4th Test - Brisbane

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

Day 2 - report
Day 3 - report
Day 4 - report
Day 5 - report
Day 6 - final day - report

Day 1 Report

Few people expected the Fourth Test to arrive, let alone to take place after the repercussions of the Adelaide test a full four weeks earlier. Apart from the reasons stated, few if any of the English players were looking forward to this game, Brisbane in
February was not the ideal place to play a full test match! Australia entered the hot humid conditions with only three 'class' bowlers, one being a fast bowler (who due to the conditions would not be able to bowl for long periods of the game). England made
an enforced change bringing a spin bowler (Mitchell) in place of the injured Voce. However talk was that Voce if he had been fit, would have had the indignity of loosing his place in the eleven.

Jardine again lost the toss, and returned to the pavilion with the news that Australia had decided to bat on this hot opening day. Although the scoring was slow, the first day clearly belonged to the home side, ending at 3 for 251. For the first time in the series, no early wicket fell and Richardson and Woodfull put on the first wicket partnership of the entire series. The pair gave few chances, although Woodfull survived a confident appeal for a catch taken down the leg side. Richardson gave two chances early in his innings, a ball that fell just short of slips and a misplaced cut that only just missed Jardine's reflex attempt to catch him above his head.

Luck was to run out for Richardson as he was the first to go, stumped by Ames off Hammond's bowling, 17 short of a deserved century. Woodfull lasted until 10 past 5 when Mitchell bowled him for a captains innings of 67. Bradman looked out of sorts, his footwork slow and cumbersome, and although he gave chances he looked as if he would loose his wicket at least twice an over! McCabe's wicket was the final wicket to fall on the first day, playing a shot to gully off Allen (who had bowled superbly on a hot day). Ponsford joined Bradman late in the day and both were left at the close on 8 and 71 respectively.