MCC tour of Australia in 1950–51

Apart from the normal deck exercises some of the MCC players formed a short-lived band and Godfrey Evans gave his well-known impression of Carmen Miranda in the fancy dress party.

Although a one-day game this was not a limited overs match and the team would have to be dismissed in order for the MCC to win, but Brown thought this was less important than time spent at the crease and left satisfied.

Freddie Brown won the toss and elected to bat, only to see his openers Reg Simpson and David Sheppard out for 5 runs, surprised by the swing they had been told was rare in Australia.

Bedser was confined to bed with influenza and there was no fear of a result as Western Australia made 207/4 with Tom Outridge belting 3 sixes and 9 fours in his 92 with Close suffering 3/81 off 13 overs.

A disgruntled Gilbert Parkhouse had been shoved into the slip cordon, where he dropped three catches and the MCC's poor fielding soon lead to them being called Brown's Cows by the Australian press.

[11][12] When the team flew to Adelaide they were met at the airport by Test Selector Sir Donald Bradman, who had got up at 4 o'clock in the morning to meet their overnight flight, and Bill Jeanes, the secretary of the South Australian Cricket Association who happily arranged social introductions, golf and other entertainments during their stay.

The game looked doomed to a draw, but the South Australia captain Ridings declared on 185/3 after Dansie had made 64 to give the MCC a sporting chance of making 185 runs in 135 minutes.

Hutton was out driving for 1, but Washbrook (63) and Simpson (69) rattled up 131 in just over an hour before Evans hit six successive balls to the boundary to give his team an undeserved 7 wicket win.

the wicket-keeper-captain Don Tallon won the toss and batted and the MCC bowlers did quite well in the circumstances, Alec Bedser (3/40) and John Warr (3/70) having Queensland 23/2, but whatever good work they did was undone by slack fielding, poor catching and some new batsman making runs.

The press were unsympathetic and with rumours that Hutton (damaged finger), Denis Compton (swollen knee) and Alec Bedser (influenza) were all ill or injured some wondered if the Test was worth playing.

The MCC belted 428/6 off 54.5 overs against light-hearted bowling with David Sheppard (72), Reg Simpson (98), Gilbert Parkhouse (57), acting captain Denis Compton (92) and wicket-keeper Godfrey Evans (94) helping themselves, but Brian Close going for a duck.

Compton declared in the afternoon and the Queensland Country XI were 88/3 by stumps and 220 all out the next day with captain Tom Allen hitting 2 sixes and 10 fours in his top-scoring 83 as Doug Wright (5/52) and Eric Hollies (3/33) served up old-fashioned leg-spin.

Time was running out and after Len Hutton made 54 David Sheppard and Brian Close smashed an unbeaten third wicket partnership of 179, being fed long hops and full tosses so that they could make their centuries before stumps.

The prime minister of Australia, Robert Menzies, "a keen cricket enthusiast and a supporter of the game at all times, asked the team round to Parliament House at Canberra".

Even if someone made a century or took ten wickets they could not be picked for the Australian team until the Third Test early in 1951, though Ken Archer and Jim Burke had been named in the XII and were fighting to avoid being the twelfth man.

The Australian vice captain Arthur Morris was in charge on his home ground with local hero Keith Miller and the Victorian Neil Harvey who hardly needed testing.

The batsmen Graeme Hole, wicket-keeper Gil Langley and bowlers Alan Walker, Geoff Noblet and Chris Langdon were also included, as was Ritchie Benaud, but he was too ill to play and was replaced by the veteran leg-spinner Doug Ring.

John Warr (2/89) opened the bowling, Alec Bedser and Freddie Brown failed to take a wicket and Eric Hollies (3/108) and Bob Berry (2/108 off just 14 overs) could not contain the attack.

Burke added to his credentials be taking a great catch in gully to dismiss a tired Compton, leaving Brown to punch 46 before the tail gave way five runs short of saving the follow on.

Dewes had not recovered from influenza; Close had a groin strain; McIntyre had pulled a muscle; Compton had an "eye" as well as a "knee" to nurse; and Warr left the field with a jarred tendon after bowling five overs.

Hutton, usually so defensive, began to cream the spinners through the covers, making 150 of the first 253 runs in little over three hours when he tired of the sport, walked down the pitch to the pavilion and was stumped off Fred Johnston (2/166) without looking back.

Leg-spinner Reg Madden (3/93) removed Parkhouse, Brown (0) and Evans (2) and when Simpson fell to the part-time off-spin of Jim Burke (1/32) the innings was declared at 553/5, 220 runs ahead.

Alec Bedser's identical twin brother Eric was in Australia on business (they were inseparable and lived together for 90 years) and was asked to help the MCC rest some of its players after the injuries and fatigue of the Third Test.

The hero of the day was Keith Dollery (3/30), "a fast-medium bowler who bowls with his cap on and touches the ground for luck with his finger before he takes off"[38] who removed the MCC openers David Sheppard and John Dewes and was carried off the field by his team-mates as the tourists were struggled to 18/2 at stumps.

He had nightwatchman Godfrey Evans out in the morning for 28/3, but Reg Simpson (28), captain Denis Compton (41), Cyril Washbrook (61) and Alec Bedser (35) righted the ship and the MCC made 234, a lead of 42 runs.

Tasmania did better second time round and reached 209/4 with Compton disappearing for 2/72 off 11 overs before Alec Bedser (4/30) and Warr (3/39) finished off the tail and the last six wickets fell for 20 runs.

[42][43] The Adelaide Oval is usually a flat, lifeless wicket where the fastest bowlers could rarely get the ball to rise above knee level and looked fit for a thousand runs.

He wasn't just saving his blushes as the fast-medium seamer Geoff Noblet took 5/54 in the searing heat and Slow Left Armer John Wilson 3/39 as the MCC were out for 211 with no batsman making 30 except Washbrook (32) and David Sheppard (32) at the start of the innings.

The heat badly affected the South Australians with only Neil Dansie (44) made any headway as Eric Hollies took 3/16, Roy Tattersall (2/32) and Doug Wright (2/39) and Freddie Brown (1/1) spun them out for 126.

The MCC made 414 thanks to Len Hutton (128) and Bailey (125) as Jack Iverson was recovering from a damaged ankle and the only bowlers of quality were Bill Johnston (2/68), Doug Ring (5/134) and Ian Johnson (1/10), the last bowling the out of form Compton with a full toss for 20.