaud
(63) and Ken Mackay
(49) restored the situation, but David Allen
(5/68) took three quick wickets, G. Brown was unable to bat so the PM's XI were out for 250 and the MCC won by 3 runs. Robert Menzies
invited both teams to dinner and at the end of his speech presented a delighted Fred Trueman
with a silver tankard as a birthday present from the Australian people. The Duke joked to the Prime Minister "I suppose you know you've just destroyed the disciplinary labours of several months?"
the Prime Minister of Australia
Robert Menzies
had a
team that consisted of Australian Test players such as Wally Grout
, Alan Connolly
and Bob Cowper
, retired veterans Neil Harvey
, Richie Benaud
and Jim Burke
, young talent like Keith Stackpole
the teenaged Paul Sheahan
as well as the famous West Indian fast bowler Wes Hall
. Benaud captained the team and furfilled 90% of his duties by winning the toss and chosing to bat. Thanks to Burke (79), Sheahan (60), Benaud (45) and Stackpole (32 not out) the Prime Minister's XI hit 288/7 in 35 overs, with the wickets shared amongst the touring bowlers with Jeff Jones
taking 2/21, David Larter
2/43 and Bob Barber
2/72. The declaration came half way through the day and the MCC's 289/8 also took 35 overs, though they passed 200 for the loss of two wickets as Geoff Boycott made 95 before he was run out, Colin Cowdrey
52 and M.J.K. Smith 51 not out. Eight bowlers were used, but the best was Jim Burke who took 2/5 with his infamous chucking action
, dismissing John Murray
and Jones for ducks in the closing minutes of the match.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
match held at the Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval is a 13,550 capacity ground located in the suburb of Griffith, adjacent to Manuka, a business district of Canberra, Australia's capital....
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, with the Australian team picked by the Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
playing against an overseas team. The Australian team usually includes up and coming players.
In 1962–63 Sir Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
came out of retirement to play for the Prime Minister's XI against the MCC, it was the last time he ever played cricket and he was freakishly bowled by 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...
for 4, when he returned to the pavilion he told Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
"It wouldn't happen in a thousand years. Anyway that's my final appearance at the wicket."
In 1984 the Prime Minister's XI took on the Parliamentary Press Gallery XI in what was dubbed the 'Pollies vs Press' match. The Prime Minister, Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
played, and whilst batting, top-edged a hook shot into his face, smashing his glasses in the process. Although retiring hurt for treatment, he later returned to the crease to see the PM's XI home for victory.
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
lost the December 1999 PM's XI by 164 runs.
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
lost the 2002 Prime Minister's XI.
In 2003 there was a match between the PM's XI and an ATSIC Chairperson's XI held at Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
.
Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
won the match in January 2005 with a five-wicket victory with seven overs remaining.
The 2005/06 match was changed from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to the West Indies.
The team announced is captained by Justin Langer
Justin Langer
Justin Lee Langer AM is a former international cricketer who represented Australia in 105 Test matches and the current Assistant Coach and Batting Coach of the Australian cricket team. A left-handed batsman, his opening partnership with Matthew Hayden was one of the most successful of all time...
.
The match on December 2, 2005 had to end early due to the Canberra storms, with Australia getting 4/316, and West Indies finishing in the 31st over at 3/174. The PM's XI won by six runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.
In 2006/2007 England lost to the Prime Minister's XI by 166 runs. The game was scheduled earlier than usual (November 10) due to the Ashes Series. It was the first English tour match of the summer.
