236-499: Bodyline , also known as fast leg theory bowling , was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia . It was designed to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's leading batsman , Don Bradman . A bodyline delivery was one in which the cricket ball was bowled at pace, aimed at the body of the batsman in the expectation that when he defended himself with his bat ,
472-455: A duck and was dropped by Frank Laver before he had scored in the second. He survived to score 60 not out and his partnership with Tom Hayward guided England to victory after wickets had fallen early chasing a target of 194. Hirst scored 11 runs in the second match and took three wickets on a difficult batting pitch, badly affected by rain. Although this performance was not statistically impressive, Warner thought he bowled very well. During
708-456: A public school education who had then gone to one of Cambridge or Oxford University . Society insisted that such people were "officers and gentlemen" whose destiny was to provide leadership. In a purely financial sense, the cricketing amateur would theoretically claim expenses for playing while his professional counterpart played under contract and was paid a wage or match fee; in practice, many amateurs claimed more than actual expenditure, and
944-577: A Gentlemen v Players match. Yorkshire won the County Championship, the first of three consecutive victories in which Hirst played a leading role. After his achievements in the season, Hirst was selected as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year . The citation described him as a confident batsman who could be relied upon in difficult batting conditions or when his team were under pressure, but noted how his bowling had suffered as he improved as
1180-453: A batsman. However, around this time, Hirst began to develop his use of swing bowling , known at the time as swerve bowling. Previously, the ball occasionally swung through the air without his deliberate intention after he released it, but he now discovered a method to control the "swerve" in certain atmospheric conditions. He never discussed how he achieved the effect, limiting his comments to "sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't." In
1416-467: A bowler than his average would suggest". He further described him as the best all-rounder in England and noted that "the tighter the match, the better he plays". Wisden was less convinced, and the report on the tour said that, as a bowler, "Hirst, though by no means the failure he had been with Mr Stoddart's team six years before, fell far below his English form." While commenting on his batting record,
1652-410: A bowler, and while Wisden later described his batting as being in "temporary decline" in 1895, Hirst also scored 710 runs at an average of 19.18, with three fifties. In 1896, Yorkshire won their second County Championship. Hirst hit a century against Leicestershire and nine other scores over fifty; this improvement in his batting took him past 1,000 runs for the first time, and his average of 28.05
1888-491: A bowling attack comprising some of the best fast bowlers in cricket history, were perhaps the most feared exponents. The English players and management were consistent in referring to their tactic as fast leg theory , considering it to be a variant of the established and unobjectionable leg theory tactic. The inflammatory term "bodyline" was coined and perpetuated by the Australian press ( see above ). English writers used
2124-517: A century and 11 fifties, and took 101 wickets at an average of 23.22. These performances were good enough to earn him selection for the Players against the Gentlemen in the prestigious matches at The Oval and Lord's , in both of which he scored half-centuries. For the winter of 1897–98, Hirst was selected as part of Andrew Stoddart 's team to tour Australia. The team was outplayed and lost
2360-565: A collared shirt with short or long sleeves; long trousers; woolen pullover (if needed); cricket cap (for fielding) or a safety helmet; and spiked shoes or boots to increase traction. The kit is traditionally all white, and this remains the case in Test and first-class cricket, but in limited overs cricket, team colours are now worn instead. i) A used white ball. White balls are mainly used in limited overs cricket , especially in matches played at night, under floodlights (left). The essence of
2596-560: A controversy that rose to such a level that it threatened diplomatic relations between the two countries before the situation was calmed. Although no serious injuries arose from any short-pitched deliveries while a leg theory field was set, the tactic led to considerable ill feeling between the two teams, particularly when Australian batsmen were struck, inflaming spectators. After the introduction of helmets, short-pitched fast bowling, sometimes exceeding 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), continues to be permitted in cricket, even when aimed at
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#17327809210102832-492: A couple of fast bowlers, Manny Martindale and Learie Constantine . Facing bodyline tactics for the first time, England first suffered, falling to 134 for 4, with Wally Hammond being hit on the chin, though he recovered to continue his innings. Then Jardine himself faced Martindale and Constantine. Jardine never flinched. With Les Ames finding himself in difficulties, Jardine said, "You get yourself down this end, Les. I'll take care of this bloody nonsense." He played right back to
3068-462: A crowd of 50,962 spectators, Australia bowled out England who had batted through the first day. In the third over of the Australian innings, Larwood bowled to Woodfull. The fifth ball narrowly missed Woodfull's head and the final ball, delivered short on the line of middle stump , struck Woodfull over the heart. The batsman dropped his bat and staggered away holding his chest, bent over in pain. The England players surrounded Woodfull to offer sympathy but
3304-411: A draw for the county; he followed this with two more centuries in the first two weeks of the season. Although his form later faltered, he played some substantial innings in difficult circumstances and ended the season with 1,441 runs at an average of 38.94. He bowled infrequently, taking 18 wickets at 29.27. During this season, Hirst accepted the position of coach at Eton College . In the last match of
3540-474: A fast bowler for this final game, Harry Alexander who bowled some short deliveries but was not allowed to use many fielders on the leg side by his captain, Woodfull. England built a lead of 19 but their tactics in Australia's second innings were disrupted when Larwood left the field with an injured foot; Hedley Verity , a spinner, claimed five wickets to bowl Australia out; England won by eight wickets and won
3776-454: A fence, part of the stands, a rope, a painted line, or a combination of these; the boundary must if possible be marked along its entire length. In the approximate centre of the field is a rectangular pitch (see image, below) on which a wooden target called a wicket is sited at each end; the wickets are placed 22 yards (20 m) apart. The pitch is a flat surface 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, with very short grass that tends to be worn away as
4012-442: A few more times before Allen bowled him for 22. Later in the day, Pelham Warner, one of the England managers, visited the Australian dressing room. He expressed sympathy to Woodfull but was surprised by the Australian's response. According to Warner, Woodfull replied, "I don't want to see you, Mr Warner. There are two teams out there. One is trying to play cricket and the other is not." Fingleton wrote that Woodfull had added, "This game
4248-445: A four, Larwood bowled fractionally shorter and slightly slower. Oldfield attempted to hook but lost sight of the ball and edged it onto his temple; the ball fractured his skull. Oldfield staggered away and fell to his knees and play stopped as Woodfull came onto the pitch and the angry crowd jeered and shouted, once more reaching the point where a riot seemed likely. Several English players thought about arming themselves with stumps should
4484-653: A full life to him." Bowes also commented: "I never hope to meet a better coach or a better man." On 1 January 1896, Hirst married Emma Kilner in Kirkheaton; James, their first child, was born on 6 October of the same year. A second child, Annie, followed in December 1899, and a third, Molly, in April 1906. The family first lived in Kirkheaton but later moved to Marsh , a more affluent area of Huddersfield. In his later years, Hirst's health declined and he spent time in
4720-425: A further appearance in 1929. One of the best all-rounders of his time, Hirst was a left arm medium-fast bowler and right-handed batsman. He played in 24 Test matches for England between 1897 and 1909, touring Australia twice. He completed the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in an English cricket season 14 times, the second most of any cricketer after his contemporary and team-mate Wilfred Rhodes . One of
4956-404: A hand-loom weaver in a local cottage, and then at a dyeing firm. He played rugby football as a full back during winter, and cricket with his friends and brothers in summer. By the age of 15, Hirst was playing regularly for the Kirkheaton cricket team and his batting and bowling performances regularly won prizes from a local newspaper. His reputation grew; when he was 18 he was a key player in
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#17327809210105192-517: A higher standard of cricket. Yorkshire also gave him a longer run in the first team. Early in the season, Hirst appeared for Yorkshire against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Not considered a good batsman at this stage, he batted at number 11 in the first innings, scored 20 and 43 not out and, as a bowler, took four wickets for 29 runs (four for 29) and two for 58. His bowling performance particularly impressed Sydney Pardon ,
5428-621: A highly popular format, putting the longer formats at risk. The new shorter format also introduced franchise cricket, with new tournaments like the Indian Premier League and the Australian Big Bash League . The ICC has selected the T20 format as cricket's growth format, and has introduced a T20 World Cup which is played every two years; T20 cricket has also been increasingly accepted into major events such as
5664-501: A leg injury. This, coupled with other players' absences, was partly responsible for a poor start to the season by Yorkshire, and although the team recovered, it could achieve only third place in the County Championship. When Hirst returned his bowling speed was reduced, but during the season he rediscovered his swing bowling. In completing the first of 10 consecutive doubles, he took 128 wickets at an average of 14.94 and scored 1,844 runs at an average of 47.28. For Yorkshire, he topped both
5900-403: A leg side field in a Test match in 1930; one such ball struck Andy Sandham , but Constantine only reverted to more conventional tactics after a complaint from the England team. The Australian cricket team toured England in 1930. Australia won the five- Test series 2–1, and Donald Bradman scored 974 runs at a batting average of 139.14, an aggregate record that still stands to this day. By
6136-405: A leg-trap (a cluster of fielders placed close on the leg side). He was representing England in a side captained by Douglas Jardine . In 1928–29, Harry Alexander bowled fast leg theory at an England team, and Harold Larwood briefly used a similar tactic on that same tour in two Test matches. Freddie Calthorpe , the England captain, criticised Learie Constantine 's use of short-pitched bowling to
6372-408: A long run-up and a relaxed action. He usually bowled over the wicket , meaning he bowled from the right hand side of the wickets and therefore angled the ball across the pitch. After delivery, the ball swung through the air at the last minute and hurried through after pitching, appearing to get faster. A very accurate bowler, he was difficult to score against unless a batsman was prepared to hit him in
6608-437: A low-scoring second Test, Hirst was one of the few batsmen to handle the googlies of Aubrey Faulkner . As a bowler he took 10 wickets at 18.50; of these wickets, six were in the final match of the series. Yorkshire won the County Championship again during the 1908 season. Hirst completed another double, scoring 1,598 runs at 38.97 and taking 174 wickets at 14.05, but was not selected for any other representative games until
6844-461: A match five times, including once against traditional rivals Lancashire. His batting continued to be successful, and he completed his second double with 1,950 runs at 42.39, including his first double-century: 214 against Worcestershire . He was selected for the Gentlemen and Players match at Lord's, and appeared in the equivalent fixture in an end-of-season festival match. Although both were invited, neither Hirst nor Rhodes toured Australia in
