2nd Test - Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Match Report - click on the required day for session report.
Day 1 - report
Day 2 - report
Day 4 - final day
- report
Day 3 Report
Following
a poor attendance on Saturday for the second day (37,000)
a record crowd of 68,188 turned up for the 3rd days
play, an increase due to Australia's success in the
field. England managed to add just 8 runs to their total;
Allen the last man to go for a
well played 30. Jardine proved he was one of the best
captains to play for England and soon met with success
in Australia's second innings. After watching how Fingleton
had struggled against Allen in the first innings, he
decided to open with Allen - a decision
that soon paid off as Fingleton (1) edged a ball behind
for Ames to take the catch.
O'Brien was the next to go, clean bowled by Larwood
with the total on 27. Bradman came in to play what was
probably his best innings of the series (finishing on
103 not out). Woodfull who had battled solidly for his
26 became Larwood's 2nd victim and with McCabe falling
for a duck, Australia found themselves on 4 for 81.
Richardson then joined Bradman and the two put on a
stand of 54 for the 5th wicket - Richardson (Hammond
LBW for 32).
The
English bowling attack found the afternoon hard going
as the temperatures soared. Fortunately for Jardine,
Hammond held up one end with his slow bowling while
the fast bowlers took it in turn to rest. Bowes was
unconvincing and Jardine only gave him 4 overs (costing
20 runs) in the second innings. Wickets fell at regular
intervals but along with Bradman, the tail managed to
push the score close to the 200 mark. With O'Reilly's
dismissal (Hammond's 3rd) Bradman was two short of a
well-deserved century. Ironmonger failed to connect
bat and ball in the two balls he faced initially, the
first narrowly missing his off stump, the second his
leg. In the next over Bradman completed his century,
immediately afterwards Ironmonger was run out on an
easy run.
England only needed 251 runs to win. The wicket was
at it's best and hopes were high within the tourist
camp. Sutcliffe and Leyland opened the batting and both
made a strong start. Sutcliffe had scored 32 runs of
the 43 scored by the close of play, Jardine
describing his quick knock as one of pure class and
a hallmark of a master batsman. England required 208
runs to win, all wickets. |
