Australia v England - Fifth Test

Sydney Cricket Ground

Australia: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SR Waugh, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, RR Lindwall, DK Lillee.
England: JB Hobbs, AJ Stewart, *ER Dexter, DI Gower, MC Cowdrey, IT Botham, +LEG Ames, JC Laker, JA Snow, DL Underwood, AV Bedser.

Debuts: Nil
Umpires: DM Archer (WI) & BL Aldridge (NZL)
Toss: Australia

Amid all the speculation that this could well be Len Hutton's final Test as England captain, there was a great sense of anti-climax when it was announced shortly before the game that he would be absent due to a bad back. Ted Dexter took over the reins in what many saw as a possible trial run for the permanent role, and although his incorrect call allowed returning home skipper Richie Benaud to win Australia's first toss of the series, from that point on things went very well for England's new leader.

England's new captain...at least for now

Australia batted very poorly on the first day, perhaps suffering from a post Ashes victory hangover, and by the midway point of a wet second morning they had been bowled out for 230, their lowest total of the series. All England's bowlers took wickets, and it took a relatively enterprising stand of 83 for the sixth wicket between Border (49) and Healy (40) to drag Australia's score to something approaching respectability.

Hobbs and Stewart were both dismissed before the fifty was up in England's reply, but Dexter and Gower then put on 121 for the third wicket in very good time. Dexter was eventually went for 69 then, after a rain break had disrupted play on the second evening, Gower was brilliantly caught by Healy off the bowling of Lindwall for 78, the Australian keeper reacting very smartly to grab the ball on the rebound from Benaud at first slip. Bad light ended day two with England's total on 215-4, but on day three we were treated to an incredible repetition of Cowdrey and Botham's Melbourne heroics.

Ian Botham has been in top
form with the bat on this tour

Both partners hit their stride from the off, and after adding 104 in the morning session the runs continued to flow in the afternoon as Botham launched a furious assault on the second new ball. Lillee and Lindwall were bludgeoned for sixes in consecutive overs as Botham brought up his second consecutive hundred, and Cowdrey joined him in three figures as the pair exactly matched their partnership of 210 in Melbourne before Botham finally played on against Davidson for 112. Cowdrey slowed down somewhat after Botham's dismissal, but with the tail all chipping in he managed to extend his innings to an undefeated 181, comfortably his highest ever score, and England's lead was up to 317 when they were eventually bowled out for 547 on the fourth morning.

Australia have let leads slip in the final Test of the last two Ashes series and they were now in danger of doing so again, but Lawry contributed 43 to an opening stand of 67 with Woodfull, and then Bradman took over as the hosts cruised to an untroubled 198-1 at the end of day four. A determined Bradman completed his century on the final morning, and although Underwood trapped him lbw soon after, Australia were now on 238-2 and seemed relatively safe. Woodfull fell to Laker for 68 in the very next over though, and England sensed that they were back in with a chance as wickets continued to fall in the afternoon session.

Bradman's second century of the series
held England up in their quest for victory

With the pitch now offering some turn, Australia stuttered to 364-7 by tea, but aided by a rain delay of 36 minutes and some very stubborn batting from Benaud, they had extended their total to 380 by the time Underwood claimed the final wicket, his sixth of the innings. England now had six overs to score 64 for a series-levelling victory and Botham opened with Stewart in a show of attacking intent, but precise bowling from Lillee and Lindwall, backed by a very defensive field set by Benaud, stifled England's hopes. They managed just 27 for the loss of two wickets, and the draw meant that Australia took the series along with the Ashes. England can have cause to be pleased with the spirit they showed in the last two Tests, but in reality it was a case of too little, too late, and they had paid the price for a pair of shocking performances in Perth and Adelaide that effectively surrendered the series to Australia.

Score Summary
AUS 1st Inns 230 (Border 49, Healy 40)
ENG 1st Inns 547 (Cowdrey 181*, Botham 112, Gower 78, Dexter 69)
AUS 2nd Inns 380 (Bradman 120, Woodfull 68, Border 53, Lawry 43; Underwood 6-85)
ENG 2nd Inns 27-2

MATCH DRAWN

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

Close of play
Day 1 - Australia 1st innings 228-9 (Lindwall 18*, Lillee 10*; 90 ov)
Day 2 - England 1st innings 215-4 (Cowdrey 23*, Botham 2*; 59.2 ov)
Day 3 - England 1st innings 481-7 (Cowdrey 148*, Snow 2*; 139 ov)
Day 4 - Australia 2nd innings 198-1 (Woodfull 61*, Bradman 86*; 63 ov)
Day 5 - England 2nd innings 27-2 (6 ov) - end of match

Notes
▪ Cowdrey and Lawry passed 2000 career runs
▪ Gower passed 1000 career runs
▪ Cowdrey and Botham equalled their Ashes record partnership of 210 for the fifth wicket, set in the previous Test
▪ England's total of 547 is their highest in Ashes Tests
▪ Bedser made his 50th appearance for England
▪ England's series loss is their first ever overseas

Man of the Match: MC Cowdrey