7080-646: A method to make the ball swing in the air after he released it. He was one of the first bowlers to control the swing of the ball, which batsmen found very difficult to counter, making Hirst's bowling far more successful from then on. From 1903 he achieved 11 consecutive doubles. He set records in 1905, when he scored 341 runs in an innings against Leicestershire —still the highest total for Yorkshire as of 2015—and in 1906, when he completed an unprecedented and unrepeated double of 2,000 runs and 200 wickets. In many seasons, he battled injury which reduced his effectiveness, but his bowling remained successful until shortly before
7316-580: A munitions factory in Huddersfield. Hirst and Rhodes were paid by Yorkshire to play in war-time cricket matches on a certain number of Saturdays. Hirst played in the Bradford League , and became known among cricketers for accepting minimal fees from financially struggling clubs. When first-class cricket restarted in 1919, Hirst resumed playing for Yorkshire. In the first match of the season he hit an aggressive unbeaten 180 against MCC, to secure
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7552-511: A plan to combat Bradman. Jardine asked Larwood and Voce if they could bowl on leg stump and make the ball rise into the body of the batsman. The bowlers agreed they could, and that it might prove effective. Jardine also visited Frank Foster to discuss his field-placing in Australia in 1911–12. Larwood and Voce practised the plan over the remainder of the 1932 season with varying but increasing success and several injuries to batsmen. Ken Farnes experimented with short-pitched, leg-theory bowling but
7788-460: A player, Hirst occasionally umpired first-class matches, taking charge of at least one match at every Scarborough Festival between 1922 and 1938. He also umpired two matches on Yorkshire's tour of Jamaica in 1936, and a Minor Counties match between Yorkshire and Lancashire second teams. From 1920 to 1938, Hirst was the cricket coach at Eton. The college's most important match was the annual match against Harrow at Lord's , and during Hirst's tenure,
8024-422: A reply cable, which was sent on 30 January, indicating that they wished the series to continue and offering to postpone consideration of the fairness of bodyline bowling until after the series. The MCC's reply, on 2 February, suggested that continuing the series would be impossible unless the accusation of unsporting behaviour was withdrawn. The situation escalated into a diplomatic incident. Figures high up in both
8260-428: A reputation as an outstanding fielder at mid off . In this position, he took many catches, often from hard drives in an era when batsmen played this shot very well. Although Hirst was a right-handed batsman, he bowled with his left arm at medium-fast pace. He was one of the first bowlers to make the ball swerve through the air in a controlled fashion. According to A. A. Thomson, Hirst's development of swing bowling
8496-479: A resulting deflection could be caught by one of several fielders deliberately placed nearby on the leg side . At the time, no helmets or other upper-body protective gear was worn, and critics of the tactic considered it intimidating, and physically threatening in a game traditionally supposed to uphold conventions of sportsmanship . The England team's use of the tactic was perceived by some, both in Australia and England, as overly aggressive or even unfair. It caused
8732-414: A sensitive private exchange had been reported to the press. Leaks to the press were practically unknown in 1933. David Frith notes that discretion and respect were highly prized and such a leak was "regarded as a moral offence of the first order." Woodfull made it clear that he severely disapproved of the leak, and later wrote that he "always expected cricketers to do the right thing by their team-mates." As
8968-468: A six. Later that season, he scored another double century, hitting 232 not out against Surrey; only two other players reached double figures in the Yorkshire innings. In the same game, Hirst took five wickets for 43 runs. Hirst's leg injury kept him out of the England side for the first two Test matches against Australia, although he would have been a certain selection had he been fit. He was chosen in
9204-617: A state match for New South Wales; his captain Herbie Collins disliked it and would not let him use it again. Other Australian captains were less particular, including Vic Richardson , who asked the South Australian bowler Lance Gun to use it in 1925, and later let Scott use it when he moved to South Australia. Scott repeated the tactics against the MCC in 1928–29. In 1927 , in a Test trial match, "Nobby" Clark bowled short to
9440-530: A statue of Prince Albert in Sydney was vandalised, with an ear being knocked off and the word "BODYLINE" painted on it. Both before and after World War II, numerous satirical cartoons and comedy skits were written, mostly in Australia, based on events of the bodyline tour. Generally, they poked fun at the English. In 1984, Australia's Network Ten produced a television mini-series titled Bodyline , dramatising
9676-465: A tour that had been under a cloud after the tempestuous cricket diplomacy of the previous bodyline series. Jardine had retired from International cricket in early 1934 after captaining a fraught tour of India and under England's new captain, Bob Wyatt , agreements were put in place so that bodyline would not be used. However, there were occasions when the Australians felt that their hosts had crossed
Bodyline - Misplaced Pages Continue
9912-465: A very consistent batsman throughout the tour, and noted that while he was a less effective bowler in Australian conditions than at home, he was often unlucky. After returning to England, Hirst completed another double in 1904. Although a leg injury reduced the pace and effectiveness of his bowling for much of the season, he scored 2,501 runs at an average of 54.36, the highest aggregate and average of his career, and took 132 wickets at 21.09. He became
10148-408: A very high sum for a benefit at the time, and his popularity was reflected in the attendance over three days of 78,792 spectators. Yorkshire finished second to Lancashire in the County Championship in 1904 but regained the title in 1905. Hirst's leg-strain continued to cause him pain throughout the season and again hampered his bowling. Even so, he took 110 wickets at 19.94 and passed 2,000 runs for
10384-475: A very successful coach. He taught technical proficiency, but encouraged his pupils to play their natural game. His Times obituary noted "his professional capacity earned him the respect of the boys and his natural good humour and good manners gained him the love of all." When he retired, a dinner was held in his honour at Eton. While serving as the Eton coach, Hirst also worked with young Yorkshire players during
10620-448: A way never replicated for his contemporary and fellow Kirkheaton-born all-rounder Wilfred Rhodes, a much more dour character. The two men were never good friends; there may have been a degree of jealousy between them, and Rhodes did not appreciate Hirst's jovial attitude. Rhodes was more tactically astute than Hirst, but Hirst's enthusiasm and personality were more inspirational to the team. Rhodes, when asked about Hirst's ability to swing
10856-406: A way that was easy to comprehend, backed up with anecdotes to illustrate his point. Bowes described how "he had a rare skill in noting and demonstrating your faults and no less skill in illustrating the remedies". Hirst received little coaching as a batsman. Physically brave, he was often at his best on pitches which were difficult for batting, and when his team faced a crisis. His usual approach
11092-416: A winner or tie.) The wicket-keeper (a specialised fielder behind the batter) and the batters wear protective gear because of the hardness of the ball, which can be delivered at speeds of more than 145 kilometres per hour (90 mph) and presents a major health and safety concern. Protective clothing includes pads (designed to protect the knees and shins), batting gloves or wicket-keeper's gloves for
11328-403: Is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field , at the centre of which is a 22-yard (20-metre; 66-foot) pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails (small sticks) balanced on three stumps . Two players from the batting team, the striker and nonstriker, stand in front of either wicket holding bats , while one player from the fielding team,
11564-539: Is aimed at a mark (the wicket) and driven away from it". It is generally believed that cricket originated as a children's game in the south-eastern counties of England, sometime during the medieval period . Although there are claims for prior dates, the earliest definite reference to cricket being played comes from evidence given at a court case in Guildford in January 1597 ( Old Style , equating to January 1598 in
11800-453: Is certain that cricket was being played c. 1550 by boys in Surrey . The view that it was originally a children's game is reinforced by Randle Cotgrave 's 1611 English- French dictionary in which he defined the noun " crosse " as "the crooked staff wherewith boys play at cricket", and the verb form " crosser " as "to play at cricket". One possible source for the sport's name
12036-423: Is drawn four feet in front of the bowling crease and parallel to it; although it is drawn as a 12 ft (3.7 m) line (six feet on either side of the wicket), it is, in fact, unlimited in length. The return creases are drawn at right angles to the popping crease so that they intersect the ends of the bowling crease; each return crease is drawn as an 8 ft (2.4 m) line, so that it extends four feet behind
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#173278092101012272-656: Is known, through numerous references found in the records of ecclesiastical court cases, to have been proscribed at times by the Puritans before and during the Commonwealth . The problem was nearly always the issue of Sunday play, as the Puritans considered cricket to be "profane" if played on the Sabbath , especially if large crowds or gambling were involved. According to the social historian Derek Birley , there
12508-455: Is such as to jeopardise the good relations between English and Australian cricketers, and you would consider it desirable to cancel remainder of programme, we would consent with great reluctance. At this point, the remainder of the series was under threat. Jardine was shaken by the events and by the hostile reactions to his team. Stories appeared in the press, possibly leaked by the disenchanted Nawab of Pataudi , about fights and arguments between
12744-570: Is the Old English word " cryce " (or " cricc " ) meaning a crutch or staff. In Samuel Johnson 's Dictionary , he derived cricket from " cryce , Saxon, a stick". In Old French , the word " criquet " seems to have meant a kind of club or stick. Given the strong medieval trade connections between south-east England and the County of Flanders when the latter belonged to the Duchy of Burgundy ,
12980-464: Is the earliest mention of adult participation in cricket and it was around the same time that the earliest known organised inter-parish or village match was played, at Chevening, Kent . In 1624, a player called Jasper Vinall died after he was accidentally struck on the head during a match between two parish teams in Sussex. Cricket remained a low-key local pursuit for much of the 17th century. It
13216-402: Is thought, a " wicket gate " through which sheep were herded), that the batter must defend. The cricket historian Harry Altham identified three "groups" of "club ball" games: the "hockey group", in which the ball is driven to and from between two targets (the goals); the "golf group", in which the ball is driven towards an undefended target (the hole); and the "cricket group", in which "the ball
13452-482: Is too good to be spoilt. It is time some people got out of it." Woodfull was usually dignified and quietly spoken, making his reaction surprising to Warner and others present. Warner was so shaken that he was found in tears later that day in his hotel room. There was no play on the following day, Sunday being a rest day, but on Monday morning, the exchange between Warner and Woodfull was reported in several Australian newspapers. The players and officials were horrified that
13688-407: Is unsportsmanlike. Unless stopped at once likely to upset friendly relations between Australia and England. Not all Australians, including the press and players, believed that the cable should have been sent, particularly immediately following a heavy defeat. The suggestion of unsportsmanlike behaviour was deeply resented by the MCC, and was one of the worst accusations that could have been levelled at
13924-532: The North China Daily News published a pro-bodyline editorial, denouncing Australians as sore losers. An Australian journalist reported that several business deals in Hong Kong and Shanghai were lost by Australians because of local reactions. English immigrants in Australia found themselves shunned and persecuted by locals, and Australian visitors to England were treated similarly. In 1934–35