List of Matches
| Date | Prime Minister | Opposition team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1951 | Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
Match drawn | |
| 8 Dec 1954 | Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
Marylebone Cricket Club won by 31 runs |
| 10 Feb 1959 | Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
Marylebone Cricket Club won by 4 wickets |
| 18 Feb 1961 | Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
Match tied | |
| 6 Feb 1963 | Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
Marylebone Cricket Club won by 4 runs |
| 3 Feb 1964 | Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
 South African cricket team The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 1 wicket |
| 17 Dec 1965 | Menzies Robert Menzies Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia.... |
Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of... |
Marylebone Cricket Club won by 2 wickets |
| 24 Jan 1984 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 52 runs | |
| 22 Jan 1985 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
West Indians won by 15 runs | |
| 22 Jan 1986 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
No result | |
| 23 Dec 1986 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
England XI won by 4 wickets | |
| 23 Dec 1987 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
New Zealanders won by 37 runs | |
| 8 Dec 1988 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
Match abandoned without a ball bowled | |
| 31 Jan 1990 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 81 runs | |
| 4 Dec 1990 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 31 runs | |
| 17 Dec 1991 | Hawke Bob Hawke Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 75 runs | |
| 12 Nov 1992 | Keating Paul Keating Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 3 runs | |
| 2 Dec 1993 | Keating Paul Keating Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election... |
South African cricket team The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 4 runs |
| 9 Nov 1994 | Keating Paul Keating Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 2 wickets | |
| 5 Dec 1995 | Keating Paul Keating Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election... |
Match abandoned without a ball bowled | |
| 10 Dec 1996 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 58 runs | |
| 2 Dec 1997 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
South Africans won by 11 runs | |
| 17 Dec 1998 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
England XI won by 16 runs | |
| 7 Dec 1999 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 164 runs | |
| 7 Dec 2000 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 4 wickets | |
| 19 Apr 2001 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
ATSIC Chairman's XI | ATSIC Chairman's XI won by 7 wickets |
| 6 Dec 2001 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
New Zealanders won by 4 wickets | |
| 8 Mar 2002 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
ATSIC Chairman's XI | Prime Minister's XI won by 8 wickets |
| Dec 10 2002 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 4 wickets | |
| 21 Mar 2003 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
ATSIC Chairman's XI | Prime Minister's XI won by 8 wickets |
| 28 Jan 2004 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Indians won by 1 run | |
| 25 Jan 2005 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Pakistanis won by 5 wickets | |
| 2 Dec 2005 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 6 runs (D/L method) | |
| 10 Nov 2006 | Howard John Howard John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies.... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 166 runs | |
| 30 Jan 2008 | Rudd Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010... |
Sri Lankans won by 4 wickets | |
| 29 Jan 2009 | Rudd Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010... |
Prime Minister's XI won by 6 wickets | |
| 4 Feb 2010 | Rudd Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010... |
West Indies won by 90 runs (D/L method) | |
| 10 Jan 2011 | Gillard Julia Gillard Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved... |
England won by 7 wickets (D/L method) | |
| 2012 | Gillard Julia Gillard Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved... |
Prime Minister's XI vs MCC 1954–55
In the MCC tour of Australia in 1954–55MCC tour of Australia in 1954–55
The Marylebone Cricket Club tour of Australia in 1954-55 under the captaincy of Len Hutton was its tenth since it took official control of overseas tours in 1907-1908. The touring team played as England in the 1954-55 Ashes series against Australia, but as the MCC in all other games...
the cricket loving Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
invited the MCC to a reception on the evening before the match and the ex-Australian captain Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
recited a ditty about facing "Typhoon" Tyson
Frank Tyson
Frank Holmes Tyson is an England cricketer of the 1950s who became a journalist and cricket commentator after he emigrated to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket and took 76 wickets in...
.
They say that this bloke Tyson is fast!
Faster than LarwoodHarold LarwoodHarold Larwood was an English cricket player, an extremely accurate fast bowler best known for his key role as the implementer of fast leg theory in the infamous "bodyline" Ashes Test series of 1932–33....
so they say!
They also say that he takes a run-up of a hundred yards!
Fast - psshaw! I'm not scared of him and his long run.
Tomorrow when I bat, I'll hook him out of sight!
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...
, but both were out for 25/2, but Peter May
Peter May
-External links:* * at Cricket Archive*...
made 101 and added 98 with 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....
(29) and 76 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...
