1st Test - Sydney Cricket Ground

The Match Report - click on the required day for session report.

Day 1 - report
Day 3 - report
Day 4 - report
Day 5 - final day - report

Day 2 Report

McCabe resumed day 2 on 127 not out, and didn't waste any time setting upon the English bowlers. Jardine could have had him caught at least three times that morning, but unfortunately for the English captain he ordered his fielders some twenty yards in from the boundary - the ball carried the fielders by a couple of yards each time - Jardine later expressed disappointment in his tactics later that day.

Clarrie Grimmett was the first to go when the score had progressed by only two runs, falling to a good catch again to Ames off Voce - his third of the innings. Larwood joined in the party when he clean bowled Nagel without scoring, and five runs later with the score on 305, Voce took his fourth and final wicket of the innings; clean bowling O'Reilly.

With England once again in control, a final stand of 55 truly set the game back in Australia's corner. It was during this partnership that Jardine switched to Fast Leg Theory, but McCabe continued to pound the ball to all parts of the ground. The partnership continued for a hectic 25 minutes until Wall was caught off Hammond's bowling (Allen taking the catch). Jardine later described this partnership as 'a truly magnificent last wicket stand. These two batsmen gave the spectators a treat which can hardly ever have been equalled on the Sydney cricket Ground'

In comparison, England's response was a much more workmanlike performance. Sutcliffe missing his old partner scored freely (if not slowly) as he and Wyatt put on 112 for the first wicket. Sutcliffe received plenty of criticism for his slow scoring innings, but the truth was that he was under captains order throughout. Wyatt was given out Leg before Wicket facing Grimmett, he miss judged a flightly ball and played all around the delivery. Just before Wyatt fell, the Asutralian's could think themselves unlucky when a ball from O'Reilly hit the stumps but failed to remove the bails. Sutcliffe never looked back and continued with a new lease of life. At the close of play, Hammond and Sutcliffe were still at the crease, Sutcliffe on 116, his eighth Test match century against Australia.