14160-586: The Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 1901, Hirst scored 36,356 runs and took 2,742 wickets in first-class cricket. In Tests, he made 790 runs and captured 59 wickets. Born in Kirkheaton , Hirst first achieved success for Yorkshire as a bowler who could bat a little. Over his first few seasons, his batting improved at the expense of his bowling until he was regarded mainly as a specialist batsman. Around 1900, his bowling re-emerged when he discovered
14396-579: The Asian Games . The resultant growth has seen cricket's fanbase cross one billion people, with 90% of them in South Asia. T20's success has also spawned even shorter formats , such as 10-over cricket (T10) and 100-ball cricket , though not without controversy. Outside factors have also taken their toll on cricket. For example, the 2008 Mumbai attacks led India and Pakistan to suspend their bilateral series indefinitely. The 2009 attack on
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#173278092101014632-702: The British Empire had been instrumental in spreading the game overseas, and by the middle of the 19th century it had become well established in Australia , the Caribbean , British India (which includes present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh ), New Zealand , North America and South Africa . In 1862, an English team made the first tour of Australia. The first Australian team to travel overseas consisted of Aboriginal stockmen who toured England in 1868 . In 1876–77, an England team took part in what
14868-465: The Dukes of Richmond , exerted their honour code of noblesse oblige to claim rights of leadership in any sporting contests they took part in, especially as it was necessary for them to play alongside their "social inferiors" if they were to win their bets. In time, a perception took hold that the typical amateur who played in first-class cricket, until 1962 when amateurism was abolished, was someone with
15104-594: The Europeans cricket team in India, and in 1929, aged 58, he made a final appearance for Yorkshire in a Scarborough Festival match against the MCC. He scored just one run before Bill Bowes bowled him; Hirst reportedly commented: "A grand ball that, lad. I couldn't have played that one when I was good." In all first-class cricket, Hirst played 826 games, scored 36,356 runs at an average of 34.13 with 60 hundreds and took 2,742 wickets at 18.73. Following his retirement as
15340-606: The First World War . Hirst played in all England's home Test series between 1899 and 1909, but his record for England was less impressive than his record for Yorkshire, and he may have suffered from playing in Australia where conditions did not suit him. Hirst returned to play for Yorkshire after the war, but became a cricket coach at Eton College in 1920, where he remained until 1938. After making occasional appearances in 1920 and 1921, he retired from regular first-class cricket. He maintained his connections with Yorkshire for
15576-461: The Nawab of Pataudi opposed it, as did Wally Hammond and Les Ames among the professionals. During the season, Woodfull's physical courage, stoic and dignified leadership won him many admirers. He flatly refused to employ retaliatory tactics and did not publicly complain even though he and his men were repeatedly hit. Jardine however insisted his tactic was not designed to cause injury and that he
15812-472: The West Indies . Women's cricket , which is organised and played separately, has also achieved international standard. The most successful side playing international cricket is Australia , which has won eight One Day International trophies, including six World Cups , more than any other country, and has been the top-rated Test side more than any other country. Cricket is one of many games in
16048-555: The Wisden report noted: "The Australian wickets [i.e. pitches] in fine weather are rather too fast to suit the pulling and hook strokes of which he is such a master in England." As he could not make the ball swing in Australia in the same way it did in England, Hirst used leg theory , bowling at leg stump with fielders close by on the leg side . In his second match of the tour, Hirst scored 92 and used his pull shot more effectively than on other occasions. He followed this with 66 in
16284-403: The follow-on , scoring 43 and according to Wisden "hitting with the utmost freedom". Hirst took a further wicket as Australia were dismissed for 121. England, needing 263 to win, were 48 for five at one point but an innings of 104 from Gilbert Jessop gave England a chance. Hirst scored 58 not out, making an aggressive start but slowing down to score mainly from singles in the later stages of
16520-418: The history of cricket , and it is still strong in the consciousness of many cricket followers. In a poll of cricket journalists, commentators, and players in 2004, the bodyline tour was ranked the most important event in cricket history. Cricket First-class cricket One Day International Limited overs (domestic) Twenty20 International Twenty20 (domestic) Other forms Cricket
16756-406: The leg stump or just outside it, but pitching the ball short so that, on bouncing, it reared up threateningly at the body of a batsman standing in an orthodox batting position. A ring of fielders ranged on the leg side would catch any defensive deflection from the bat. The batsman's options were to evade the ball through ducking or moving aside, allow the ball to strike his body, or attempt to play
16992-401: The "club ball" sphere that involve hitting a ball with a hand-held implement. Others include baseball (which shares many similarities with cricket, both belonging in the more specific bat-and-ball games category ), golf , hockey , tennis , squash , badminton and table tennis . In cricket's case, a key difference is the existence of a solid target structure, the wicket (originally, it
17228-431: The 1,000 run–100 wicket double by the end of June, two weeks faster than anyone else in the history of first-class cricket. In total he scored 2,385 first-class runs at an average of 45.86 and took 208 wickets at 16.50. Hirst's contributions were particularly important in a close race for the County Championship. Kent were eventual champions after Yorkshire lost a close game to Gloucestershire, but Hirst performed well in
17464-423: The 1898 season. Fatigue from continuous cricket and ongoing problems with his leg added to his difficulties and he had a poor season. His only score over fifty was an innings of 130 against Surrey, and he scored 567 runs at an average of 17.71. Statistically, he had one of his worst bowling seasons, taking 36 wickets at 25.61 and never taking more than four wickets in an innings. For Yorkshire, Hirst's loss of form
17700-527: The 1901 season, Hirst's improvement in bowling brought him the highest total of wickets in his career to date. In a summer of sunny weather which brought a succession of good batting pitches, he took 183 wickets, the first time since 1897 he had passed 100 wickets, at an average of 16.38. This placed him second in the national averages behind Rhodes. He recorded a series of impressive bowling performances, winning extravagant praise from Wisden ; he took five wickets in an innings on 15 occasions and 10 wickets in
17936-708: The 19th century. The game's governing body is the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has over 100 members, twelve of which are full members who play Test matches. The game's rules, the Laws of Cricket , are maintained by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in London . The sport is followed primarily in South Asia , Australia , New Zealand , the United Kingdom , Southern Africa , and
18172-478: The Adelaide Oval, an event which was never documented. Larwood, having emigrated to Australia in 1950, was largely welcomed with open arms, although received several threatening and obscene phone calls after the series aired. The series was widely and strongly attacked by the surviving players for its inaccuracy and sensationalism . To this day, the bodyline tour remains one of the most significant events in
18408-468: The British and Australian government saw bodyline as potentially fracturing an international relationship that needed to remain strong. The Governor of South Australia , Alexander Hore-Ruthven , who was in England at the time, expressed his concern to British Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs James Henry Thomas that this would cause a significant impact on trade between the nations. The standoff
18644-405: The County Championship and attracting disapproval from critics. Hirst led the Yorkshire batting and bowling averages and was the third highest wicket-taker in the country. He scored 1,840 runs at 32.85 and took 164 wickets at 14.79. One of his best performances came at Lord's, where he scored an unbeaten century to guide Yorkshire to a win against Middlesex. Against Lancashire he took nine for 23,
18880-424: The County Championship; Hirst's form that season was not as good as in previous years, but he batted well before poor weather and a knee injury interrupted his cricket. He hit one century and his performances with the ball were unspectacular. In all he scored 1,133 runs at an average of 25.75 and took 118 wickets at 17.37. Although both Australia and South Africa toured England, Hirst did not play any Tests and, for
19116-481: The England captain, Archie MacLaren, was engaged in a dispute with the team selectors over the composition of his side. He was given only 12 players to choose from for the fourth Test. Fred Tate was one of the twelve and the selectors probably included him as they believed MacLaren could not possibly choose him in the final eleven over another player and so would be forced to field the side they wanted. MacLaren responded by dropping Hirst to play Tate, out of anger towards
19352-410: The England players. Jardine offered to stop using bodyline if the team did not support him, but after a private meeting (not attended by Jardine or either of the team managers) the players released a statement fully supporting the captain and his tactics. Even so, Jardine would not have played in the fourth Test without the withdrawal of the "unsportsmanlike" accusation. The Australian Board met to draft
19588-553: The English bowlers, Gubby Allen , refused to bowl with fielders on the leg side, clashing with Jardine over these tactics. The only Australian batsman to make an impact was Stan McCabe , who hooked and pulled everything aimed at his upper body, to score 187 not out in four hours from 233 deliveries . Behind the scenes, administrators began to express concerns to each other. Yet the English tactics still did not earn universal disapproval; former Australian captain Monty Noble praised
19824-413: The English bowling. Meanwhile, Woodfull was being encouraged to retaliate to the short-pitched English attack, not least by members of his own side such as Vic Richardson , or to include pace bowlers such as Eddie Gilbert or Laurie Nash to match the aggression of the opposition. But Woodfull refused to consider doing so. He had to wait until minutes before the game before he was confirmed as captain by
20060-405: The English touring party of 1932–33. Gradually, the idea developed that Bradman was possibly vulnerable to pace bowling. In the final Test of the 1930 Ashes series, while he was batting, the pitch became briefly difficult following rain. Bradman was observed to be uncomfortable facing deliveries which bounced higher than usual at a faster pace, being seen to consistently step back out of the line of
20296-524: The Kirkheaton team which won the Lumb Challenge Cup of 1889. In the final, watched by players from Yorkshire County Cricket Club , he took five wickets for 23 runs. Days later, invited to take part along with another local player, he appeared for Yorkshire against Cheshire in a non- first-class match in Huddersfield. He scored six runs in his only innings, and took three wickets in the match. Hirst played only intermittently for Yorkshire over
20532-551: The Laws of Cricket or the spirit of the game. We have no evidence that our confidence is misplaced. Much as we regret accidents to Woodfull and Oldfield, we understand that in neither case was the bowler to blame. If the Australian Board of Control wish to propose a new law or rule it shall receive our careful consideration in due course. We hope the situation is not now as serious as your cable would seem to indicate, but if it
20768-584: The Middle Dutch phrase for hockey, " met de (krik ket)sen " ("with the stick chase"). Gillmeister has suggested that not only the name but also the sport itself may be of Flemish origin. Although the main object of the game has always been to score the most runs , the early form of cricket differed from the modern game in certain key technical aspects; the North American variant of cricket known as wicket retained many of these aspects. The ball
21004-534: The Nottinghamshire administrators that, if Voce's leg-side bowling was repeated, his men would leave the field and return to London. He further said that Australia would not return to the country in the future. The following day, Voce was absent, ostensibly due to a leg injury. Already angered by the absence of Larwood, the Nottinghamshire faithful heckled the Australians all day. Australia had previously and privately complained that some pacemen had strayed past