(56). 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....
scooped and swatted 37 not out and the MCC declared on 278/7 after 40 eight-ball overs. The match had a party atmosphere and Hassett gave 9 of his players a bowl, six of them took a wicket and himself 2/34 with his medium pacers. Tailender 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...
opened the Australian bowling and was out for 4, but his partner was the big hitting 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....
who smashed the ball all over the ground in his 113 as the Prime Minister's XI made 247 off 30.3 overs at over a run a ball. One of his sixes was caught by the Governor General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Sir William Slim and a businessman donated £35 and 10 shillings to local charities, 30 shillings for each six and 10 shillings for each four. Veteran batsman Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
hit 47 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...
38 as 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...
's fast bowling cost him 40 runs off 5 overs, though he did take 2 wickets. 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....
(4/73) produced a middle order collapse from 195/2 to 234/7 with 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....
helping him with three catches. When Hassett came in to bat Tyson was brought on and took an outrageously long run up before bowling a slow donkey drop
Lob bowling
In cricket, Lob bowling is a largely disused style of bowling. It became illegal under Law 24.1 to use underarm bowling without prior agreement before the match....
. He then bowled a real bouncer that hit Hassett on the hand before catching him off Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
's leg spin (3/15) for a 31 run victory.
Prime Minister's XI vs MCC 1958–59
On the MCC tour of Australia in 1958–59MCC tour of Australia in 1958–59
The Marylebone Cricket Club tour of Australia in 1958-59 under the captaincy of Peter May was its eleventh since it took official control of overseas tours in 1907-1908. The touring team played as England in the 1958-59 Ashes series against Australia, but as the MCC in all other games...
Prime Minister Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
had five Australian captains in his team; Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
and Ray Lindwall
Ray Lindwall
Raymond Russell Lindwall MBE was a cricketer who represented Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He also played top-flight rugby league football with St...
, the all-rounder Sam Loxton
Sam Loxton
Samuel John Everett "Sam" Loxton OBE is a former Australian cricketer, footballer and politician. Among these three pursuits, his greatest achievements were attained on the cricket field; he played in 12 Tests for Australia from 1948 to 1951...
and a Victorian
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
wicket-keeper called Les Botham. They batted first and the opener Morris hit 14 boundaries in his 79 and Brian James, a New South Wales Country player hit 5 sixes in his 88 before retiring hurt. 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...
took 2/38 with his leg-spin and 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...
2/61. They declared on 288/7 off 38 eight-ball overs in two hours and thirty-five minutes, leaving the MCC roughly the same number of overs in slightly less time. Peter Richardson
Peter Richardson (cricketer)
Peter Edward Richardson is an English former cricketer, who played for Worcestershire, Kent and, in thirty four Tests, for England....
was out for a duck to Lindwall, Ted Dexter
Ted Dexter
Edward Ralph Dexter CBE is a former English cricketer...
thrashed 76 before hitting his wicket 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...
struck 101 runs in 84 minutes with 10 boundaries to win the match by four wickets. After the victory the MCC batted on to entertain the crowd and Cowdrey reached his century before he was caught by Hassett off Morris (4/46), who ran through the lower order with his part-time leg-spin and they were all out for 332.
Prime Minister's XI vs MCC 1962–63
MCC tour of Australia in 1962–63
The Marylebone Cricket Club tour of Australia in 1962–63 under the captaincy of Ted Dexter was its twelfth since it took official control of overseas tours in 1907–1908. The touring team played as England in the 1962–63 Ashes series against Australia, but as the MCC in all other games...
there was intense anticipation for the match against the Prime Minister's XI as the 54-year-old Sir Donald Bradman agreed to captain the team after 14 years without playing cricket. The thorough man that he was Bradman started practicing for the big day and 10,000 men, women and children came to see him bat for the last time. His old foe the MCC assistant-manager Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
agreed to play and the Bradman Pavilion was unveiled at the Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval
Manuka Oval is a 13,550 capacity ground located in the suburb of Griffith, adjacent to Manuka, a business district of Canberra, Australia's capital....
