MCC tour of Australia in 1946–47
Australia had been suffering a drought since 1937, but this ended as it rained in every match the MCC played on tour, including tropical thunderstorms twice in Brisbane and again in Sydney.
Hammond's ill-equipped army returned to England beaten, yet deserving of the highest honours for their sportsmanship, their ability to smile in the face of certain disaster and also for their success in gaining the objective of their invasion - the spreading of cricket goodwill from the Homeland to a Dominion.
Having arrived from a country that had had seven years of rationing Australia was a 'land flowing with milk and honey' and Hammond promised his men "the happiest six months of their lives".
The English and Australian press praised them for their sporting attitude and dwelt on the batting prowess of Wally Hammond, Len Hutton, Denis Compton and the bowling abilities of Alec Bedser and Doug Wright.
The Northam captain won the toss and batted, but his team was soon out as big left-arm fast bowler Bill Voce of Bodyline fame took 3/11 and Peter Smith 5/55 with his leg-spin.
Dick Pollard and Bill Voce had the Colts 7/2, but they recovered, with Wally Langdon making 48 and though wickets fell steadily they survived the day on 138/6.
Denis, from whom I had the story, was much deflated - he was, in fact, stumped for 98...The oracle was listened to with great respect, and his dictum was largely taken up by those who followed him in the England XIs - especially by Hutton, who was a fine enough technician to play slow bowling without coming out to meet it.
With Norman Yardley as captain the MCC were taken by train (complete with cowcatcher) to South Australia and "a town of rudimentary graces (at least in those days) called Port Pirie where the opposition was terribly bad and very few people even came to watch".
[11] The game against South Australia caused much interest as Don Bradman played his first match of the season after almost a year without top flight cricket and speculation about his health.
[12] Against a fairly toothless attack in which Bruce Dooland was the best bowler with 3/146 Bill Edrich and Denis Compton both made 71 in a stand of 111 and Norman Yardley (54 not out) and Jack Ikin (35 not out) took the score to 506/5 before the declaration at the close of the second day.
Yardley won the toss and batted, but they struggled against an attack of near Test strength; Bill Johnston, Fred Freer, Ian Johnson, George Tribe and Doug Ring.
Washbrook was out for a duck, Gibb 22 and Hutton and Hardstaff 15 each, but Denis Compton made 143, added 119 with Norman Yardley (70), then carried on batting with the tail.
Hassett scored 57 again as did Merv Harvey, but Wright took 4/73 to give him 10 wickets in the match, Alec Bedser took 3/40 and Hutton bowled the opener Gordon Tamblyn with his leg-spin.
Many potential Test players were also included; Merv Harvey, Arthur Morris, Keith Miller, Colin McCool, Ron Saggers and Fred Freer.
McCool (7/106) dismissed Hutton, Washbrook, Edrich, Compton, Hammond, Yardley and Voce with his flighted wrist spin and "the English batsmen seemed like rabbits fascinated in the presence of a snake".
Hammond and Howard went to visit Sammy Carter, the wicketkeeper of Warwick Armstrong's Australian teams of 1920-21 and 1921 who won 8 Tests in a row, but was now confined to a wheelchair.
The first time he succeeded they seemed faintly amused, but when he was regularly breaking partnerships their enthusiasm knew no bounds..."[18] The MCC made a pedestrian reply with 9 batsmen getting into double figures, but only two passing 50.
The local fast bowler Tim Ball took 5/69 and Len Johnson 3/51 as the MCC were out for 282, but the leg-breaks of Don Tallon's brother Bill were hit for 0/73.
Back in to bat the Queensland XI made a solid 311/9 with James Cockburn (41), Tim Allen (40), Colin Stribe (75) and Keith Gartell (52 not out) seeing out the draw.
Wally Hammond was captain, and struck 142 in the MCC's 395, with Laurie Fishlock making 110, Bill Edrich 59 not out and Len Hutton 42 with Hinman taking 5/92.
Hinman opened the batting with 46, the top-score in their reply of 202 as Bill Voce took 4/45, with Dick Pollard (2/62), James Langridge (2/46) and even Len Hutton (2/4) helping out.
The MCC batted again, but Pickles took 4/29 to dismiss Hutton (5), Washbrook (9), Fishlock (0) and Langridge (0), but Denis Compton made 75 not out and Hammond 30 not out coming in at number 8 as they finished on 146/6 in another draw.
[19] Like Western Australia Tasmania were a weak side and they were sent some help from the mainland to play the MCC and showcase the talents of some star players; Lindsay Hassett, Keith Miller and Ian Johnson of Victoria and Sid Barnes of New South Wales.
Laurie Fishlock held the early innings together with 52 as they crashed to 53/4 with Bill Edrich (82), Alec Bedser (51) - his first first class 50 - and Godfrey Evans (34) hoisting up the lower order.
Some of the oldest grade clubs in Australia are in Tasmania, but it was a weak state side that would not fully complete in the Sheffield Shield for another 25 years.
Hammond reached his goal in his 992nd innings, and for some time afterwards he was kept busy answering congratulatory letters, telegrams, and cables from admirers in all parts of the world.
See Main Article - 1946–47 Ashes series After the drawn Fourth Test Hammond took the MCC to the famous Victorian gold rush town Ballarat, which was at the start of a post-war boom.
Laurie Fishlock made 51, Denis Compton 93, Jack Ikin 71 and Godfrey Evans 41, with Keith Miller taking 4/63 and the slow left-arm wrist-spin of George Tribe going for 3/142.
Batting again the tourists floundered to Tribe whose 6/49 cleared them up for 118, leaving the home side 151 to win, but there was no time and the game ended with the MCC innings.
[26][27] Denis Compton hit 75 while he was away and the NSW bowlers sharing the honours; Lindwall 2/54, Bill Johnston 3/51, Ernie Toshack 3/88 and John Pettiford 2/48.