21240-524: The Sri Lankan team during their tour of Pakistan led to Pakistan being unable to host matches until 2019. In 2017, Afghanistan and Ireland became the 11th and 12th Test nations. In cricket, the rules of the game are codified in The Laws of Cricket (hereinafter called "the Laws"), which has a global remit. There are 42 Laws (always written with a capital "L"). The earliest known version of
21476-402: The Test matches 4–1, hampered by the poor form of the bowlers and ill health among the team, not least from Stoddart himself who missed several matches following the death of his mother. Hirst, suffering from a strained leg for some of the tour, was ineffective as a bowler. The hard Australian pitches favoured batsmen and did not suit Hirst's style of bowling. In all the first-class matches on
21712-562: The Test, Hirst took 13 wickets. Later in the season, he played for the Players against the Gentlemen, though without any great success. Hirst's batting continued to be more successful than his bowling, to the point where commentators regarded him as primarily a batsman, who bowled occasionally. In 1900, he scored 1,960 runs at an average of 40.83, his best batting record to date, but his total of wickets fell to 62 at an average of 26.90, his worst average until 1914. His only representative cricket came in end-of-season festival matches, including
21948-528: The agreement in the Tests. As a direct consequence of the 1932–33 tour, the MCC introduced a new rule to the Laws of Cricket for the 1935 English cricket season. Originally, the MCC hoped that captains would ensure that the game was played in the correct spirit, and passed a resolution that bodyline bowling would breach this spirit. When this proved to be insufficient, the MCC passed a law that "direct attack" bowling
22184-421: The air over mid on . The main dangers to the batsmen were the risk of being bowled or hitting the ball with a defensive shot and being caught by specially-placed fielders on the leg side. His ability to make the ball swing made him effective on a variety of pitches. Before Hirst developed his technique, bowlers often rubbed the ball in the dirt to remove the shiny layer of the ball, unaware that this layer helped
22420-454: The ball hits the striker's wicket and dislodges the bails, and by the fielding side either catching the ball after it is hit by the bat but before it hits the ground, or hitting a wicket with the ball before a batter can cross the crease line in front of the wicket. When ten batters have been dismissed, the innings (playing phase) ends and the teams swap roles. Forms of cricket range from traditional Test matches played over five days to
22656-428: The ball swerve in his most puzzling fashion". After England established a first innings lead, Australia were bowled out for 151 in their second innings, with Hirst taking five for 58. The English opening batsmen scored the 105 runs required for victory without being separated. Hirst and Blythe took all the wickets which fell to England in the match, a rare accomplishment, and apart from a brief period, bowled throughout
22892-465: The ball swing. Yorkshire lost five wickets in scoring the 48 runs they required to win. The second Test was badly affected by weather and Hirst did not bat or bowl, and in the third Test in Sheffield, lost by England, he scored eight runs and did not take any wickets. Although he failed at Sheffield, Hirst was the leading all-rounder in England and thus unlikely to be left out of the team. However,
23128-621: The ball to swing. Hirst's Wisden obituary records: "Hirst, in fact, has been described as the father of all modern seam and swing bowling." Hirst completed the double 14 times, more than any other cricketer except Rhodes. Unusually for an all-rounder, for much of his career he was equally successful as a batsman and as a bowler. Consequently, he was a key member of the Yorkshire team. His Yorkshire captain Lord Hawke described Hirst as "the greatest county cricketer of all time", and journalist Jim Kilburn noted that no cricketer could "capture
23364-631: The ball with his bat. The last course carried additional risks, as defensive shots brought few runs and could carry far enough to be caught by fielders on the leg side, and pull and hook shots could be caught near the boundary of the field where two men were usually placed for such a shot. Bodyline bowling is intended to be intimidatory, and it was primarily designed as an attempt to curb the unusually prolific scoring of Donald Bradman , although other Australian batsmen such as Bill Woodfull , Bill Ponsford , and Alan Kippax were also targeted. Several terms were used to describe this style of bowling before
23600-449: The ball, replied: "He was very good. But he didn't know how to use it, you know. I had to set the field for him so that he got the best out of it." A plain-speaking man, Hirst could be firm and even outspoken at times. Wisden said: "Cricket was George Hirst's life". Bowes wrote that Hirst "was loved as a player, he was worshipped as a coach, revered as a man. His friends numbered thousands. He gave his full life to cricket; cricket gave
23836-474: The ball, which is a hard, solid spheroid made of compressed leather with a slightly raised sewn seam enclosing a cork core layered with tightly wound string. The earliest known definite reference to cricket is to it being played in South East England in the mid-16th century. It spread globally with the expansion of the British Empire , with the first international matches in the second half of
24072-720: The ball. Former England player and Surrey captain Percy Fender was one who noticed this, and the incident was much discussed by cricketers. Given that Bradman scored 232, it was not initially thought that a way to curb his prodigious scoring had been found. When Douglas Jardine later saw film footage of the Oval incident and noticed Bradman's discomfort, according to his daughter he shouted, "I've got it! He's yellow!" The theory of Bradman's vulnerability developed further when Fender received correspondence from Australia in 1932, describing how Australian batsmen were increasingly moving across
24308-423: The bat, but his bowling continued to make a good impression on critics. He took 99 wickets at an average of 14.39, placing him third in the Yorkshire averages for the season; that year, the county won the official County Championship , which had begun in 1890, for the first time. In 1894, Hirst scored his maiden first-class century against Gloucestershire , hitting an unbeaten 115 out of a partnership of 176 for
24544-481: The batsman, and is considered to be a legitimate bowling tactic when used sparingly. Over time, several Laws of Cricket were changed to render the bodyline tactic less effective—and increase player safety—such as a legside field restriction, concussion breaks and inspections. Bodyline is a tactic devised for and primarily used in the Ashes series between England and Australia in 1932–33 . The tactic involved bowling at
24780-401: The batting and bowling averages and had the third highest batting average in the country. Hirst played in two end-of-season games for the Players against the Gentlemen; his 124 not out in the second match was his only century in the Players versus Gentlemen series. In 1903, Pelham Warner , who played for Middlesex , was chosen to captain the first tour of Australia to be sponsored by MCC, in
25016-409: The batting and bowling averages for the series. In 1906, Hirst completed an unprecedented double of 2,000 runs and 200 wickets. Cricket writer A. A. Thomson noted that both milestones were unusual individually, and that such all-round achievements had only been matched in scope by those of W. G. Grace in the 1870s. No other cricketer has come close to matching this particular double. Hirst reached
25252-449: The batting team are on the field at any given time. The order of batters is usually announced just before the match, but it can be varied. The main objective of each team is to score more runs than their opponents, but in some forms of cricket, it is also necessary to dismiss all but one of the opposition batters (making their team 'all out') in their final innings in order to win the match, which would otherwise be drawn (not ending with
25488-519: The best bowling figures of his career, clean-bowling eight of his victims as Lancashire were dismissed for 61. Yorkshire continued to struggle in 1911, but Hirst was successful against many of the leading counties, mainly as a bowler. However, he achieved some large scores; against Sussex, he hit the third double-century of his career and against Lancashire he scored 156 as well as taking six wickets for 83. In total, he scored 1,789 runs at 33.12 and took 137 wickets at 20.40. In 1912 Yorkshire regained
25724-623: The bouncers, standing on tiptoe, and played them with a dead bat, sometimes playing the ball one handed for more control. While the Old Trafford pitch was not as suited to bodyline as the hard Australian wickets, Martindale did take 5 for 73, but Constantine only took 1 for 55. Jardine himself made 127, his only Test century. In the West Indian second innings, Clark bowled bodyline back to the West Indians, taking 2 for 64. The match in
25960-529: The bowler, bowls the ball toward the striker's wicket from the opposite end of the pitch. The striker's goal is to hit the bowled ball with the bat and then switch places with the nonstriker, with the batting team scoring one run for each of these exchanges. Runs are also scored when the ball reaches the boundary of the field or when the ball is bowled illegally . The fielding team tries to prevent runs from being scored by dismissing batters (so they are "out"). Means of dismissal include being bowled , when
26196-437: The bowlers were targeting the batsmen's heads. Bradman adopted unorthodox tactics—ducking, weaving and moving around the crease —which did not meet with universal approval from Australians and he scored just 36 and 13 in the match. The tactic continued to be used in the next game by Voce (Larwood and Bowes did not play in this game), against New South Wales , for whom Jack Fingleton made a century and received several blows in
26432-421: The bowling crease, but is also, in fact, unlimited in length. Before a match begins, the team captains (who are also players) toss a coin to decide which team will bat first and so take the first innings . "Innings" is the term used for each phase of play in the match. In each innings, one team bats, attempting to score runs , while the other team bowls and fields the ball , attempting to restrict
26668-440: The cap out of superstition, it conveyed a negative impression to the spectators; his general demeanour drew one comment of "Where's the butler to carry the bat for you?" By this stage Jardine had developed an intense dislike for Australian crowds. During his third century at the start of the tour, during a period of abuse from the spectators, he observed to Hunter Hendry that "All Australians are uneducated, and an unruly mob". After
26904-414: The code was drafted in 1744, and since 1788, it has been owned and maintained by its custodian, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in London . Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played on a cricket field (see image of cricket pitch and creases) between two teams of eleven players each. The field is usually circular or oval in shape, and the edge of the playing area is marked by a boundary , which may be
27140-424: The coolness of his play under pressure and said that "Hirst's innings was in its way almost as remarkable as Jessop's". In four Tests, Hirst scored 157 runs at an average of 39.25 and took nine wickets at an average of 23.11. Apart from his Test appearances, Hirst also played twice for the Players against the Gentlemen and played for the same side against the Australians. Early in the 1903 season, Hirst suffered
27376-410: The country in 1928–29 . When he scored three consecutive hundreds in the early games, he was frequently jeered by the crowd for slow play; the Australian spectators took an increasing dislike to him, mainly for his superior attitude and bearing, his awkward fielding, and particularly his choice of headwear—a Harlequin cap that was given to successful Oxford cricketers. Although Jardine may simply have worn
27612-420: The crowd began to protest noisily. Jardine called to Larwood: "Well bowled, Harold!" Although the comment was aimed at unnerving Bradman, who was also batting at the time, Woodfull was appalled. Play resumed after a brief delay, once it was certain the Australian captain was fit to carry on and, since Larwood's over had ended, Woodfull did not have to face the bowling of Allen in the next over. However, when Larwood
27848-402: The crowd come onto the field. The ball which injured Oldfield was bowled to a conventional, non-bodyline field; Larwood immediately apologised but Oldfield said that it was his own fault before he was helped back to the dressing room and play continued. Jardine later secretly sent a telegram of sympathy to Oldfield's wife and arranged for presents to be given to his young daughters. At the end of
