Australia’s Invincibles in England, 1948 - Part 3: How Bradman fell at final hurdle

HUW TURBERVILL: It was 70 years ago that the great Australian made a duck at The Oval, leaving him with a Test average of 99.94. I spoke to Reg Simpson and Neil Harvey about that match

^{Sir Don Bradman and The Cricketer's report of the fifth Test}

It was the biggest anti-climax to what had been the greatest of international careers.

Anticipation for the fifth and final Test of the 1948 Ashes series – England’s first at home since the war – had been huge, with spectators sleeping on wet streets the night before.

England made a wretched start on the first day (August 14, 1948). Already trailing 3-0, the hosts won the toss but slumped to 52 all out, their lowest Test score at home, with Ray Lindwall taking 6 for 20.

Openers Sid Barnes and Arthur Morris started solidly, posting 117 for the first wicket, before the latter was dismissed by Warwickshire leg-spinner Eric Hollies.

Bradman was given the warmest of receptions as he marched out to the middle on the first evening for what would prove to be his final Test innings.

He touched his cap to acknowledge the home players' guard of honour (although he did not raise it as he had done in the fourth Test at Headingley). He needed only four to maintain a Test average of 100, as long as he did not have to bat again in the second innings, which, after England’s poor batting, looked a possible scenario.

^{England paid tribute to Bradman at the wicket}

He blocked the first ball from Hollies, but inexplicably missed the second (perhaps tellingly Hollies had deliberately not bowled wrong ’uns when he played for Warwickshire against the tourists 10 days beforehand). The crowd was stunned into silence. Bradman walked off and merely said to Sid Barnes: “Fancy that!”

That night he went to the Albert Hall to watch Australian pianist Eileen Joyce perform, perhaps still hopeful he would have another chance to sign off in style, but it was not to be. He finished with 6,996 runs at an average of 99.94, from 52 Tests.

Alec Bedser later said he would deliberately have bowled a full-toss to let Bradman score the four he needed, although I suspect, from our conversations for The Toughest Tour: the Ashes Away Series Since the War, that he exaggerated the geniality in which some of the early post-War Ashes were played in.

“It was such a shame, and very sad,” England’s 12th man, Reg Simpson, told me. “I was watching from the pavilion. He only had to stay there. He had been applauded all the way to the wicket, and I think he was almost in tears, so he didn’t see Hollies’ straight one – I know people said it was a googly but it looked pretty straight to me; he played for spin and there was none.”

“I take the blame from Don for missing out on the 100 average because I’d hit the winning runs [in the fourth Test at Leeds],” Neil Harvey told me. “I made four not out [leaving him unbeaten on 173]. It was tough batting on uncovered wickets. We didn’t expect to play so early that day. When we arrived at The Oval, there was a lot of sawdust already down on the ground.”

^{But the great Australian was bowled by Eric Hollies for a duck}

Morris’s magnificent 196 prevented Bradman from making the 104, or four not out, he needed in the second innings for that three-figure average. Australia totalled 389, despite a five-wicket haul for Hollies. Then Bill Johnston (four for 40), Ray Lindwall (three for 50) and Keith Miller (two for 22) dismissed England cheaply again, this time for 188, and Australia won by an innings and 149 runs.

Morris finished the series with 696 runs, while Bradman, never quite at his best, made 508. England’s highest scorers were Denis Compton, with 562, and Cyril Washbrook, who scored 356.  Lindwall and Johnston took 27 wickets each, and Miller 13, with Bedser taking 18 for England.

“That was the best side I faced,” Simpson said. “We socialised with them – they were very hospitable. When I was 12th man I used to go in their dressing room, there was no problem. Everybody was friendly with one another. I am proud to be part of that series.”

The British Government wrote to thank Bradman for what he had achieved on the trip and in his career. He left Tilbury on the SS Orontes a satisfied man, with record receipts of £64,664 accompanying the tourists, to be distributed to the Australia state sides.

Although the soubriquet did not catch on until it was used by New South Wales administrator Bob Radford in 1978, those Australians truly were the Invincibles.

PART ONE: How Bradman cheered up England

PART TWO: England stunned at Headingley