Quest for the Ashes 1946/47

Australia’s post-war defence of the Ashes which they has regained in 1934 after their defeat in the 1932/3 ‘Bodyline’ series, and retained in the 1936/7 and 1938 [despite a massive innings and 579 runs defeat in the final Test at the Oval] looked on paper a comparatively simple task. Bradman, although now 38 and rumoured to have lost his appetite for Test-level cricket, was almost the run-machine of pre-war days, Hassett, Barnes and Morris were at their peak, and in Lindwall and Miller they has two emerging talents of massive proportions. By contrast England were led by a fading Wally Hammond, withdrawn and aloof from his team, constantly troubled by fibrositis, and unable to lead from the front with the desertion of his own batting skills, and dependant, in the main, on pre-war players. Although England were soundly beaten in the five match series it could have been quite different.  

AUSTRALIA

Barnes

Bradman

Dooland

Freer

Hamence

Harvey

Hassett

Johnson

Lindwall

McCool

Miller

Morris

Tallon

Toshack

Tribe

ENGLAND

Bedser

Compton

Edrich

Evans

Fishlock

Gibb

Hammond

Hardstaff

Hutton

Ikin

Smith

Voce

Washbrook

Wright

Yardley