28084-561: The derisive term "shamateur" was coined to describe the practice. The game underwent major development in the 18th century to become England's national sport . Its success was underwritten by the twin necessities of patronage and betting. Cricket was prominent in London as early as 1707 and, in the middle years of the century, large crowds flocked to matches on the Artillery Ground in Finsbury . The single wicket form of
28320-405: The earliest known contest that is generally considered a First Class match. The patrons and other players from the gentry began to classify themselves as " amateurs " to establish a clear distinction from the professionals, who were invariably members of the working class , even to the point of having separate changing and dining facilities. The gentry, including such high-ranking nobles as
28556-482: The early matches, although there were instances of the English bowlers pitching the ball short and causing problems with their pace, full bodyline tactics were not used. There had been little unusual about the English bowling except the number of fast bowlers. Larwood and Voce were given a light workload in the early matches by Jardine. The English tactics changed in a game against an Australian XI team at Melbourne in mid-November, when full bodyline tactics were deployed for
28792-413: The editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack . Yorkshire, needing to fill a vacant place in the team, played Hirst 13 times in first-class matches in 1892. He did not pass 30 runs in an innings again and averaged 16.15 with the bat. With the ball, he took 30 wickets at an average of 20.56 with a best performance of six for 16 against Sussex . Wisden later noted that Hirst, until he tired later in
29028-466: The end of the season. However, he declined an invitation to tour Australia with the MCC team in 1907–08 . In the 1909 season, Hirst was less successful. Possibly affected by his heavy workload with bat and ball in previous seasons, his batting disappointed critics. He scored 1,256 runs at 27.30, his lowest batting average since 1898. With the ball, he took 115 wickets at 20.05; his best performances came in
29264-432: The end was drawn but played a large part in turning English opinion against bodyline. The Times used the word bodyline, without using inverted commas or using the qualification so-called , for the first time. Wisden also said that "most of those watching it for the first time must have come to the conclusion that, while strictly within the law, it was not nice." In 1934, Bill Woodfull led Australia back to England on
29500-402: The events of the 1932–33 English tour of Australia. It starred Gary Sweet as Don Bradman, Hugo Weaving as Douglas Jardine, Jim Holt as Harold Larwood, Rhys McConnochie as Pelham Warner, and Frank Thring as Jardine's mentor Lord Harris . The series took some liberties with historical accuracy for the sake of drama, including a depiction of angry Australian fans burning a British flag at
29736-399: The existence of players like him who were nominally amateur but, in terms of their financial gain, de facto professional. Grace himself was said to have been paid more money for playing cricket than any professional. The last two decades before the First World War have been called the " Golden Age of cricket ". It is a nostalgic name prompted by the collective sense of loss resulting from
29972-606: The final time. Jardine was appointed captain of England for the 1931 season, replacing Percy Chapman who had led the team in 1930. He defeated New Zealand in his first series, but opinion was divided as to how effective he had been. The following season, he led England again and was appointed to lead the team to tour Australia for the 1932–33 Ashes series. A meeting was arranged between Jardine, Nottinghamshire captain Arthur Carr and his two fast bowlers Harold Larwood and Bill Voce at London's Piccadilly Hotel to discuss
30208-506: The first Test at Sydney, worn out by constant cricket and the ongoing argument with the Board of Control. Jardine later wrote that the real reason was that the batsman had suffered a nervous breakdown . The English bowlers used bodyline intermittently in the first match, to the crowd's vocal displeasure, and the Australians lost the game by ten wickets. Larwood was particularly successful, returning match figures of ten wickets for 124 runs. One of
30444-503: The first Yorkshire player to achieve the double of 2,000 runs and 100 wickets, a feat previously achieved only by the Gloucestershire trio of W. G. Grace , Charlie Townsend and Gilbert Jessop . Most of his eight centuries were either against the strongest counties or in adverse circumstances for the team. In August, Hirst had a benefit match against Lancashire from which he received £3,703, worth around £490,000 as of 2023,
30680-399: The first innings he achieved his best Test figures of the tour in the second, with five for 48. In the Test series, Hirst scored 217 runs at an average of 24.11 and took 15 wickets at an average of 30.06. He scored 569 runs at 33.47 and took 36 wickets at 24.50 over all first-class games on the tour. His best bowling performance was five for 37 against Tasmania. Warner described Hirst as
30916-646: The first limited overs Cricket World Cup in 1975 . Sri Lanka joined the ranks in 1982. Meanwhile, South Africa was banned by the ICC due to apartheid from 1970 until 1992. 1992 also brought about the introduction of the Zimbabwe team . The 21st century brought with it the Bangladesh Team , who made their Test debut in 2000. The game itself also grew, with a new format made up of 20-over innings being created. This format, called T20 cricket , quickly became
31152-426: The first time since 1904, was not selected for the Players side in any of their matches. Hirst completed the 14th and final double of his career in 1913, leading the Yorkshire batting averages with 1,540 runs at an average of 35.81. His bowling was not as effective and he was no longer Yorkshire's main attacking bowler, as Alonzo Drake and Major Booth headed the averages. Hirst took 101 wickets at 20.13. During
31388-432: The first time. Jardine had left himself out of the English side, which was led instead by Bob Wyatt who later wrote that the team experimented with a diluted form of bodyline bowling. He reported to Jardine that Bradman, who was playing for the opposition, seemed uncomfortable against the bowling tactics of Larwood, Voce and Bowes. The crowd, press and Australian players were shocked by what they experienced and believed that
31624-409: The fixture was always highly competitive. Then in the 1895 season, Hirst passed 100 wickets in the season for the first time, securing 150 wickets at an average of 17.06. He established himself as an opening bowler for Yorkshire, assuming the role from Ted Wainwright and developing a good partnership with Bobby Peel . Against Leicestershire , he took a hat-trick . Although primarily regarded as
31860-534: The following season, the last before the First World War, Hirst was further afflicted by injuries and missed some matches. He bowled far less frequently than in recent seasons and his 43 wickets, which cost 29.81, were his fewest since 1898; it was the first time since 1902 he failed to complete the double. His batting remained effective and he produced some good performances when his team were in difficult circumstances, although his two centuries were against
32096-571: The fourth day's play of the third Test match, the Australian Board of Control sent a cable to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), cricket's ruling body and the club that selected the England team, in London: Australian Board of Control to MCC, January 18, 1933: Bodyline bowling assumed such proportions as to menace best interests of game, making protection of body by batsmen the main consideration. Causing intensely bitter feeling between players, as well as injury. In our opinion
32332-450: The game at county level led to the creation of the county clubs , starting with Sussex in 1839. In December 1889, the eight leading county clubs formed the official County Championship , which began in 1890. The most famous player of the 19th century was W. G. Grace , who started his long and influential career in 1865. It was especially during the career of Grace that the distinction between amateurs and professionals became blurred by
32568-410: The game by eight wickets, thanks in part to an innings of 83 by Eddie Paynter who had been admitted to hospital with tonsillitis but left in order to bat when England were struggling in their innings. Voce returned for the final Test, but neither he nor Allen were fully fit, and despite the use of bodyline tactics, Australia scored 435 at a rapid pace, aided by several dropped catches. Australia included
32804-424: The game progresses (cricket can also be played on artificial surfaces, notably matting). Each wicket is made of three wooden stumps topped by two bails . As illustrated, the pitch is marked at each end with four white painted lines: a bowling crease , a popping crease and two return creases . The three stumps are aligned centrally on the bowling crease, which is eight feet eight inches long. The popping crease
33040-432: The game quickly grew from 500 tests in 84 years to 1000 within the next 23. Cricket entered a new era in 1963 when English counties introduced the limited overs variant. As it was sure to produce a result, limited overs cricket was lucrative, and the number of matches increased. The first Limited Overs International was played in 1971, and the governing International Cricket Council (ICC), seeing its potential, staged
33276-426: The game, he failed to take a wicket; his maiden Test match wicket came in the following Test, but he took only two wickets in the series. In the third Test, Hirst scored 85, which remained the highest Test score of his career, but in this series he reached double figures only once more. When the series ended, Hirst had scored 207 runs at an average of 29.57. Hirst's poor form continued when he returned to England for
33512-421: The greatest Test batter of all time. To curb his dominance, England employed bodyline tactics during the 1932–33 Ashes series . These involved bowling at the body of the batter and setting a field, resulting in batters having to choose between being hit or risk getting out. This series moved cricket from a game to a matter of national importance , with diplomatic cables being passed between the two countries over
33748-529: The hands, a safety helmet for the head, and a box for male players inside the trousers (to protect the crotch area). Some batters wear additional padding inside their shirts and trousers such as thigh pads, arm pads, rib protectors and shoulder pads. The only fielders allowed to wear protective gear are those in positions very close to the batter (i.e., if they are alongside or in front of him), but they cannot wear gloves or external leg guards. Subject to certain variations, on-field clothing generally includes
33984-421: The heading of "Intimidatory Short Pitched Bowling", also restricted the number of " bouncers " which might be bowled in an over . Nevertheless, the tactic of intimidating the batsman is still used to an extent that would have been shocking in 1933, although it is less dangerous now because today's players wear helmets and generally far more protective gear. The West Indies teams of the 1980s, who regularly fielded
34220-423: The heart and the imagination and the affections more firmly than George Herbert Hirst". E. W. Swanton described his typical style of play as "grafting for victory without heroics". His record as a Test cricketer was less impressive than his figures in county cricket, owing to some extent to playing conditions during his two tours of Australia which reduced the effectiveness of his bowling and batting. Hirst gave
34456-468: The impression of enjoying every game he played, and many of the captains under whom he played praised both his personality and his contribution to the team. Lord Hawke said that Hirst's smile "went right round his head and met at the back". Warner noted his wit helped the team in difficult situations during the tour of Australia in 1903–04. Hirst's Times obituary said: "No why or wherefore, no explanation of his great ability, not even his record which adorns
34692-528: The incident. During this time, the number of Test nations continued to grow, with the West Indies , New Zealand and India being admitted as full Test members within a four-year period from 1928 to 1932. An enforced break during the Second World War stopped Test Cricket for a time, although the Partition of India caused Pakistan to gain Test status in 1952. As teams began to travel more,
34928-517: The information from Bradman; for the rest of their lives, Fingleton and Bradman made claim and counter-claim that the other man was responsible for the leak. The following day, as Australia faced a large deficit on the first innings, Bert Oldfield played a long innings in support of Bill Ponsford , who scored 85. In the course of the innings, the English bowlers used bodyline against him, and he faced several short-pitched deliveries but took several fours from Larwood to move to 41. Having just conceded