. The Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
was a keen cricket fan who initiated these matches in 1951 and the money raised was donated to Legacy
Legacy Australia
Legacy is an Australian organisation, established in 1923 by ex-servicemen. The organisation has the aim of caring for the dependents of deceased Australian service men and women. The dependants of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Malayan emergency and Vietnam War deceased are cared for...
, a charity for the dependents of deceased Australian servicemen. Ted Dexter
Ted Dexter
Edward Ralph Dexter CBE is a former English cricketer...
won the toss and elected to bat with Bradman fielding at first slip they rattled the fence with 36 fours and birthday-boy Fred Trueman
Fred Trueman
Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968...
hit a six. 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...
top-scored with 72 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...
made 42. Richie Benaud
Richie Benaud
Richard "Richie" Benaud OBE is a former Australian cricketer who, since his retirement from international cricket in 1964, has become a highly regarded commentator on the game....
took 2/62 off 8 overs, but the bowling honours went to the Canberra leg-spinner G. Brown, who took 3/61. Dexter nicked a ball off Brown to 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...
, but was called back by Bradman when he walked as the umpire gave him not out. "Lord Ted" lofted the next ball to Cowper at extra-cover and walked off for 22. Dexter declared the innings at 253/7, leaving the Prime Minister's XI 254 to win and Bob Cowper
Bob Cowper
Robert Maskew Cowper was an Australian Test match cricketer in the 1960s, who also played for Victorian and Western Australia....
(47) and Ray Flockton
Ray Flockton
Raymond George "Ray" Flockton was an Australian cricketer who played cricket for New South Wales.Flockton was a Sydney traffic policeman, who also played first-class cricket...
(45) got the home team off to a good start with 7 boundaries apiece. They had both departed and the score was 108/3 when the name of Bradman came up on the board and the great man in a baggy green cap
Baggy green
The baggy green is the evolution of a cricket cap of green colour, which has been worn by Australian Test cricketers since around the turn of the twentieth century. The cap was not originally baggy as evidenced by photographs of early players...
walked out to the crease to a standing ovation, surrounded by photographers and greeted by the England team. 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...
's leg-spin got him off the mark with a straight-drive and in the next over from 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...
the Australian politician Don Chipp
Don Chipp
Donald Leslie Chipp, AO was an Australian politician, and the inaugural leader of the Australian Democrats.-Early life:...
hit a single to put Bradman on strike. Although it was the intention of the MCC to let Bradman get some runs, and to bat against Bedser, Statham bowled a leg-cutter that came of the inside edge, brushed the pads and bounced onto the stumps with just enough force to dislodge a bail and the Don was out. Statham threw up his hands in anguish and the crowd was stunned, but "the little man, after on brief look back at his broken wicket, walked quickly away, the step firm, the head erect, but the shoulders, one thought, now slightly stooped. He had made one scoring stroke, for four. The crowd watched him go and signed. How much they wanted just a half-hour, at least, of him—as the Englishmen had." Ironically, in his last Test 14 years before he had been bowled by Eric Hollies
Eric Hollies
William Eric Hollies was an English cricketer, who is mainly remembered for taking the wicket of Donald Bradman for a duck in Bradman's final Test match innings, in which only four was needed for a Test average of 100...
for a duck, four runs short of a Test average of 100.00. He reached the pavilion to the commiserations of the Prime Minister and the Duke of Norfolk and told them "It wouldn't happen in a thousand years. Anyway that's my final appearance at the wicket." After this the rest of the match was an anticlimax. 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 out for 3 and the PM's XI were 123/6 before 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....
(63) and Ken Mackay
Ken Mackay
Kenneth Donald Mackay was an Australian cricketer who played in 37 Tests from 1956 to 1963....
(49) restored the situation, but David Allen
David Allen (cricketer)
David Arthur Allen is a former English cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire between 1953 and 1972. He also played 39 Test matches for England.-Life and career:...
