Quest for the Ashes 1961

Starting the series as warm favourites to retain the Ashes England were outplayed in every department and only the draw salvaged at Sydney prevented the home side posting a clean sweep. 

Badly let down by their openers [in ten attempts the opening partnership scored just 199 runs] and with Trevor Bailey forced into that unfamiliar role, England were always short of runs and Meckiff, Benaud and Davidson took 72 wickets between them at an average cost of 18.50 . By contrast Aussie opener Colin McDonald was a model of consistency scoring 520 at an average of 65, and he was ably supported by Norman O’Neill [56.4] and Neil Harvey [48.5]. 

However England can claim an element of bad luck in that both Meckiff and Rorke probably bowled illegally but unchecked, as Meckiff was generally regarded as a ‘thrower’ and Rorke’s giant delivery stride was possibly the most blatant example of ‘dragging’ ever seen in Test cricket. 

On a happier note the emergence of Alan Davidson and Richie Benaud as genuine ‘great’ Test bowlers, and the return for two Tests of Ray Lindwall during which he raised his total of Test wickets beyond  Grimmett’s record of 216, plus Norman O’Neill’s superb stroke play sustained interest in a series that would other wise have waned by the Fourth Test. England clearly have much team building to do before the  Australians visit in 1961 and the Ashes, so tamely conceded in this series, will be difficult to wrest form the Aussie’s grasp.

AUSTRALIA

 Burge

Burke

Benaud

Davidson

Favell

Grout

Harvey

Kline

Lindwall

Mackay

McDonald

Meckiff

O’Neill

Rorke

Simpson

Slater

ENGLAND

Bailey

Cowdrey

Dexter

Evans

Graveney

Laker

Lock

Loader

May

Milton

Mortimore

Richardson

Statham

Swetman

Trueman

Tyson

Watson