England v Australia - Fifth Test

The Oval, London

ENG: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, WR Hammond, DCS Compton, DI Gower, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, H Larwood, JC Laker, AV Bedser, RGD Willis.
AUS: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SJ McCabe, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, RR Lindwall, DK Lillee.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: RS Dunne (NZL) & DL Orchard (SAF)
Toss: England

Pride was on the line at The Oval, for although the fate of the Ashes had been decided, the result of the series was still in the balance. England's only previous series loss came in the very first ATG match-up of all (also against Australia), and a home win here would at least keep that proud run going as well as maintaining England's position atop the ATG rankings. A cracked rib denied the in-form Ken Barrington a Test on his home ground, although the recall of Denis Compton was a popular move, and Jim Laker and Bob Willis replaced Derek Underwood and Fred Trueman, the latter being dropped for the first time in his ATG career. Australia meanwhile made their first change of the series, Dennis Lillee the handy replacement for the incapacitated Terry Alderman.

Len Hutton's fourth toss win of the series allowed England the chance to bat first on a dry Oval wicket, and over the course of the first two days the home batsmen took full advantage as Australia's bowlers struggled for once. Hobbs and Hammond shared a second wicket stand of 161 as Hobbs recorded his second successive century on his home ground despite a bad case of cramp late in his innings, then Hammond was joined by Compton in a stand of 162, England's second highest ever for the fourth wicket.

Compton eventually ran himself out for 71 attempting an unwise second run on the arm of Bill Lawry, but Hammond went on to record an imposing 171 before finally being bowled by a Davidson inducker after seven and a half hours at the crease. The innings fell away somewhat after the end of Hammond and Compton's partnership, and although Botham swatted a quick 55 the toiling Benaud claimed three late scalps as England slid from 392-3 to 489 all out at the end of the second day.

England's total was imposing nonetheless, and Benaud's performance on the second evening was to prove prescient bearing in mind the events that were about to unfold. Batting was not as straightforward now on a surface that was beginning to crumble, and after England's seamers picked up a wicket apiece - including Botham's removal of Bradman for 13 - to incapacitate Australia's top order, Jim Laker decimated the tail on his way to career best figures of 6-29 off 21.4 overs as the tourists were routed for 153. One wonders whether Australia's batsmen would have been so compliant had the Ashes still been at stake, but that was a moot point as Hutton eagerly enforced the follow on with a huge lead of 336.

Rain had disrupted play on each of the first three days, and a wet start to day four gave Australia hope that they might yet save the game. Play got going though, and despite (or perhaps because of) Woodfull batting almost three hours for just 13, the tourists lapsed to 55-4 shortly before tea, with Laker working his way through the top order this time, including the dismissal of the disappointing Bradman, lbw for a third ball duck. Miller rallied with a typically belligerent 49 until he became Laker's fifth victim, and the removal of Healy and Benaud in quick succession by Willis saw Australia enter the final day seemingly down and out on 153-7, still 183 runs away from making England bat again.

McCabe was still there on 40* though, and once he and Davidson saw off the new ball, memories of the salvage act that the same pair fashioned on the final day against West Indies in Perth began to resurface. Australia's hopes were raised when Larwood hobbled out of the attack after an hour, and when McCabe (61*) was dropped almost immediately after by Compton off Willis, there was palpable dismay in the English ranks. Australia lunched on 245-7, just 91 behind, and as the stand passed 100 in the afternoon, McCabe and Davidson both reached the deserved landmarks of 100 and 50 respectively.

However, with the partnership worth 120, just one run short of a national record for the eighth wicket, umpire Orchard adjudged that Davidson had edged one behind off Botham, and a valiant stand had been brought to an end. That was the end of Australia's resistance, and when Laker returned to dismiss both Lindwall and Lillee, England had completed an innings victory with a session and a half to spare. McCabe remained unbowed on a career high 120*, but the hero of the hour was Laker, whose second innings figures of 51.1-21-93-7 eclipsed his first innings performance, and a match return of 13-122, the best in England's ATG history, capped a remarkable return to the English XI. Thus the series was drawn, but the Ashes remain in Australian hands, and the cricket played over the course of the five Tests made this a justified outcome.

Scores
ENG 1st Inns 489 (Hammond 171, Hobbs 113, Compton 71, Botham 55)
AUS 1st Inns 153 (Laker 6-29)
AUS 2nd Inns 289 (McCabe 120*, Davidson 50, Miller 49; Laker 7-93)

ENGLAND WON BY AN INNINGS & 47 RUNS


Man of the Match: JC Laker