English cricket team in Australia in 1962–63
After the fourth Test was drawn, England captain Ted Dexter was expected to launch an all-out attempt to win the fifth and so claim the series and The Ashes.
[3] Since then, England had convincingly defeated Pakistan in the 1962 series and there was a measure of optimism that the 1962–63 team might succeed in Australia although, as E. W. Swanton put it: "most judges accorded them a sporting chance of winning back the Ashes, but no more".
[4] The big pre-tour issue for England was encapsulated in the title of an editorial written by Gordon Ross in the 1962 edition of the Playfair Cricket Annual: "Who will lead in Australia?
Peter May had been captain for a record 41 Tests through 1955 to 1961, but he missed two matches in the 1961 Ashes series due to illness and he then declined to tour India, Pakistan and Ceylon in 1961–62, as also did Colin Cowdrey, Brian Statham and Fred Trueman.
Sheppard was owed long overdue leave and was expected to take a sabbatical so he could make a return to first-class cricket with Sussex, even if not with England.
[7] According to Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, the match was "in some respects a Test trial" because the MCC team for Australia would be chosen at the end of the month.
The Gentlemen v Players match ended in a draw, but Wisden was in no doubt that Trueman's professionals would have won convincingly if rain had not prematurely curtailed the proceedings.
Lock had something of a last word, however, because he was hired by Western Australia as their overseas player for the winter and he helped the Combined XI defeat MCC at the WACA Ground.
They chose John Murray who had been first choice for the 1961 Ashes series and his backup was Alan Smith who had yet to play Test cricket.
It had been expected that Billy Griffith as MCC secretary would manage the tour but he needed to remain at Lord's to oversee the abolition of amateur status and the introduction of one-day cricket.
[9] Alec Bedser had last played for England in 1955 (he retired from first-class cricket in 1960) and his career total of 236 Test wickets remained a world record.
Their view was that a draw was a fair result because, while Australia went close to winning, England deserved something from the match for a fighting performance.
Richie Benaud won the toss and decided to bat but Australia struggled to reach 194/6 against a fine performance by Fred Trueman who took three of the wickets and held two catches.
Although England struggled against Benaud, who took six wickets, they finally reached a creditable 389 all out after half-centuries by Peter Parfitt, Ken Barrington and Ted Dexter.
Australia were unchanged from the first Test, while England introduced Tom Graveney and Len Coldwell in place of Peter Parfitt and Barry Knight.
Their hopes of a big lead were dashed by the fine bowling of Alan Davidson and there was little to choose between the teams as Australia began their second innings during the third day.
[22] This Test saw a complete turnaround from the previous one as Australia won by 8 wickets soon after lunch on the fourth day to level the series.
Australia left out Peter Burge and Ken Mackay for Barry Shepherd and Colin Guest to make their Test debuts.
Early in the Australian first innings, Murray injured his shoulder when diving to take a catch which dismissed Bill Lawry.
Australia recalled Ken Mackay in place of Colin Guest and Wally Grout, having recovered from his broken jaw, replaced Barry Jarman.
[24] Australia won the toss and, after losing two early wickets, made 393 with centuries by Neil Harvey and Norm O'Neill.
The match was drawn after MCC scored 181/8 declared (David Sheppard 73; Abu Fuard 4/45) and Ceylon replied with 152/8 (C. I. Gunasekera 76; Ray Illingworth 5/59).
Other than a defiant 41 by captain Barry Shepherd, Western Australia could not cope with a lively pitch and were all out for 77 (David Larter 4/25, Fred Titmus 3/11, Brian Statham 3/21).
[29] MCC remained in Perth and, four days later, faced a strong Combined XI which included Bob Simpson, Bill Lawry, Norm O'Neill, Barry Shepherd, Tony Lock and Graham McKenzie, plus five other Western Australia players.
MCC failed to cope with rising balls outside the off stump and sixteen of their twenty wickets fell to catches by the wicket-keeper or one of the slips.
Although Cowdrey was out for a third successive duck, MCC responded well to the home team's 335 (Statham 4/58) with 508/9 declared (Titmus 137*, Barrington 104, Tom Graveney 99).
Victoria struggled to 188/9 and could only secure the draw after their last two batsmen, bowlers Keith Kirby and Alan Connolly, held out for the last sixteen minutes of play.
[38] There was considerable disquiet in cricketing circles about the press coverage of the tour which focused on the Duke of Norfolk because of his aristocratic connections and horse racing interests; on Sheppard for religious reasons; and on Dexter's wife Susan, who was a model.
Playfair began its review of the tour with a curt dismissal of the excessive coverage as "all manner of events off the field of play (which are) copy for the newspapers".
Details of each Australian player includes the state he represented in 1962–63, his age on 1 October 1962, his batting hand and his style of bowling: Australia's leading batsman on average was Burge with 245 runs at 61.25 per innings.
