Australia v England - Tour Match

South Australia XI v England XI
Adelaide Oval
4 Day Game
Umpires: GA Hele & GE Borwick
Toss: South Australia XI

SA XI: LE Favell, GS Blewett, C Hill, *IM Chappell, DW Hookes, G Giffen, +BN Jarman, NJN Hawke, AA Mallett, RM Hogg, TW Wall.
ENG XI: JB Hobbs, *L Hutton, ER Dexter, MC Cowdrey, AJ Stewart, TE Bailey, +LEG Ames, JC Laker, JA Snow, DL Underwood, AV Bedser.

England had not enjoyed their time on the west coast, losing their lead in the Test series under a mountain of Australian runs, but their suffering bowlers were given an immediate opportunity to redeem themselves when South Australian captain Ian Chappell won the toss and elected to bat first in Adelaide. The pitch prepared for this tour game was dry and dusty and expected to favour the spinners come the final day, but it was England's seam attack that revelled in cloudy conditions on the first day, and when rain forced an early close the hosts had been reduced to 135-8, with Giffen's 43 the only innings of substance.

Bedser found a great deal of
movement on the first morning

With Trueman still unfit and Willis and Botham both rested, Alec Bedser took centre stage on his first appearance of the tour, and by dismissing three of the top four in an excellent opening spell he will have done his chances of making the Test XI no harm at all. South Australia were eventually all out for just 141 early on the second morning, and in stark contrast to their hosts, Hobbs and Hutton had no trouble with either the pitch or the bowling as they constructed England's best partnership of the tour thus far. It was an especially important innings for Hobbs, who has struggled for form of late, and his hundred here would have come as a great relief to all those concerned with the welfare of the touring party.

Hobbs contributed 114 to an opening stand that was eventually worth 227, and Hutton went on to complete a magnificent 152 before being bowled by Wall on the third morning. He could have made many more, but there was also the need to give those below him in the order some match practice, and although Dexter and Stewart both failed, the likes of Bailey, Cowdrey and Ames all spent useful time at the crease. Hutton's declaration at 394-5 gave England a lead of 253, and by stumps on day three South Australia had slumped painfully to 61-5 as Underwood and Laker exerted an iron grip on proceedings. It got no better for the hosts on the final day, and although a dogged last wicket stand of 21 between Hawke and Wall took the game past lunch, England wrapped up a comfortable innings victory soon thereafter, a victory that will restore some much needed momentum ahead of the third Test.

Hobbs' hundred was his first
score of over fifty on the tour

Score Summary
SA XI 1st Inns 141 (Giffen 43; Bedser 4-32)
ENG XI 1st Inns 394-5 dec. (Hutton 152, Hobbs 114)
SA XI 2nd Inns 105

ENGLAND XI WON BY AN INNINGS & 148 RUNS

1st & 2nd innings scorecards (click to enlarge)

Close of Play

Day 1 - South Australia XI 1st innings 135-8 (Mallett 8*, Hogg 3*; 70.4 ov)
Day 2 - England XI 1st innings 251-1 (Hutton 124*, Bailey 4*; 84 ov)
Day 3 - South Australia XI 2nd innings 61-5 (Giffen 0*; 39 ov)
Day 4 - South Australia XI 2nd innings 105 (68 ov) - end of match