35164-408: The innings as wickets were lost. The ninth wicket fell with 15 needed when Rhodes joined Hirst. It has been claimed that Hirst said to Rhodes, "We'll get 'em in singles", but neither batsman could remember those words being said and not all the runs came in singles. The two Yorkshiremen held their nerve to take England to a one-wicket victory. Wisden described Hirst as playing "a great game", noted
35400-405: The innings, when teammate Patsy Hendren remarked that the Australian crowds did not like Jardine, he replied "It's fucking mutual". During the tour, Jardine fielded next to the crowd on the boundary. There, he was roundly abused and mocked for his awkward fielding, particularly when chasing the ball. On one occasion, he spat towards the crowd while fielding on the boundary as he changed position for
35636-510: The intention of causing physical harm as stupid and patently untruthful. The immediate effect of the law change which banned bodyline in 1935 was to make commentators and spectators sensitive to the use of short-pitched bowling; bouncers became exceedingly rare and bowlers who delivered them were practically ostracised. This attitude ended after the Second World War, and among the first teams to make extensive use of short-pitched bowling
35872-472: The journalist Hugh Buggy in the Melbourne Herald , in his report on the first day's play of the first Test. In the 19th century, most cricketers considered it unsportsmanlike to bowl the ball at the leg stump or for batsmen to hit on the leg side. But by the early years of the 20th century, some bowlers, usually slow or medium-paced , used leg theory as a tactic; the ball was aimed outside
36108-492: The line of leg stump and the fielders placed on that side of the field, the object being to test the batsman's patience and force a rash stroke. Two English left-arm bowlers, George Hirst in 1903–04 and Frank Foster in 1911–12, bowled leg theory to packed leg side fields in Test matches in Australia; Warwick Armstrong also used it regularly for Australia. In the years immediately before the First World War, several bowlers used leg theory in English county cricket . Amongst these
36344-419: The mark with tactics resembling bodyline. In a match between the Australians and Nottinghamshire, Voce, one of the bodyline practitioners of 1932–33, employed the strategy with the wicket-keeper standing to the leg side and took 8/66. In the second innings, Voce repeated the tactic late in the day, in fading light against Woodfull and Bill Brown . Of his 12 balls, 11 were no lower than head height. Woodfull told
36580-442: The match by three runs, giving them an unassailable lead in the series; later writers claimed that Tate's performance was responsible for losing the match. Hirst was recalled for the final Test and played a vital role. Wisden said that he bowled as well as he had in 1901 as he brought about an early batting collapse. Although Australia recovered, he had figures of five for 77. With Len Braund , Hirst then helped England to avoid
36816-509: The match without resting. However, Hirst was ineffective in the rest of the series, and was left out of the side for the fifth and final Test. In the series he scored 52 runs at an average of 8.66, with a top-score of 31, and took 16 wickets at 21.75. This ended his Test career; his final Test record in 24 matches was 790 runs, with three scores over fifty, at an average of 22.57, and 59 wickets at an average of 30.00. Yorkshire had one of their worst seasons to date in 1910, finishing eighth in
37052-413: The modern calendar). The case concerned ownership of a certain plot of land, and the court heard the testimony of a 59-year-old coroner , John Derrick , who gave witness that: Being a scholler in the ffree schoole of Guldeford hee and diverse of his fellows did runne and play there at creckett and other plaies. Given Derrick's age, it was about half a century earlier when he was at school, and so it
37288-561: The more important matches such as those against Lancashire and Surrey. He was selected for the Players against the Gentlemen, taking seven wickets in the game. In the Test series against Australia, which England lost 2–1, Hirst played in the first four matches. England won the first game, in which Hirst took nine wickets. On the first day, bowling throughout the Australian innings with Colin Blythe , Hirst took four for 28. The Australians were never comfortable; Wisden noted that Hirst "[made]
37524-444: The name 'bodyline' was used. Among the first to use it was the writer and former Australian Test cricketer Jack Worrall in the match between the English team and an Australian XI. When 'bodyline' was first used in full, he referred to "half-pitched slingers on the body line" and first used it in print after the first Test. Other writers used a similar phrase around this time, but the first use of 'bodyline' in print seems to have been by
37760-552: The name may have been derived from the Middle Dutch (in use in Flanders at the time) " krick " ( -e ), meaning a stick (crook). Another possible source is the Middle Dutch word " krickstoel " , meaning a long low stool used for kneeling in church that resembled the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket. According to Heiner Gillmeister, a European language expert of Bonn University , "cricket" derives from
37996-448: The newer Twenty20 format (also known as T20 ), in which each team bats for a single innings of 20 overs (each "over" being a set of 6 fair opportunities for the batting team to score) and the game generally lasts three to four hours. Traditionally, cricketers play in all-white kit , but in limited overs cricket , they wear club or team colours. In addition to the basic kit, some players wear protective gear to prevent injury caused by
38232-476: The next couple of seasons, but continued to develop as a cricketer, signing as a professional for Elland Cricket Club for the 1890 season before joining Mirfield in 1891. During that season, he made his first-class debut for Yorkshire against Somerset in the County Championship ; he scored 15 runs and took two wickets in the game. For the 1892 season, Hirst joined Huddersfield, which played
38468-413: The ninth wicket . Although this was his only score over fifty, Wisden recorded how his batting often helped his team out of difficult situations. In total, he hit 564 runs at an average of 16.58. With the ball, his record was similar to the previous season. He took 98 wickets at an average of 15.98, and his best figures came in a match against Lancashire , a feat appreciated by Yorkshire supporters as
38704-402: The only full-time journalist in the Australian team, suspicion immediately fell on Fingleton, although as soon as the story was published, he told Woodfull he was not responsible. Warner offered Larwood a reward of one pound if he could dismiss Fingleton in the second innings; Larwood obliged by bowling him for a duck . Fingleton later claimed that Sydney Sun reporter Claude Corbett had received
38940-564: The pace of Sandy Bell in his innings of 299 not out at the Adelaide Oval in South Africa's tour of Australia earlier in 1932, when the desperate bowler decided to bowl short to him, and fellow South African Herbie Taylor , according to Jack Fingleton , may have mentioned this to English cricketers in 1932. Fender felt Bradman might be vulnerable to fast, short-pitched deliveries on the line of leg stump. Jardine felt that Bradman
39176-505: The pages of Wisden can adequately describe to those who had not the fortune to see him play the rich quality of George Hirst, the type of professional cricketer to which all would like to aspire. He played during the golden age of cricket, and he was one of the most illustrious of his time." Hirst was noted for his honesty, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm. Known as "George Herbert", he was admired and affectionately regarded by his contemporaries and by spectators. The public worshipped him in
39412-399: The process. Bradman again failed twice, and had scored just 103 runs in six innings against the touring team; many Australian fans were now worried by Bradman's form. Meanwhile, Jardine wrote to tell Fender that his information about the Australian batting technique was correct and that it meant he was having to move more and more fielders onto the leg side: "if this goes on I shall have to move
39648-684: The rest of his life, coached young players and established an excellent reputation for developing players of all social backgrounds. A popular player, coach, and personality with cricketers and spectators, Hirst died in 1954, aged 82. Hirst was born on 7 September 1871 in the Brown Cow Inn, Kirkheaton , a village close to Huddersfield . He was the last of 10 children born to James Hirst and his wife Sarah Maria Woolhouse. When his father died in 1880, Hirst lived with his sister Mary Elizabeth Woolhouse and her husband John Berry in Kirkheaton. After leaving school at 10 years of age, Hirst first worked for
39884-447: The same first-class match; as of 2015, only one other man, Franklyn Stephenson in 1988, has achieved the feat. Battling a knee injury and exhaustion towards the end of the season, it became increasingly difficult for Hirst to perform. Hirst took his 200th wicket at the end of August and commented that, were his feat to be duplicated in future, "whoever does will be very tired". He also commented that his injuries only troubled him once
40120-408: The school holidays, and maintained his coaching connection with the county until shortly before his death. Despite the differences in the backgrounds of the players, Hirst was equally respected at Eton and when he acted as a coach to the Yorkshire team. At Yorkshire Hirst worked with young players in the cricket nets at Headingley , took charge of indoor trials during the winter, and travelled with
40356-412: The scoring and dismiss the batters. When the first innings ends, the teams change roles; there can be two to four innings depending upon the type of match. A match with four scheduled innings is played over three to five days; a match with two scheduled innings is usually completed in a single day. During an innings, all eleven members of the fielding team take the field, but usually only two members of
40592-600: The season and was dropped from the team, "bowled up to a certain point with excellent results". Over the next few seasons, Hirst became a regular member of the Yorkshire side, but although his performances were good enough to keep him in the team, he had few outstanding successes. Wisden noted: "For some time after his first season Hirst's career was one of steady progress rather than of brilliant achievement." Hirst's batting remained undeveloped in 1893; he batted at number 10 and did not pass fifty in any one innings, though he managed some useful scores. He averaged only 15.04 with
40828-448: The season was over and it "was a triumph of spirit over matter". The weather was poor during the 1907 season, resulting in a succession of pitches which suited spin bowling and were difficult to bat on. In these circumstances, Hirst scored fewer runs than in the previous season. He did not score a century, making 1,321 runs at 28.71, and the prevalent type of pitches did not suit his bowling pace so that he took fewer wickets. Even so, he
41064-419: The season, at Scarborough, he was given a warm reception by the crowd, who did not expect to see him playing for Yorkshire again. However, he appeared on occasions during the school holidays in the next two seasons, although he did not score any centuries, did not average more than 24 with the bat and took only 21 wickets in total. At the end of the 1921 season Hirst retired as a Yorkshire player, and made what
41300-475: The season, at an average of 31.11 with two centuries. He took fewer wickets than the previous year, partly as he was often used for a few overs early in an innings by Yorkshire before giving way to slow bowlers Rhodes and Schofield Haigh , who topped the national first-class bowling averages for the season. In total, Hirst took 83 wickets at an average of 20.33. During the summer of 1902, Australia toured England, playing five Test matches; Hirst made an impact on
41536-421: The second time, scoring 2,226 runs at an average of 53.95. Early in the season, Hirst scored 341 against Leicestershire, the highest score of his career and, as of 2015, the record individual innings by a Yorkshire batsman. On a good pitch for batting, he began his innings when Yorkshire had scored 22 for three wickets, in reply to Leicestershire's score of 419, batted just under seven hours and hit 53 fours and
41772-429: The selectors. For the second Test, Bradman returned to the team after his newspaper employers released him from his contract. England continued to use bodyline and Bradman was dismissed by his first ball in the first innings. In the second innings, against the full bodyline attack, he scored an unbeaten century which helped Australia to win the match and level the series at one match each. Critics began to believe bodyline