(5/68) took three quick wickets, G. Brown was unable to bat so the PM's XI were out for 250 and the MCC won by 3 runs. Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
invited both teams to dinner and at the end of his speech presented a delighted Fred Trueman
Fred Trueman
Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968...
with a silver tankard as a birthday present from the Australian people. The Duke joked to the Prime Minister "I suppose you know you've just destroyed the disciplinary labours of several months?"
Prime Minister's XI vs MCC 1965–66
On the MCC tour of Australia in 1965–66MCC tour of Australia in 1965–66
The Marylebone Cricket Club tour of Australia in 1965-66 under the captaincy of M.J.K. Smith was its thirteenth since it took official control of overseas tours in 1907-1908. The touring team played as England in the 1965-66 Ashes series against Australia, but as the MCC in all other games...
the Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
had a
team that consisted of Australian Test players such as 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...
, Alan Connolly
Alan Connolly
Alan Norman Connolly is a former Australian cricketer who played in 29 Tests and one ODI from 1963 to 1971. Connolly had been a fast bowler in his youth, but slowed his pace to increase his accuracy and became a reliable support bowler in partnership with Garth McKenzie...
and Bob Cowper
Bob Cowper
Robert Maskew Cowper was an Australian Test match cricketer in the 1960s, who also played for Victorian and Western Australia....
, retired veterans 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...
, 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 Jim Burke
Jim Burke (cricketer)
James Wallace Burke was an Australian cricketer who played in 24 Tests from 1951 to 1959.- Early years :...
, young talent like Keith Stackpole
Keith Stackpole
Keith Raymond Stackpole Junior is a former Victorian and Australian cricketer who played in 43 Tests and 6 ODIs from 1966 to 1974, who is now a radio cricket commentator...
the teenaged Paul Sheahan
Paul Sheahan
Andrew Paul Sheahan was an Australian Test cricketer who played 31 Tests and 3 One Day Internationals as an opening and middle order batsman between 1967 and 1974.He made his first class debut in 1965 for the Victorian Sheffield Shield against New South Wales scoring 62 and 5.An elegant stroke...
as well as the famous West Indian fast bowler Wes Hall
Wes Hall
Wesley Winfield Hall is a Barbadian former cricketer and politician. A tall, strong and powerfully built man, Hall was a genuine fast bowler and despite his very long run up, he was renowned for his ability to bowl long spells. Hall played 48 Test matches for the West Indies from 1958 to 1969...
. Benaud captained the team and furfilled 90% of his duties by winning the toss and chosing to bat. Thanks to Burke (79), Sheahan (60), Benaud (45) and Stackpole (32 not out) the Prime Minister's XI hit 288/7 in 35 overs, with the wickets shared amongst the touring bowlers with Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones (cricketer)
Jeff Jones is a former Welsh cricketer, who took forty-four wickets in fifteen Tests for England from 1964 to 1968....
taking 2/21, David Larter
David Larter
John Larter is a former Scottish cricketer, who played in ten Tests for England from 1962 to 1965....
2/43 and Bob Barber
Bob Barber
Robert William Barber is a former English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University, Lancashire and Warwickshire from 1954 to 1969. He also played 28 Test matches for England...
2/72. The declaration came half way through the day and the MCC's 289/8 also took 35 overs, though they passed 200 for the loss of two wickets as Geoff Boycott made 95 before he was run out, 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...
52 and M.J.K. Smith 51 not out. Eight bowlers were used, but the best was Jim Burke who took 2/5 with his infamous chucking action
Umpiring in the 1958–59 Ashes series
The England team were very unhappy with the umpiring of the 1958–59 Ashes series, in particular the questionable actions of some bowlers in the Australian team. The televising of Test cricket was in its infancy and the notion of Test umpires using slow-motion replays or other modern techniques was...
, dismissing John Murray
John Murray (cricketer)
John Thomas Murray MBE is a former English cricketer. He played in twenty one Tests for England between 1961 and 1967.-Life and career:...
and Jones for ducks in the closing minutes of the match.