50 Years ago today

The tied Test at the Gabba.

Australia needed 233 runs to win on the final day, by tea they were 6-110 and looking gawn.

The small crowd who stuck around to the end witnessed something they'll never forget, and Australia wide, radios blared out the commentary for cricket fans who wished they were there.

The match set the tone for one of the greatest series ever played, and one in which both teams (as Richie Benaud syas) 'tried to bowl as many overs as possible in a day without dawdling or time wasting, and to play exciting cricket for the paying public.'

The grainy black and white footage of this series should be compulsory viewing for evey player before they play international cricket, and captains should be made to watch it annually until they get the message that 13-point-something overs an hour is pissweak.

Great moment in world cricket.

PeterCS wrote:Great moment in world cricket.

aye Pete. One of Bradman's few triumphs as Board Chairman - he consistently urged both skippers to play positively & to their great credit, that's exactly how it played out.

Imagine what would happen these days if James Sutherland came out and said that to a visiting team. He'd be told where to get off.

Sutherland doesn't quite have Bradman's cache though.

wonderful Test and series

3 runouts in the Oz 2nd innings with a wonderful throw by Joe Solomon to run out Meckiff at the end denied Oz an earlier-seeming improbable victory (they were 92-6 before Benaud and Davidson came together to put on 134 for the 7th wicket). That game and the Centenary Test in 1977 must rank as the greatest Tests of all times in terms of the ebb and flow of the contest throughout the whole period of the match.

Allan D wrote:3 runouts in the Oz 2nd innings with a wonderful throw by Joe Solomon to run out Meckiff at the end denied Oz an earlier-seeming improbable victory (they were 92-6 before Benaud and Davidson came together to put on 134 for the 7th wicket). That game and the Centenary Test in 1977 must rank as the greatest Tests of all times in terms of the ebb and flow of the contest throughout the whole period of the match.

aye. The tie in India wasn't half bad either.It tends to be forgotten with so little written and spoken about it.

Mick Sawyer wrote:

Allan D wrote:3 runouts in the Oz 2nd innings with a wonderful throw by Joe Solomon to run out Meckiff at the end denied Oz an earlier-seeming improbable victory (they were 92-6 before Benaud and Davidson came together to put on 134 for the 7th wicket). That game and the Centenary Test in 1977 must rank as the greatest Tests of all times in terms of the ebb and flow of the contest throughout the whole period of the match.

aye. The tie in India wasn't half bad either.It tends to be forgotten with so little written and spoken about it.

There is a rumour that Dean Jones may have scored some runs in that match ...

There is a rumour that Dean Jones may have scored some runs in that match ...

..... compounded by the story that Greg Matthews took some important wickets. Myths, surely.

There is a rumour that Dean Jones may have scored some runs in that match ...

That's funny, I don't belive I've heard Dean Jones talk about that...

Spoiler:

in the past month.

Zat wrote:

There is a rumour that Dean Jones may have scored some runs in that match ...

That's funny, I don't belive I've heard Dean Jones talk about that...

Spoiler:

in the past month.

Bet he didn't mention wanting to wimp out halfway through it.

The Melb SPFSP ran a retrospective on this game today - the headline read:

'IT WAS FORTY YEARS AGO TODAY...'

Fortunately it's doubtful that many of the SPFSP's regular punters would have noticed....

(BTW GSC's first-up ton (and Redders' all time greatest 'second fiddle' innings) WERE 40 years ago today. Right headline wrong story?)

Right story, wrong brains?

embee wrote:

Mick Sawyer wrote:

Allan D wrote:3 runouts in the Oz 2nd innings with a wonderful throw by Joe Solomon to run out Meckiff at the end denied Oz an earlier-seeming improbable victory (they were 92-6 before Benaud and Davidson came together to put on 134 for the 7th wicket). That game and the Centenary Test in 1977 must rank as the greatest Tests of all times in terms of the ebb and flow of the contest throughout the whole period of the match.

aye. The tie in India wasn't half bad either.It tends to be forgotten with so little written and spoken about it.

There is a rumour that Dean Jones may have scored some runs in that match ...

and he crapped in his pants too, by his own account. At least present Ozzie batsmen have something in common with the greats of the past!