42008-402: The selectors. The pitch was soft, which would have favoured the bowling of Tate, but Wisden reported that while this offered some justification for dropping Hirst, "it meant playing a bowler pure and simple in preference to a first-rate all-round man, and the result proved anything but happy." Tate bowled just 16 overs in the game, dropped a vital catch and was the last man out as Australia won
42244-410: The series by four Tests to one. Bodyline continued to be bowled occasionally in the 1933 English season—most notably by Nottinghamshire , who had Carr, Voce and Larwood in their team. Jardine himself had to face bodyline bowling in a Test match. The West Indian cricket team toured England in 1933, and, in the second Test at Old Trafford , Jackie Grant , their captain, decided to try bodyline. He had
42480-447: The series. Around the time of the first Test, the tourists endured a dispiriting spell of poor form and illness. In the first Test, England scored 376 for nine wickets. Hirst scored 48 and Wisden described his partnership with Johnny Tyldesley of 94 in 80 minutes as the turning point of the innings. In reply, Hirst and Rhodes bowled out Australia for 36 in conditions that the umpires considered reasonable to bat in. Wisden described
42716-443: The sport attracted huge crowds and wagers to match, its popularity peaking in the 1748 season . Bowling underwent an evolution around 1760 when bowlers began to pitch (bounce) the ball instead of rolling or skimming it towards the batter. This caused a revolution in bat design because, to deal with the bouncing ball, it was necessary to introduce the modern straight bat in place of the old "hockey stick" shape. The Hambledon Club
42952-413: The sport is that a bowler delivers (i.e., bowls) the ball from their end of the pitch towards the batter who, armed with a bat , is "on strike" at the other end (see next sub-section: Basic gameplay ). The bat is made of wood, usually Salix alba (white willow), and has the shape of a blade topped by a cylindrical handle. The blade must not be more than 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) wide and
43188-457: The sportsmanship of your team as being in question". Even so, correspondence between the Australian Board and the MCC continued for almost a year. Voce missed the fourth Test of the series, being replaced by a leg spinner , Tommy Mitchell . Larwood continued to use bodyline, but he was the only bowler in the team using the tactic; even so, he used it less frequently than usual and seemed less effective in high temperatures and humidity. England won
43424-472: The squad for the second match but was left out on fitness grounds. However, Hirst was not particularly successful in the three Tests he played that season, hitting a highest score of 40 not out; as a bowler he never took more than three wickets in an innings. In the series he scored 105 runs at an average of 35.00 and took 6 wickets at 35.33. England won the series 2–0, mainly due to the all-round efforts of Hirst's Yorkshire teammate Stanley Jackson , who headed
43660-478: The stumps towards the off side to play the ball on the on side. Fender showed these letters to his Surrey team-mate Jardine when it became clear that Jardine was to captain the English team in Australia during the 1932–33 tour, and he also discussed Bradman's discomfort at the Oval. It was also known in England that Bradman was dismissed for a four-ball duck by fast bowler Eddie Gilbert , and had looked very uncomfortable. Bradman had also appeared uncomfortable against
43896-594: The team as coach on a tour to Jamaica in 1936. Many Yorkshire players, with vastly differing temperaments, came under his influence and improved as players. One of Hirst's most notable achievements as a coach was improving the bowling of George Macaulay to the point where he became a key member of the Yorkshire team. The short terms at Eton allowed him to play matches for Scarborough from 1923 onwards, in July and August for seven seasons. During this period he scored 2,682 runs at an average of 58.3. His highest batting average
44132-459: The team at the time. Additionally, members of the MCC believed that the Australians had over-reacted to the English bowling. The MCC took some time to draft a reply: MCC to Australian Board of Control, January 23, 1933: We, Marylebone Cricket Club, deplore your cable. We deprecate your opinion that there has been unsportsmanlike play. We have fullest confidence in captain, team and managers, and are convinced they would do nothing to infringe either
44368-409: The team were unbeaten in the fixture, winning the six matches that produced a definite result and drawing the remainder. Following Hirst's retirement, Eton lost to Harrow in 1939 for the first time since the First World War. In the period of Hirst's coaching, Eton only lost once—in 1920—to Winchester. A combination of Hirst's technical knowledge, playing experience and empathy with young people made him
44604-404: The team's success, more so than a strong batting line-up, and expressed the opinion that Hirst should concentrate on one discipline rather than dividing his energy. Over the next few seasons, these fears were proven to some extent, Wisden noting in 1901 that he was a less effective bowler than previously. In 1897, Hirst completed the double again. He scored 1,535 runs at an average of 35.69, with
44840-423: The term fast leg theory . The terminology reflected differences in understanding, as neither the English public nor the Board of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)—the governing body of English cricket—could understand why the Australians were complaining about what they perceived as a commonly used tactic. Some concluded that the Australian cricket authorities and public were sore losers. Of the four fast bowlers in
45076-418: The third Test, Hirst took three wickets and, with innings of 58 and 44, was one of the few successful England batsmen in a poor performance which enabled Australia to win the match. England won the crucial fourth match to ensure the series victory. Hirst took two wickets and contributed scores of 25 and 18. Australia achieved a win in the final match in which Hirst scored 0 and 1, but after taking no wickets in
45312-414: The third match but did not take many wickets before the first Test. Warner considered he had nevertheless bowled well but was finding it difficult to maintain his energy in the hot conditions; his bowling lost pace and sting later in his bowling spells. Hirst played in all five Test matches, the first two of which were won by England. In the first game, Hirst took two wickets. In his first innings, he scored
45548-502: The time of the next Ashes series of 1932–33, Bradman's average hovered around 100, approximately twice that of all other world-class batsmen. The English cricket authorities felt that specific tactics would be required to curtail Bradman from being even more successful on his own Australian pitches; some believed that Bradman was at his most vulnerable against leg-spin bowling as Walter Robins and Ian Peebles had supposedly caused him problems; consequently two leg-spinners were included in
45784-407: The total length of the bat not more than 38 inches (97 cm). There is no standard for the weight, which is usually between 2 lb 7 oz and 3 lb (1.1 and 1.4 kg). George Hirst George Herbert Hirst (7 September 1871 – 10 May 1954) was a professional English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1891 and 1921, with
46020-432: The tour and discussed tactics with several players, including Larwood; at this stage, he seems to have settled on leg theory , if not full bodyline, as his main tactic. Some players later reported that he told them to hate the Australians in order to defeat them, while instructing them to refer to Bradman as "the little bastard." Upon arrival, Jardine quickly alienated the press and crowds through his manner and approach. In
46256-408: The tour party, Gubby Allen was a voice of dissent in the English camp, refusing to bowl short on the leg side, and writing several letters home to England critical of Jardine, although he did not express this in public in Australia. A number of other players, while maintaining a united front in public, also deplored bodyline in private. The amateurs Bob Wyatt (the vice-captain), Freddie Brown and
46492-527: The tour progressed. Warner hated bodyline but would not speak out against it. He was accused of hypocrisy for not taking a stand on either side, particularly after expressing sentiments at the start of the tour that cricket "has become a synonym for all that is true and honest. To say 'that is not cricket' implies something underhand, something not in keeping with the best ideals ... all who love it as players, as officials or spectators must be careful lest anything they do should do it harm." Bradman missed
46728-423: The tour, he took only nine wickets at the very expensive average of 75.77. His batting was inconsistent and he scored 338 runs at an average of 21.12. His best scores came in minor matches. Nevertheless, he was selected for England in four of the five Test matches. His debut came in the first match, England's only victory, when he scored 62 batting at number six in the batting order . Despite bowling 41 overs in
46964-400: The tourist's first innings, but in a low-scoring game, Yorkshire were behind after the first innings. After Australia had reached 20 for three wickets in their second innings, Hirst bowled Victor Trumper with what Hirst believed was the best delivery of his life and the tourists last wickets fell quickly. The team were bowled out for 23, of which Hirst took five wickets for nine runs as he made
47200-410: The two Yorkshiremen as bowling very well. Hirst had figures of three for 15 and Rhodes returned seven for 17. However C. B. Fry , who played for England in the match, believed Hirst to be the more difficult to play and that while Rhodes bowled well, the Australian batsmen got themselves out as they "hurried to the other end and tried to hit Rhodes, without success. Well as Rhodes bowled, it was Hirst who
47436-438: The two matches against Kent. He scored a century and took 11 wickets as Yorkshire won the first, and took eight wickets and scored a match-saving 93 in the drawn second encounter. Against the other title contenders, Lancashire and Surrey, he was likewise successful with both bat and ball, earning praise from The Times and Wisden for his batting under difficult circumstances in these matches. His captain, Lord Hawke , said "It
47672-435: The use of leg theory—and bodyline—observing that when bowlers bowled outside off stump, the batsmen always had the option to let the ball pass them without playing a shot, so they could scarcely complain. Some fast bowlers experimented with leg theory prior to 1932, sometimes accompanying the tactic with short-pitched bowling . In 1925, Australian Jack Scott first bowled a form of what would later have been called bodyline in
47908-535: The war, but the period did produce some great players and memorable matches, especially as organised competition at county and Test level developed. In 1844, the first-ever international match took place between what were essentially club teams, from the United States and Canada , in Toronto ; Canada won. In 1859, a team of English players went to North America on the first overseas tour . Meanwhile,
48144-569: The weaker bowling attacks of Northamptonshire and Somerset. He scored 1,670 runs at 41.75. In June, he was selected in a match to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the current Lord's ground, playing for the Rest of England against the MCC side which had toured South Africa the previous winter. The outbreak of war brought the season to an early close in August. During the war Hirst, along with Rhodes and their team-mate Schofield Haigh , worked in
48380-454: The whole bloody lot to the leg side." The Australian press were shocked and criticised the hostility of Larwood in particular. Some former Australian players joined the criticism, saying the tactics were ethically wrong. But at this stage, not everyone was opposed, and the Australian Board of Control believed the English team had bowled fairly. On the other hand, Jardine increasingly came into disagreement with tour manager Warner over bodyline as
48616-416: The winter of 1901–02 with Archie MacLaren 's team, as the Yorkshire committee wanted both players to be well rested before the new season. Hirst was statistically less successful in 1902, but he nevertheless returned to the Test team. The summer was very wet, resulting in many rain-affected pitches, known as sticky wickets , which favoured slower bowlers and made batting difficult. Hirst scored 1,413 runs in
48852-411: The winter of 1903–04. According to Warner, Hirst and Rhodes were the first two players to be selected, as "the two best bowlers of the present day in this country". Before the tour, critics claimed Hirst would be unsuccessful, citing his failure during his previous tour. However, Warner later wrote: "Hirst, to say nothing of his batting, bowled excellently throughout the tour, and was of much more value as
49088-655: Was bowled underarm by the bowler and along the ground towards a batter armed with a bat that in shape resembled a hockey stick ; the batter defended a low, two-stump wicket ; and runs were called notches because the scorers recorded them by notching tally sticks. In 1611, the year Cotgrave 's dictionary was published, ecclesiastical court records at Sidlesham in Sussex state that two parishioners, Bartholomew Wyatt and Richard Latter, failed to attend church on Easter Sunday because they were playing cricket. They were fined 12 d each and ordered to do penance . This
49324-408: Was 117.2, attained in 1926 and his highest individual innings score was 124 in 1928, scored when he was 58 years old. He took 182 wickets in this time at a strike rate of 13.1. He also coached at the club in the summer months, alongside David Hunter . Bill Bowes, who received coaching by Hirst and went on to play for England, described him as "the finest coach in the world". Len Hutton , another who
49560-544: Was a "great upsurge of sport after the Restoration " in 1660. Several members of the court of King Charles II took a strong interest in cricket during that era. Gambling on sport became a problem significant enough for Parliament to pass the 1664 Gambling Act, limiting stakes to £ 100, which was, in any case, a colossal sum exceeding the annual income of 99% of the population. Along with horse racing , as well as prizefighting and other types of blood sport , cricket
49796-450: Was a scourge on cricket and must be stamped out, while some did not see what all the fuss was about. The series has been described as the most controversial period in Australian cricket history, and it was voted the most important Australian moment by a panel of Australian cricket identities. The MCC asked Harold Larwood to sign an apology to them for his bowling in Australia, making his selection for England again conditional upon it. Larwood
50032-407: Was almost as revolutionary as Bernard Bosanquet's invention of the googly . His bowling partnership with Rhodes was particularly effective, and established a formidable reputation. Hirst could not make the ball swing in every match, nor could he maintain it through a long innings. However, when he could achieve swerve, even the best batsmen found it almost impossible to bat against him. His success
50268-456: Was coached by Hirst, wrote "I shall always think of George Hirst as the ideal coach. He was a 'natural' one, the guide, the philosopher, and friend of every young fellow who has had a trial under him". Part of Hirst's success at Eton came from his personality and ability to extract the best from people. Bowes noted how his enthusiasm inspired young players, and his humour and kindness led boys to worship him. He could pass on technical knowledge in
50504-417: Was dependent on atmospheric conditions; for example, he could not swing the ball much in Australia. He was particularly effective when bowling into the wind. Sammy Woods described facing Hirst when the ball was moving in the air: "How the devil can you play a ball that comes in at you like a hard throw-in from cover-point?" Hirst was not an especially quick bowler, a little faster than medium pace , with
50740-477: Was expected to be his final first-class appearance in a Scarborough Festival match, in which he captained the Players against the Gentlemen. On the last day of the match, Hirst's 50th birthday, he took the final two wickets to secure victory for his side. The crowd gathered outside the pavilion and demanded to see him; he gave a farewell speech, and was moved by the reception given to him. Hirst played three more first-class games; in 1921–22 he played two games for
50976-592: Was founded in the 1760s and, for the next twenty years until the formation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the opening of Lord's Old Ground in 1787, Hambledon was both the game's greatest club and its focal point. MCC quickly became the sport's premier club and the custodian of the Laws of Cricket . New Laws introduced in the latter part of the 18th century include the three-stump wicket and leg before wicket (lbw). The 19th century saw underarm bowling superseded by first roundarm and then overarm bowling . Both developments were controversial. Organisation of
51212-457: Was furious at the notion, pointing out that he had been following orders from his captain, and that was where any blame should lie. Larwood refused, never played for England again, and became vilified in his own country. Douglas Jardine always defended his tactics and in the book he wrote about the tour, In Quest of the Ashes , described allegations that the England bowlers directed their attack with
51448-457: Was leading his team in a sportsmanlike and gentlemanly manner, arguing that it was up to the Australian batsmen to play their way out of trouble. It was subsequently revealed that several of the players had private reservations, but they did not express them publicly at the time. Following the 1932–33 series, several authors, including many of the players involved, released books expressing various points of view about bodyline. Many argued that it
51684-690: Was nervous about standing his ground against intimidatory bowling, citing instances in 1930 when he shuffled about, contrary to orthodox batting technique. Jardine's first experience against Australia came when he scored an unbeaten 96 to secure a draw against the 1921 Australian touring side for Oxford University . The tourists were criticised in the press for not allowing Jardine to reach his hundred, but had tried to help him with some easy bowling. There has been speculation that this incident helped develop Jardine's antipathy towards Australians, although Jardine's biographer Christopher Douglas denies this. Jardine's attitude towards Australia hardened after he toured
51920-473: Was not only what Georgie Hirst did but how he did it, coming off [i. e. "succeeding"] when an effort seemed most necessary and playing his best against the more formidable sides." He scored six centuries, two of which came in a record-equalling performance against Somerset. He scored 111 and 117 not out when batting and took six for 70 and five for 45 with the ball. He became only the second man after Bernard Bosanquet to score two centuries and take 10 wickets in
52156-465: Was not quite the threat that had been perceived and Bradman's reputation, which had suffered slightly with his earlier failures, was restored. However, the pitch was slightly slower than others in the series, and Larwood was suffering from problems with his boots which reduced his effectiveness. The controversy reached its peak during the Third Test at Adelaide. On the second day, a Saturday, before
52392-410: Was not selected for the tour. Bill Bowes also used short-pitched bowling, notably against Jack Hobbs . The England team which toured Australia in 1932–33 contained four fast bowlers and a few medium pacers; such a heavy concentration on pace was unusual at the time, and drew comment from the Australian press and players, including Bradman. On the journey, Jardine instructed his team on how to approach
52628-399: Was offset by the debut of Wilfred Rhodes , also from Kirkheaton, who took 154 wickets in his first season. In 1899, Hirst showed a big improvement in his batting form, scoring 1,630 runs—his best tally to date—at an average of 35.43. He increased his number of wickets to 82 at 24.75, and his form was good enough to earn selection for his first home Test match, against Australia. However, it
52864-421: Was only injuries to three other candidates that secured his place as a fast bowler, and he was not selected in the rest of the series. Wisden noted: "It cannot be said that the experiment was in any way a success. Hirst worked hard for his side, his fielding indeed being perfection, but as a bowler he did not cause the Australians any trouble." When he played the tourists in their game against Yorkshire soon after
53100-490: Was perceived to be a gambling sport. Rich patrons made matches for high stakes, forming teams in which they engaged the first professional players. By the end of the century, cricket had developed into a major sport that was spreading throughout England and was already being taken abroad by English mariners and colonisers—the earliest reference to cricket overseas is dated 1676. A 1697 newspaper report survives of "a great cricket match" played in Sussex "for fifty guineas apiece",
53336-484: Was ready to bowl at Woodfull again, play was halted once more when the fielders were moved into bodyline positions, causing the crowd to protest and call abuse at the England team. Subsequently, Jardine claimed that Larwood requested a field change, Larwood said that Jardine had done so. Many commentators condemned the alteration of the field as unsporting, and the angry spectators became extremely volatile. Jardine, although writing that Woodfull could have retired hurt if he
53572-419: Was responsible for the debacle. This is the best instance I know of the bowler at the other end getting wickets for his colleague." The England side for this match was later described by some critics as the greatest England team in history. Rain prevented the match from being completed and saved Australia from almost certain defeat. The Australian team's next game was against Yorkshire. Hirst took four for 35 in
53808-481: Was retrospectively recognised as the first-ever Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Australia . The rivalry between England and Australia gave birth to The Ashes in 1882, which remains Test cricket's most famous contest. Test cricket began to expand in 1888–89 when South Africa played England. The inter-war years were dominated by Australia 's Don Bradman , statistically
54044-454: Was settled when the Australian prime minister , Joseph Lyons , met with members of the Australian Board and outlined to them the severe economic hardships that could be caused in Australia if the British public boycotted Australian trade. Following considerable discussion and debate in the English and Australian press, the Australian Board sent a cable to the MCC which, while maintaining its opposition to bodyline bowling, stated "We do not regard
54280-433: Was substantially higher than he had achieved previously. With the ball he took 104 wickets, at the more expensive average of 21.61, to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets for the first time. However, some critics in Yorkshire were unhappy that his batting had improved, believing that the extra effort involved would diminish his effectiveness as a bowler. They considered a powerful bowling attack to be vital to
54516-511: Was the Australian team captained by Bradman between 1946 and 1948. Other teams soon followed. Outside the sport, there were significant consequences for Anglo-Australian relations, which remained strained until the outbreak of World War II made cooperation paramount. Business between the two countries was adversely affected as citizens of each country avoided goods manufactured in the other. Australian commerce also suffered in British colonies in Asia:
54752-775: Was the South African Basil Melle , who utilised leg theory bowling playing for Oxford University during the 1913 season, in which he took 55 wickets and in The University Match dominated the Cambridge University batsmen. When cricket resumed after the war, few bowlers maintained the tactic, which was unpopular with spectators owing to its negativity. Fred Root , the Worcestershire bowler, used it regularly and with considerable success in county cricket. Root later defended
54988-400: Was the second highest wicket-taker in the season and came fifth in the bowling averages, with 183 wickets at 15.29. Hirst remained a first-choice member of the Test team, playing all three matches against South Africa that summer in a series which England won 1–0, with the other two games drawn. Although unsuccessful with the bat, achieving 46 runs in five innings with a top-score of 17, in
55224-456: Was to bat aggressively. Although he could play defensively if required, he preferred to attack when his team were in difficulties. He played a variety of strokes, but he favoured the on drive and particularly the pull and hook shots . He was able to pull and hook almost any ball delivered to him, making it difficult to place fielders effectively while he was batting. Only in Australia did this approach prove less successful. He also established
55460-468: Was unfair and became the responsibility of the umpires to identify and stop. In 1957, the laws were altered to prevent more than two fielders standing behind square on the leg side; the intention was to prevent negative bowling tactics whereby off spinners and slow inswing bowlers aimed at the leg stump of batsmen with fielders concentrated on the leg side. However, an indirect effect was to make bodyline fields impossible to implement. Later law changes, under
55696-457: Was unfit, later expressed his regret at making the field change at that moment. The fury of the crowd was such that a riot might have occurred had another incident taken place and several writers suggested that the anger of the spectators was the culmination of feelings built up over the two months that bodyline had developed. During the over, another rising Larwood delivery knocked the bat out of Woodfull's hands. He batted for 89 minutes, being hit
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